Exciting weekend in Vallelunga for the second round of 2020 Lotus Cup Italy series: on the circuit close to Rome, the championship promoted by PB Racing offered fun and battles with two amazing races that reserved emotions up to their respective checkered flags .
In Race 1, Giuseppe De Virgilio took the top step of the podium, taking his first victory in the series: the Elise #27 had an extraordinary race, managing the tires at his best, finalizing the win with the overtaking Franco Nespoli few minutes from the end; the swiss of Aggressive Team Italia was, anyway, the author of an incredible start that saw him as leader just during the first lap after two stunning overtakes. The gap built in the first half of the race was not enough to keep behind De Virgilio due to the lack of grip on the red car. Third and fourth finished Fabio Radice (winner in the Over 50 class) and Stefano Zerbi, authors of an excellent performance and true outsiders in the championship, both able to jump ahead of Giacomo Giubergia in the latest kilometers: the Pellin Racing driver, after the pole position on Saturday, was not able to have a race pace for the podium, closing only in fifth place (gaining anyway importants points for the standings). There could have been a definitely better result also for Daniel Grimaldi, penalized with a Drive Through for a jump start. Behind him finished – in order – Utzieri, Grisi, Abbati and Serratore, all protagonists of an exciting fight in the central part of the race.
With the reversed starting grid for the top 8, in Race 2 it was Vito Utzieri who started on pole positio: the Monegasque was quick to keep the lead when the traffic lights became off, but behind him the real “rocket” was Nespoli, who jumped in second place already at turn 4. With Utzieri soon sucked up by the pack, Grimaldi conquered the attention very hot duel against Giubergia, gaining soon the position; after him, Grimaldi launched his winning attack to Nespoli, gaining the leadership until the checkered flag. Behind him, Giubergia tried in every possible way to steal the second place from Nespoli, but without finding the right space to pass the swiss. At the foot of the podium Fabio Radice, followed by his teammate Stefano Zerbi (both very fast in the central part of the race) with Utzieri, Grisi, Serratore and Abbati as following while De Virgilio had to raise the white flag in mid-heat due to a technical issue.
At the end of the Vallelunga weekend, Giacomo Giubergia keeps the lead of the provisional standing with 80 points, followed by Nespoli (71) and Grimaldi (63); Giubergia leads also the Hankook Trophy standing with 89 points, fifteen more than Fabio “Radix” Radice, who however is on top of Over 50 ranking. In the Gold Cup, first provisional position for Grimaldi ahead of Abbati.
