Auto GP

Series news on Durango lineup

Published: Feb 11, 2011, 12:22 AM

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Venturini and Cipriani join Auto GP with Durango

Durango have finalized their line-up for the 2011 Auto GP season. The team managed by Ivone Pinton, racing in top-notch motorsport from 20 years, comes from a very good 2010 season with three race wins and for 2011 they decided to double their commitment, fielding two cars for an all Italian line-up.

Giovanni Venturini, a 19 year-old from Vicenza, is among Italy's most interesting talents: he made his single seater debut in 2008, and from then on he has always been one of the quickest in the F.Renault 2.0 pack.

In 2009 he contested both the Italian and the Swiss championships finishing 3rd and 2nd overall respectively, with an impressive tally of 4 wins, 19 podium finishes and 3 pole positions. Last year he confirmed his competitiveness with podiums and wins both in the Eurocup and the NEC, again drawing the attention of many motorsport insiders.

Durango's other car will be driven by Giuseppe Cipriani: a very successful businessman in the restaurant industry, Cipriani has a big passion for motorsport and through the years he raced in various different categories, including F3 and, from 2007 to 2010, F.Palmer-Audi.

He had a first taste of the Auto GP car in 2010, racing in the Monza season finale with Durango, and he liked the car and the Series so much that he decided for a full 2011 commitment.

Enzo Coloni: "Skilled and renowned teams are one of the keys to Auto GP's success, so I was very happy to know that Durango wanted to step-up to two cars. They did a very good job in 2010 winning races, and they have what it takes to repeat such results in 2011: Venturini is among Italy's best talents and I'm sure that Cipriani will be on the pace as soon has he will have some more kilometres under his belt".

Ivone Pinton: "I have a long standing friendship with Giuseppe Cipriani, so having him in my team is a real pleasure, as much as having a young talent as Giovanni Venturini on the other car. Giuseppe and I shared some adventures both in racing and in real-life, experiences that created a very strong tie between us, a bond that was encouraged by the fact that we both face our daily commitments with a great deal of passion. On the other side I'm really eager to have Giovanni with us, because he is both a very talented and nice guy, something that makes working with him very easy. I feel that he has the potential to become a great driver, and I'm sure that we'll have a lot of fun on track in 2011".

Giovanni Venturini: "Coming from F.Renault 2.0 the power gap with Auto GP was quite huge and I was very impressed during my first laps. Then I realized that with so much extra-power I could drive the car in a very different way from what I was used to, and I was frankly amazed by the package. I also had a very good feeling with the team, we immediately developed a good cooperation and they gave me the chance to work as a real pro, which is exactly what I want as my final aim is getting to F1. I know that I committed to a challenging Series and that it will be a tough season, but racing against experienced and skilled drivers will be good for me, and it's actually one of the reasons why I did choose Auto GP, together with Eurosport's worldwide TV Coverage. I will do my best and I hope to give Durango some good results".

Giuseppe Cipriani: "I have a longtime passion for single-seaters, that's why I'm racing. So for me competing in Auto GP with Durango means committing to a big challenge together with my friend Ivone Pinton, one of the few men that can overcome me when it comes to passion for motorsport. Last year I debuted in Auto GP in Monza, it should have been a one-off experience, but immediately after the first free practice I was looking forward to a full 2011 commitment. Now I'm training very hard and I eagerly await the moment when the engines will be started again".

-source: autogp

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