UIM F1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Grand Prix of Italy, round 3
July 15-16th, 2006
For immediate release
Sunday, July 16th, 2006
QATAR TEAM DRIVER ROGGIERO
TAKES THIRD PLACE IN GP OF ITALY
Grand Prix victory falls to Italian Guido Cappellini;
Late fuel feed agony for Qatar Team?s Jay Price
LAKE COMO (Italy): The Qatar F1 Team finished third overall in today?s Grand Prix of Italy, round three of this year?s UIM F1 World Championship. Team driver Massimo Roggiero finished the race on Lake Como in third place, but team mate Jay Price lost a potential top three finish on the final lap with fuel feed problems after running in the top four early on. The 50-lap race was controlled from start to finish by the defending UIM F1 World Champion Guido Cappellini, with the UAE?s Thani Al-Qamzi in second place.
From the outset there was drama at the front of the field. Italy?s Ivan Brigada wrecked his boat after a turn one collision with Sweden?s Jonas Andersson, as Cappellini, Al-Qamzi and Gillman held the early initiative. The leaders were forced to follow the pace boat for the first six laps, with Finland?s Sami Selio in fourth and the Qatar Team?s Price in fifth. Sixth-placed team mate Roggiero was coming under pressure from Fabio Comparato.
As the race progressed and Cappellini, Al-Qamzi and Gillman maintained the advantage, Roggiero managed to overtaken his Qatar team mate, gained fifth place and set his sights on Selio?s fourth overall over the treacherous eight-pin circuit. He pressurised the Finn in ideal race conditions, but moved up to fourth place on the 35th lap when Gillman sustained a blown engine and was forced to retire.
With 15 laps to run, Cappellini led from Al-Qamzy, with Selio, Roggiero and Price completing the top five, but Selio was forced out of the race after coming under intense pressure from Roggiero of the Qatar Team and the BaBa duo moved up to third and fourth overall behind Cappellini and Al-Qamzy.
But on a thrilling final lap, Price dropped back to an eventual sixth place with fuel feed problems and Italy?s Fabio Comparato closed to within half a metre of the third-placed Roggiero to cause a few anxious moments in the Qatar Team camp over the closing turns of the final lap. Comparato was eventually pushed back to 10th place with lap penalties and Australia?s David Trask finished fifth overall, with Portugal?s Duarte Benevente in front of Price in fifth overall.
?We learned our lessons on the last race in Portugal and have been pleased with this performance,? said Mohammed Al-Jaidah, QMSF Team Director and Head of Formula Racing. ?We knew that Cappellini would be the man to beat, but we are now in the championship points and making big improvements. It was disappointing for Jay to have the fuel problem on the final lap. Every time he came to a turn, the engine just began to cut out. Very frustrating for him and it dropped him down the leaderboard.?
In the morning?s free practice session, Saturday?s Pole Position winner Guido Cappellini continued where he left off on Saturday by setting the fastest time of 51.75s. Price ran a total of 13 laps with the sixth best time of 52.29s and Roggiero also completed 13 laps with the 13th fastest time of 53.92s.
The fourth round of the series will take place at a new venue in China on October 5th.
F1 GP of Italy positions ? (unofficial)
1. Guido Cappellini (I) Tamoil 54m 53s
2. Thani Al-Qamzi (UAE) Emirates @ 2.40s
3. Massimo Roggiero (I) Qatar Team @ 4.45s
4. David Trask (AUS) XPV Racing @ 9.75s
5. Duarte Benevente (POR) Atlantic @ 18.12s
6. Jay Price (USA) Qatar Team @19.30s
Ends
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