Vallelunga 6 Hours preview

VALLELUNGA -- All forecasts met in Gold Cup, the race which tomorrow will open the "Vallelunga 6 Hours" XV Edition challenges: the factory Lister Storm Lmp1 Hybrid, entrusted to Stefano Zonca and Andrea Belicchi, has indeed gained pole position with the time of 1'27"539. By its side in the running start, tomorrow at 9 a.m., the Lister will find the Centenari Mac 3 of the Roman crew Vita-Borgese-De Luca (I Motori di Carlotta -- 1'32"233), with Racing Box Maserati MC12, driven by Mastracci-Maddalena-Serafini, taking the start in second row, first amongst GT cars, thanks to its time of 1'32"524. Fourth time for Baldi-Arfè-Del Castello Lucchini Alfa Romeo followed in the grid by Ghiotto-Nappi-Casoni Norma M20 and Giovannini-Maceratesi-Mores Picchio, thus topping the first six positions. Gold Cup, as said, will take its start tomorrow at 9 p.m., coming to its end at 3. p.m.

Tomorrow on the contrary will be a day of rest for Silver Cup drivers, the Vallelunga 6 Hours challenge reserved to Touring cars. After disputing today qualifiers, the over 40 crews will actually be back on track straight on Sunday to tackle the race with the same schedule: 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. At the end of qualifiers stood out Duller Motorsport BMW M3 E46 GTR entrusted to the skilled Dieter Quester, Luca Riccitelli and Philipp Peter, able to stop the watch at 1'39"437, with their team mates Zonca-Newey-Macari topping front row with 1'42"979. Zonca, who on Sunday will share the driving seat with McLaren F1 technical director Adrian Newey, right from tomorrow with the Lister, will try to repeat his last edition performance aiming at the double victory gained in 2004. In second row two more M3 will line up, the Max Team BMWs of Cerrai-Fabris-Liberati-Dal Castello (1'43"805) and Peroni-d'Amico-Argenti-Mezzasalma (1'46"795), while third row will be taken up by Orlandi-Milani-Amaduzzi-Checcoli Alfa Romeo 147 GTA and Albanese-Calabrese Seat Leon Cupra.

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