Giovanardi Is Emperor In Rome!!

Fabrizio Giovanardi won his second Italian Super Touring Championship title after a breathtaking weekend of action at the Vallelunga Circuit outside of Rome. The Alfa Romeo star staged a brilliant comeback in the second race to take the title from the grasp of BMW nemesis Emanuele Naspetti and was hailed by a standing ovation from the Roman crowd.

After setting a new qualifying record, Giovanardi hesitated at the start of the first race, allowing Naspetti’s BMW to draw alongside. The duo almost collided as Nicola Larini’s Alfa took the lead from the BMW of Fabrizio de Simone. Giovanardi quickly overtook de Simone, who immediately left the door open for CiBiEmme teammate Naspetti to move into third. Larini may have done the same for Giovanardi, but Naspetti was too close to the Nordauto squad for team orders to be carried out effectively.

The BMWs scorched away with the start of the second race, de Simone once more giving way to Naspetti after leading off the line. After a two-lap safety car period, Giovanardi attacked de Simone for second, the two negotiating the Roma bend before the pits side-by-side until the Alfa finally went ahead. Then Giovanardi set off after Naspetti. At the halfway mark, he took to the inside for the Cimini bends at the bottom of the course. Naspetti tried to resist, but it was too late and the cars tangled before Giovanardi set off into the lead.