Gianni Morbidelli extends lead despite mixed results in Austria

WestCoast Racing’s Gianni Morbidelli leaves the Salzburgring, which marks the past-halfway mark of the season with a slightly extended points lead over Target Competition’s Stefano Comini, following a fifth and a third in the day’s two races, which were slightly unexpected following the Hondas’ performance in qualifying.

Morbidelli dropped one spot at the start of race one to Comini, and was battling with his Swiss championship rival throughout the early stage of the race, until Pepe Oriola made a passing move on lap nine, heading down the inside at Turn 14. The two drivers made contact, which saw them both lose ground to their rivals, with Morbidelli down to sixth, and would gain just one more spot to fifth by the finish.

“I did the best I could do here,” said Morbidelli. “It was not easy. I was involved in some fights, and another podium is important to score points for the championship, but it’s going to be tough for the rest of the season.

In race two, from ninth on the grid, the Italian made steady progress, thanks in part to others mistakes, and eventually finished on the final spot on the podium, again embroiled in a battle with Craft-Bamboo Lukoil’s Pepe Oriola throughout much of the race.

“There was not a big chance to overtake him,” he added. “I was just a little bit faster after the long fast corner, but the risk was too high, and then I started to suffer with understeer so I decided to stay there and I was also looking in the mirror as I also had Sergey (Afanasyev) was behind me, so I think the podium was good enough.”