Bertolini leads Maserati 1-2 – Title fight goes to the wire

Andrea Bertolini won the first race at Vallelunga, making it a 1-2 for Maserati with team mate Alessandro Pier Guidi in second. Alberto Cerqui and Thomas Biagi finished in third and fourth respectively, remaining in the battle for the title.

At the start Bertolini retained the lead as Pier Guidi overtook Cerqui for second. Biagi followed his team mate in to fourth, ahead of the third BMW Team Italia driver, Stefano Gabellini.

Luigi Ferrara had a strong start and was seventh after the first lap, making up five places from his grid spot and emerging right behind Max Pigoli. Five laps later the two made contact as Ferrara passed Pigoli for sixth at the Tornantino. On the following lap Pigoli overtook the CAAL Racing driver again at the same corner; the contact they made resulted in a black/white flag for the Romeo Ferraris driver.

Towards the end of the race Michela Cerruti tried to attack Ferrara, but the International Superstars Series leader managed to retain seventh. Ferrara was later promoted to sixth after Pigoli was penalized for the incident at the Tornantino.

Bertolini won the race ahead of Pier Guidi and Cerqui, making it a Maserati 1-2. Biagi came fourth after some good and close racing with team mate Cerqui, while Gabellini rounded off the top five. Ferrara was classified sixth after Pigoli was demoted to seventh, ahead of team mate Michela Cerruti. Francesco Sini and Andrea Dromedari rounded off the top ten.

The final race of the year is expected to be spectacular, with Ferrara only four points ahead of Bertolini and a further point ahead of Cerqui. Biagi is 16 points shy of the leader, with an outside chance of winning the title.