By winning the last two races on the circuit of Imola, Italian Emanuele Moncini won the Abarth 500 Selenia – European Trophy, beating fellow countryman Manuel Villa by a whisker. Villa was leading the standings prior to the last round. Only three points separates the two drivers at the end of the 12-round championship, the last of which was livened up by the fight between the two Italians, Moncini prevailing in the enthralling duel. Frenchman Benoît Perret finished third. The finishing order reflects the hierarchy of the championship as the transalpine driver takes third in the trophy.
Abarth 500 European Trophy: Emanuele Moncini wins the championship
At Imola, Moncini won Race 1 ahead of Manuel Villa and Alex Campani, the latter posting the fastest lap time which earned him pole position for Race 2.
Smoking hot fast pace imposed by the front runners characterised this last race, as well as the head-to-head battle between Moncini and Villa. At the start, Villa immediately tailed Alex Campani, who started from pole position. Moncini stayed behind and then made attempts to climb up the leaderboard in the first lap. In the second lap, Campani went off track, handing first place over to Villa. The two leaders in the standings were initiating a long battle. Meanwhile, further back down the field, Jorge Rodrigues was duelling with Simone Monforte for fifth place. Perret, then lying fourth, was a spectator of the battle for the lead, without being able to worry Matteo Milani. The retirement of this one handed third place over to the transalpine, allowing him to conclude the season on the podium.
Final Abarth 500 European Trophy race at Imola
To be pointed out is the fine performance of championship participants Erika and Simone Monforte, the youngest drivers to take part in all the rounds of this continental series with the Abarth 500 Assetto Corse.
Open until the end, the 12-leg championship was spread over six rounds at Valencia (Spain), Brno (Czech Republic), Porto (Portugal), Brands Hatch (England), Oschersleben (Germany), drawing to a close at Imola in Italy. The return of Abarth to European competition has been a success, with many young drivers from different countries of the old continent entering the events held in six nations.
The show is due to be repeated next year. The Abarth 500 Selenia Trophy and the Abarth 500 Selenia-European Trophy will be organised again in 2010 in accordance with procedure to be determined in the coming weeks.
Like this year, there will be a national and an international series, which will still feature the Abarth 500 Assetto Corse, a high-performance car that has proved highly competitive on the demanding circuits it has raced on, thanks to the 190bhp delivered by its 1400cc turbo engine.
Final Abarth 500 European Trophy race at Imola
Race 1 classification:
1. Emanuele Moncini (I) 9 laps in 19min48.807s – average speed 133,09 kph;
2. Manuel Villa ITA + 3.695s;
3. Alex Campani ITA + 4.163s;
4. Jorge Rodrigues POR + 8.551s;
5. Benoit Perret FRA +10.267s;
6. Simone Monforte ITA +23.960s;
7. Matteo Milani ITA + 32”.047s;
8. Massimiliano Baraldi ITA at 1 lap.
Fasted lap by Alex Campani in 2min10.857s – average speed 135.05 kph.
Race 2 classification:
1. Emanuele Moncini (I), 9 laps in 19min56.229s – average speed 132.27 kph;
2. Manuel Villa (I) + 1.664s;
3. Benoît Perret (F) + 8.444s;
4. Jorge Rodrigues (P) + 15.398s;
5. Simone Monforte (I) + 20.581s;
6. Paolo Debe (I) + 32.179s;
7. Gabriele Larini (I) + 51.122s;
8. Erika Monforte (I) + 1min03.288s;
9. Luca Cassol (I) + 2min16.312s
Fastest lap by Emanuele Moncini, 2min11.129s – average speed 134.77 kph.
Abarth 500 Selenia – European Trophy final standings:
1. Emanuele Moncini (I) 156 points;
2. Manuel Villa (I) 153;
3. Benoît Perret (F) 143;
4. Jorge Rodrigues (P) 131;
5. Simone Monforte (I) 102;
6. Erika Monforte (I) 47;
8. Alex Campani (I) 44;
9. Lucas Guerrero (E) and Freddy Nordström (S) 43.
source: my abarth.co.uk
