Photo: ACI Sport

Roberto Colciago fends off Alberto Viberti to take seventh TCR Italy win

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Roberto Colciago took his seventh TCR Italy win this season at Vallelunga. The Honda driver defended from BRC’s Alberto Viberti, as Daniele Cappellari completed the podium in his family-run SEAT Leòn.

Colciago started from pole position, but the race was neutralised right after the start.

When the caution period ended, Viberti made the most out of the restart and took the lead on the fifth lap. On the following lap, though, the SEAT driver went wide at Soratte and let the Honda back through.

Viberti tried hard to get back in the lead, thanks to a superior pace in the faster sections of the track, but Colciago defended perfectly and won the race.

Cappellari took his maiden TCR Italy podium. Behind them was Andrea Bacci in the TCT Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio, fourth outright after a long fight with Giovanni Mancini’s Citroën C3.

Alberto Bassi won the TCS class.

Italian tv presenter Jimmy Ghione made contact with fellow SEAT driver Sandro Pelatti in the TCS SEAT Leòn ST, and stopped at the last corner in the gravel after starting from the pit lane due to a technical problem.

The second race of the weekend will start at 17.25 local time.