IF3: Coloni Motorsport Cagliari qualifying notes

Formula 3 -- A top "Superpole" for Coloni at Cagliari

October 31st '03 - Coloni Motorsport is immediately among the frontrunners of the F.3 Sardinia Master: Marco Bonanomi brought in fact the Italian team's Lola-Dome to the third place, only a few tenths off the front row after an exciting "Superpole".

The 18 years old Italian driver, at his debut on a street circuit like Cagliari, wasn't frightened by the track and set an excellent time of 2.19.829, thanks to the extreme competitiveness of the car supplied by Coloni Motorsport, equipped for the first time with Avon tyres. Only a small mistake prevented Marco from catching the first row, however very close.

Also the "deb" Michele Rugolo, who drove for the first time a F3 single-seater, scored a good result: the young Italian (born in Montebelluna in 1982) will start Saturday from the sixth place, thanks to a time of 2.20.996.

It will be instead a wholly catch up race for the Italian F3 vice-champion, Christian Montanari, ninth: he did always fight for the pole, but suffering a rear suspension failure immediately before the "Superpole". Due to the regulations, Coloni's mechanics could fix the problem only after the chequered flag. The Sammarinese was always capable of great starts and thus can look forward to Saturday race.

Paolo Coloni, Team Principal: "I'm very satisfied with the results of our three drivers who always fought for the pole. I'm sorry for what happened to Christian, deprived of the capability of taking the front row. However, I think that Saturday we shall improve car's performances in order to exploit the technical superiority we currently have and then to take the podium as reward for the good job done, in spite of our lack of experience with Avon tyres".

Marco Bonanomi, 3° : "The circuit is wonderful and F3 Sardinia Master is an incredible experience! I'm very happy, all went really good and the car is excellent: we could work also in sight of the Saturday race, which will be long and demanding. I hope I will get a good result and take then a favourable position on the starting grid of race 2".

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