by Tom Letourneau
European and Racing Correspondent
Larini Outpaces Alfa Rival
Alfa Romeo star Nicola Larini was fastest in the first official test for the European Touring Car Championship at Monza last week. The Italian’s Nordauto Alfa Romeo 156 beat the sister car of European Super Touring Cup champ Fabrizio Giovanardi in wet and dry conditions. "I am ready for a new season rich in emotion and satisfaction," said Larini. "Our goal hasn’t changed – to win." Fellow ex-Grand Prix driver Gabriele Tarquini was third fastest in his JAS Engineering Honda Accord.
At Monza, Nicola Larini set fastest time during the official ETC test session
Meanwhile, veteran Italian team Conrero has taken over the running of two privateer Alfas from the new GDL Racing outfit. Conrero tested at Monza with Alex Caffi behind the wheel, although the Italian is intending to concentrate on his FIA Sportscar Championship program with the team. The squad instead hopes to sign Formula 3 star Enrico Toccacelo to join Group N graduate Ettore Bonaldi. International Formula 3000 team Coloni Motorsport claims to be on the verge of running Toccacelo, however. Conrero boss Oscar Bersilli said, "We want to run a fast, young driver and will probably sign Toccacelo."
BTCC Alfa Team Appeals For More Test Time
Former British Touring Car Championship title winner and current head of Alfa’s BTCC racing squad JS Motorsport Tim Harvey has called for an extension to the official pre-season testing amnesty. Harvey and Alfa are concerned that many teams are struggling to have their cars ready for the first round of the series, and will be pushed for reliability. Harvey suggests that further relaxing of the testing restrictions - designed to allow teams to test when their cars are ready, rather then waiting for an official test - should be extended into the early part of the season.
"There could be a lot of retirements in the first few races," Harvey said. "That won’t look good for the Championship, especially in the Touring Car Class, where there aren’t that many cars competing to start with. We need to be able to run when cars are ready, to be able to sort them out. It’s for the good of the series; it’s not to any one team’s advantage."
Bigazzi To Run Alfas in Euro Series for 2001
The renowned Bigazzi Team is returning to its roots by running Alfa Romeos in the Super Production Class of the FIA’s European Touring Car Championship this year. Bigazzi will run Spaniard Luis Villamil and Italian Tobia Masini in a pair of Alfa 156s. The team last ran Alfas in the ETCC back in the 1984-85 season. Alfa Romeo stalwart Villamil has won two Spanish Touring Car titles with the Italian maker. Masini won three rounds of the National Saloon Championship last season.
Malkin Loses Seat in Alfa 147 Team
Former single-seat racer Darren Malkin has lost his seat in the JS
Motorsport’s British Touring Car Championship Team. Malkin, 24, was set to line up
with saloon veteran David Pinkney in the team’s two-car Alfa Romeo 147 squad, but has
been forced to pull out following sponsorship problems. JS Motorsports team manager,
former BTCC Champion Tim Harvey, is hoping to confirm a replacement by the end of the
week. "It’s a shame. In a worst-case scenario, I’ll drive, but I’m
confident that we’ll find a good replacement." 