Michele Imberti dominates and wins Race 1 at Misano
Kombat Motorsport’s Michele Imberti claimed a solid lights-to-flag victory in Saturday’s Race 1 at Misano, host of the sixth and final round of the 2025 TCR Italy season.
Michele Imberti took the lead as Gabriele Covini faltered at the start, with Audi’s Nicolas Taylor taking second place ahead of the Hyundai driver. Nicola Baldan, in contention with Taylor for the title, sat in seventh place after the start.
The safety car was called into action during lap one after an incident between Giacomo Prancelli, Michal Bartoszuk and Giacomo Ghermandi, with the latter stranded on the track with a broken front right suspension.
The race went green again on lap four, with Imberti leading Taylor, Covini and Filippo Barberi. Pietro Alessi overtook Alex Ley for fifth position. Alessi set the fastest lap of the race as he charged ahead, overtaking Ley for fourth position on lap five. Barbieri lost ground with Baldan overtaking for sixth position on the same lap.
At the front, Taylor came under fire from Covini on lap seven, with the fight between the two allowing Alessi to close the gap. Baldan tried closing the gap on Ley, who received a warning for track limits.
Baldan overtook Ley for fifth position on lap ten, with the Italian charging towards the preceding group, as Alessi now attacked Covini. Ley also lost sixth position to Barberi on lap eleven.
Imberti opened a 3.6-second gap at the front as Baldan clocked the fastest lap of the race to reach the group with Taylor, Covini and Alessi.
Baldan and Alessi came together on lap 13 as the championship contender sought a way past for fifth position.
Covini had a steering problem on lap 16, with Alessi and Baldan overtaking the Hyundai. Baldan took advantage of a braking error from Alessi to overtake, with both colliding on the track, rising to third place. The incident would be noted by the stewards, as Covini retired to the pits.
Imberti won at the chequered flag, with Taylor and Baldan completing the podium, followed by Alessi and Barberi.
Matteo Poloni was sixth ahead of the Cupra of Cosimo Barberini. Ley could only manage eighth place at the chequered flag. Denis Babuin and Sandro Pelatti completed the top ten.
“Fortunately, we did a good start and had a good pace during the race, whilst keeping the tyres, so we opened a good gap to win the race, which was a great work from everyone,” said Imberti after the race.
Taylor now leads the championship with 409 points, 25 ahead of Baldan and 95 over Poloni, ahead of the final race of the season, scheduled for Sunday afternoon at 13:00 CEST.
