Monza: Round four race report

Leinders and Montagny win in Monza.
Both drivers reduce the advantage in overall standings but Ricardo Zonta keeps the leadership of World Series.
The Brazilian grabs just two 5th positions and will go to Magny Cours 6 points ahead of Leinders.

Monza, 7 July 2002 ? Bas Leinders and Franck Montagny were the winners in the fourth round of the Telefónica World Series by Nissan races hold in the Autódromo di Monza (Italy). Both changed positions in the two races and have reduced the difference between them and leadership Ricardo Zonta. The Brazilian driver just scored two 5th positions and will go to the next meeting in Magny Cours just 6 points ahead of Leinders.

Race 1

Bas Leinders (KTR) reached his second consecutive victory in World Series with authority. The Belgium driver leaded the race from the beginning to the end; he drove alone stretching the advantage to Franck Montagny (Racing Engineering), who was a lonely second. Emotion and spectacle were focused in the battle for the theirs position between Justin Wilson (Racing Engineering), Ángel Burgueño (Repsol Meycom), Tuka Rocha (Gabord Competición) and his team-mate Ricardo Zonta. The Brazilian leader started from the rear row (the oil pump failed on Saturday) and set a searing pace: he finally finished 5th and scored 8 points. Wilson was third at the end and Burgueño ended 4th.

Race 2

The chances of victory were placed in the mandatory pit stop. Montagny and Leinders made a good stop, but Zonta ruined his race during his pit stop losing some seconds with his right-rear wheel. The French driver led from start to finish, although Leinders pushed hard the last laps. Finally, the Belgium finished second and Andre Couto (Vergani Racing) was third. Justin Wilson ended 4th and the leader Zonta was 5th again over 17 seconds from the winner. There was an accident in the first hairpin that involved Jean Christophe Ravier (Epsilon by Graff) and Narain Kartikheyan (Tata RC Motorsport). The first one was evacuated by an ambulance but he is OK. Just a big blue in his left feet.

The next meeting will take place at Magny Cours (France) on 31 August.

Porteiro win both races and is new leader in Fórmula Nissan 2000 Santiago Porteiro (Repsol Meycom) won both races, reached both best laps and becomes the new leader of the category. He started the first race from rear row (he was sanctioned by race direction for dangerous driving), but set a searing pace to the victory. Fernando Navarrete (CMC Albacete) and Andrea Belicchi (BCN Motorsport) got the podium for the first time this season. Belicchi also finished in podium in second race, between Porteiro and Giorgio Sernagiotto (Venturini Racing). Matteo Bobbi (Vergani Racing), the leader before Monza, finished 5th and flew off the road at the parabolic hairpin in second race.

Gelete Nieto didn't finish any race and his team-mate in Epsilon by Graff, Mathias Lauda, ended 12th and 10th.

Standings: 1. S. Porteiro, 114 points; 2. M. Bobbi, 91; 3. J.M. Pérez-Aicart, 84; 4. B. García, 64; 5. C. Míguez, 57; 6. A. Belicchi, 56.

Spanish Formula Junior 1600 Championship

The leader Adrián Vallés (Escuela Lois Circuit) won in the first race hold on Saturday, it was his 6th victory consecutive. Roldán Rodríguez (Porfesa Competición) and Álvaro Barba (Escuela Lois Circuit) finished second and third. In the second race Barba won ahead of Rodríguez and Víctor Jaouen (TCR Motorsport). Vallés, who was 4th, has an advantage of 56 points in the championship overall.

Standings: 1. A. Vallés, 151 points; 2. R. Rodríguez, 95; 3. A. Barba, 78; 4. V. Jaouen, 68; 5. L. Orecchioni, 66; 6. M. Carol, 36.

Quotes:

Bas Leinders
"It has been a terrific weekend: a victory, a second place, and two best laps. Also it's very important being so close from Zonta in overall standings. I congratulate my team because they have done a perfect job".

Franck Montagny
"I'm very satisfied, because we have done a very good job after having so many problems in Albacete. The key of my victory has been a pit stop really good".

-rpm-