Photo: STC2000

Matías Rossi takes last lap win at Paraná

Toyota Gazoo Racing Argentina driver Matías Rossi claimed victory at Paraná after overtaking Leonel Pernía of Renault Sport on the very last lap. Pernía’s Renault team-mate Facundo Ardusso completed the podium.

Pole-sitter Pernía claimed the lead at the start of the race but ran wide into Turn 1, dropping back to sixth position. The first lap also saw Chevrolet’s Agustín Canapino spinning off due to a blown tyre and was forced to pit.

Ardusso jumped from fourth to first in the opening lap melee, followed by Rossi and Honda Racing’s Ricardo Risatti who had passed Citroën driver Facundo Chapur for third.

Pernía was eager to recover lost ground after his mistake on lap one and overtook Chapur for fourth, making light contact, in the early part of the race.

After an otherwise quiet first half of the race, Pernía briefly managed overtake Chapur for third. But the Citroën driver battled back to regain the place, just as Risatti took advantage of the battle and jumped from fifth to third, passing them both.

But the luck was not to last for the Honda driver as Pernía regained third and was followed by Chapur, dropping Risatti back to fifth.

Honda Racing team-mates Juan Angel Rosso and José Manuel Urcera collided on lap 20 and forced the safety car out on track.

As the race resumed, Rossi tried to challenge Ardusso for the lead, getting into the slip stream of the Renault driver into the fast and long Turn 1 as the field started the last lap. The Toyota driver dived on the inside of the Renault driver at turn two and made the move stick to claim a spectacular win.

Toyota’s Julián Santero finished fourth ahead of Risatti, Chapur and Renault’s Matías Milla. Citroën Total Racing driver Marcelo Ciarrocchi, Fiat Racing driver Matías Muñoz Marchesi and Chevrolet YPF driver Bernardo Llaver completed the top ten.

Pernía heads the standings on 88 points, followed by Ardusso on 72 and Rossi on 64. The next Super TC 2000 round will be held at Salta on July 20-21st.