Tavano reinforces his leadership with another win

Salvatore Tavano is even more in control of the TCR Italy standings after claiming his second victory of the season in today’s Race 2 at Imola.
The SEAT Sport Italia driver took a brilliant start from sixth on the reverse grid, overtook his teammate Matteo Greco for the lead during the opening lap and led for the whole race, resisting the pressure of Luca Rangoni who finished a surprising second in the Top Run-built Subaru WRX STI. Greco completed the podium and encored his yesterday’s victory in the DSG Trophy.
The race was disrupted twice by the safety car. The first time, from lap 5 to 8, after Adriano Bernazzani’s Alfa Romeo Giulietta spilled oil on the track and then, from lap 9 to 10, when Andrea Argenti’s Opel Astra went off at the Rivazza.
The race resumed for a final lap that was plenty of action, as the drivers behind the leading trio battled for the positions. Massimiliano Mugelli and Edoardo Cappello clashed and went off, while Andrea Larini took advantage from the commotion to finish fourth ahead of Massimiliano Gagliano and yesterday’s winner Enrico Bettera.
Former championship leader Luigi Ferrara had a troubled race; he started from 16^th on the grid and recovered up to sixth in three laps, but then had to pit to replace the front right tyre and rejoined in 17^th position and recovered again to finish 9^th, but he received a 5-second penalty for an infringement during the safety car period and dropped out of the points.
Following the penalty that deprived him of a victory in yesterday’s Race 1, Ferrara has now slipped to third in the standings, 40.5 points behind Tavano and 8.5 behind Greco.
The TCR Italy championship will resume after the summer break at Vallelunga on September 14/16.