: Series Estoril race one report

LIVERPOOL LEAPS TO ESTORIL VICTORY IN SUPERLEAGUE FORMULA

Liverpool FC's Adrian Valles stormed to victory at Estoril today, leapfrogging one Italian rival in the pits and making an on-track pass on another to score the win.

After starting fourth, Valles slotted into third place off the start which was marred by dramas for FC Basel's Max Wissel and Borussia Dortmund's Enrico Toccacelo.

Wissel's car finished beached in the sand trap while Toccacelo retired shortly after with severe damage to the nose of the car.

AS Roma rookie Franck Perera raced into the lead off the start followed by AC Milan's Robert Doornbos and Liverpool's Valles.

Perera held the lead until the compulsory pit stops where he was delayed with a problem changing one of his rear tires.

Doornbos and AC Milan assumed the lead after the stops but was passed at the end of the back straight by Liverpool's Valles on lap 11.

The Spaniard then held on for the remaining laps to take his second victory of the series. This is the second round in a row where Valles and Liverpool has claimed the opening race victory of the weekend.

Doornbos (AC Milan) finished second ahead of Perera (AS Roma) while Corinthians driver Antonio Pizzonia scored his best Superleague Formula finish to date by finishing fourth – passing championship leader Beijing Guoan (Davide Rigon) on lap 26.

Local fans' hopes for FC Porto were shattered with six minutes remaining when Tristan Gommendy pulled off the circuit on lap 26 when his car lost power while running in sixth place.

The victory by Liverpool has shrunk Beijing Guoan's championship lead from 36 points down to 18.

FC Basel and Borussia Dortmund will make up the front row for this afternoon's reverse grid race that kicks off at 2.00pm.

Full results and press conference quotes to follow......

-credit: sf