Photo: ACI Sport

Enrico Bettera inherits Imola win as Luigi Ferrara is penalised

Enrico Bettera won the first race at Imola after V-Action’s Luigi Ferrara was penalised for a safety car infringement. The Pit Lane Competizioni driver finished ahead of MM Motorsport’s Max Mugelli and Cupra’s Salvatore Tavano, who strengthens his points lead as title rival Ferrara scored no points.

At the start the Alfa Romeo Giulietta took the lead ahead of Bettera, with Federico Paolino initially in third ahead of Mugelli and Tavano, but the two eventual podium finishers quickly overtook the BRC Hyundai at Piratella. On the following lap Paolino lost a further position to José Rodrigues and was chased by fast-starting Luca Rangoni in his Subaru.

10 minutes into the race the safety car came out as Marco Pellegrini’s Honda spun after contact at Tosa and was left in a dangerous position, while Rodrigues also stopped likely due to a technical issue after the Portuguese driver’s Honda Civic spilled out smoke for three laps.

At the restart Ferrara took too much space between himself and the safety car, which cost him the penalty that relegated him down to 16th at the end of the race. The restarted race only lasted three corners, as Paolino crashed at Tosa.

The last two laps were entertaining as a close fight for fourth between Rangoni and Pit Lane Competizioni’s Andrea Larini unfolded, but the Cupra driver eventually slipped down to seventh.

Bettera won the race ahead of Mugelli and Tavano, with Rangoni finishing fourth after a remarkable comeback from 11th, ahead of Jürgen Schmarl’s Honda and DSG Trophy winner Matteo Greco. Larini finished seventh ahead of DSG-equipped Francesco Savoia. Massimiliano Gagliano and Romy Dall’Antonia completed the top ten, also in DSG Cupras.

Eric Scalvini did not take the start as he has been excluded from the event after his incident with Nicola Baldan in qualifying. However, his Hyundai i30 N TCR was damaged and he couldn’t have taken part in the race anyway.

The second race of the weekend will take place tomorrow at 10:40 CET, the last before the summer break.