Damiano Reduzzi wins a hectic Race 2 at Imola
At Imola, Damiano Reduzzi claimed his second win in TCR Italy at the end of an eventful race on a drying track that provided plenty of mistakes, overtaking moves and a crucial safety car period. Reduzzi stole the lead from Marco Pellegrini during the final lap; the latter took the chequered flag in second position but was dropped by a penalty, and so Salvatore Tavano and Igor Stefanovski were classified second and third respectively, with Eric Brigliadori fourth, a result that helped him to retain the leadership in the standings.
Just like in yesterday’s Race 1, the track was damp after a shower. Pellegrini started from the pole on the reversed grid and led the field; behind him Stefanovski, Tavano and Reduzzi passed Matteo Poloni who was second on the grid. Jacopo Guidetti and Felice Jelmini advanced to P6 and P7, but then made contact and Jelmini dropped to 11th.
Guidetti overtook Poloni for P5, while Stefanovski dropped from P2 to P6 after going wide at the Rivazza.
Pellegrini was in command ahead of Tavano, Reduzzi and Guidetti, but his was a virtual leadership due to a five-second penalty for a grid infringement. And the situation worsened on lap 5, when Pellegrini made a mistake at the Rivazza, dropping to third behind Tavano and Guidetti. In lap 7, it was Guidetti’s turn to make a mistake in the attempt of passing Tavano, which dropped the MM Motorsport’s Honda to fifth.
As the track dried up, Tavano led from Pellegrini, Reduzzi, Stefanovski and Guidetti when Carlotta Fedeli’s Volkswagen went off onto the gravel and the safety car was deployed.
Racing resumed with two laps to go and Pellegrini dived inside Tavano at the Rivazza; they made contact and Pellegrini moved into the lead, while Reduzzi sealed the opportunity to pass Tavano for P2. Then, in the final lap, Reduzzi overtook Pellegrini for the lead at the Variante Alta and won the race, while Brigliadori passed Guidetti for P4.
The next event of TCR Italy will be at Vallelunga on September 18/20.
Race 2
1. Damiano Reduzzi (Team WRT Trico, Hyundai i30 N), 12 laps
2. Salvatore Tavano (Scuderia del Girasole, CUPRA Leon Competición), 2.777
3. Igor Stefanovski (AKK Stefanovski, Hyundai i30 N), 2.991
4. Eric Brigliadori (BF Motorsport, Audi RS 3 LMS), 3.447
5. Jacopo Guidetti (MM Motorsport, Honda Civic Type R), 4.522
Championship points
1. Eric Brigliadori 95 pts; 2. Salvatore Tavano 90; 3. Marco Pellegrini 82
Picture: ACI Sport
