Franco Girolami controls safety car interrupted second Imola race

Franco Girolami stormed from fifth on the reversed grid to win the second TCR Italy race at Imola, a race which was interrupted twice by the safety car.

Honda driver Paolo Rocca started from the reversed grid pole position but was immediately passed by Levante Losonczy and Girolami.

The first safety car interruption came before the end of the first lap as Gil Victor Fernandez was pushed off at Tamburello.

The restart saw Girolami immediately passing Aggressive Team Italia driver Losonczy for a lead he was to keep throughout the race.

The second safety car intervention came soon after as Federico Paolino stopped by the side of the track at Tosa following contact with Damiano Reduzzi.

The field was released again on lap six which saw reigning champion Niels Langeveld retiring with his new Honda Civic Type R TCR due to power steering issue.

Audi driver Matteo Poloni, who started third, received a stop-and-go penalty for a grid infringement and dropped down the order.

Race 1 winner Marco Butti of Target Competition had worked his way up to third and challenged fellow Hyundai Elantra N TCR driver Loszconcy for second place on lap eleven, making the move stick with four laps left of the race.

By that point, race leader Girolami had opened up a six-second lead and was untouchable.

Girolami won the race ahead of Butti and Losonczy.

PMA Motorsport driver Felice Jelmini finished fourth, the same position he started form, ahead of Ruben Fernandez and pole sitter Rocca.

French Cupra driver Aurelien Comte and Estonian Honda driver Mattias Vathel rounded off the top eight.

Butti heads the standings on 90 points, three more than Girolami and 25 more than Jelmini in third.

The next TCR Italy race takes place at Misano on May 5-7.