EU3000: Vallelunga race one report

Rodriguez rules, but the winner is Bonanomi

Marco Bonanomi has won unexpectedly race 1 in F.3000 Italian Championship and Euroseries 3000 on Vallelunga track. The Fisichella Motorsport driver had not mounted on the highest step of the podium since Mugello event, and has conquered the head of the group only during the last lap, when the unlucky Rodriguez suddenly went out of the scene. The spanish driver, started in pole position, has run without any doubt, increasing more and more his advantage up to 2"5 untill the stop of his car at the final turns because of problems on the axle shaft.

Bonanomi's win opens up again the Championship, having his direct opponent and team-mate, Giacomo Ricci, who started on the third row of the grid, obtained the fifth position. The driver from Milan, seventh during the first lap, has soon overtaken Ippoliti, without however recovering more positions. The two Fisichella Motorsport driver are now very close, with Ricci leading on Bonanomi by 3 poits in Euroseries and 2 in Italian Championship.

The race hasn't twisted particularily the starting grid, if not during the final phase, with leading drivers keeping basically their placements.

Excellent start for Bonanomi who has managed to rise above D'Ambrosio and Tuka Rocha. The Belgian from Euronova team has run after the leading pair, loosing slowly ground. Rodriguez final forfait has raised him to the second step on the podium, at 8"9 from Bonanomi. Minardi team has had at least some satisfaction with Tuka Rocha's third place, 9"6 behind the winner. Euronova has placed Petrov just nearby the podium, while Fausto Ippoliti, debuting with Minardi team, has obtained the sixth placement. Frankie Provenzano, on F.3000 Rookies' Team car, has proved to be the best rookie with his tenth placement. The one Lola Light from Facondini team, driven by Gian Maria Gabbiani, hasn't started the race because of technical problems. The race of the debuting Stefano Attianese (Avelon) has last only 4 laps, because of his going out at Trincea turn.

<pre> RACE 1 Vallelunga

1.  Marco Bonanomi              Lola B02/50      FMS                    22'57"253
2.  Jerome D'Ambrosio           Lola B02/50      Euronova               at 8"981
3.  Tuka Rocha                  Lola B02/50      Minardi                at 9"612
4.  Vitaly Petrov               Lola B02/50      Euronova               at 12"720
5.  Giacomo Ricci               Lola B02/50      FMS                    at 14"294
6.  Fausto Ippoliti             Lola B02/50      Minardi                at 22"569
7.  Matteo Cressoni             Lola B02/50      Vanni/Traini           at 25"259
8.  Gavin Cronje                Lola B02/50      Autosport              at 34"540
9.  Ivan Bellarosa              Lola B02/50      Avelon                 at 35"130
10. Frankie Provenzano          Lola B02/50      F.3000 Rookies' Team   at 43"601
11. Marco Mocci                 Lola B02/50      FMS                    at 53"218
12. Francesco Dracone           Lola B02/50      Euronova               at 1'09"560
13. Roldan Rodriguez            Lola B02/50      Minardi                at 1 lap
14. Stefano Attianese           Lola B02/50      Avelon                 at 13 laps
DNS Gian Maria Gabbiani         Lola B99/50      Facondini Racing

-credit: eu3000