TCR World and life

21 COPPA ITALIA Round 1 – Sunday 12 July, Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola 1. A. Aiello (MM Motorsport, Honda Civic Type R FK7); 2. E. Barbolini (BF Motorsport, Audi RS 3 LMS DSG); 3. M. Bergonzini (BF Motorsport, CUPRA DSG) Round 2 – Sunday 12 July, Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola 1. A. De Matteo (Calcagni Motorsport, Volkswagen Golf GTI DSG); 2. D. Nardilli (MM Motorsport, Honda Civic Type R FK2); 3. S. Giardelli (BD Racing, CUPRA) Alessio Aiello and Alfredo De Matteo shared race wins in the Coppa Italia Turismo opener at Imola. The first race saw Aiello converting his pole position into a lights-to- flag victory at the wheel of his MM Motorsport Honda Civic Type R, while Edoardo Barbolini claimed second place as he beat his BF Motorsport teammate Matteo Bergonzini by one second. After posting the fastest time in Qualifying, De Matteo had been excluded due to a technical issue; the Sicilian driver then started from the back of the grid and recovered to finish eighth. A pile-up at the start of the second race involved several cars of the 1B class and forced the race control to deploy the safety car and then to suspend the competition by displaying the red flag. At the restart De Matteo took the lead and made up for the disappointment of the technical exclusion by claiming his maiden Coppa Italia win in his Volkswagen Golf GTI. Behind him, WinsforAielloandDeMatteoat Imola Davide Nardilli, Alessandro Giardelli, Alessio and Barbolini were involved in a close battle for the podium positions. Eventually Nardilli got away from the fight and was able to close in on De Matteo, but the latter defended his lead and was four tenths ahead of the Honda driver when the race was red-flagged because of torrential rain. The second event of the series will take place at Vallelunga on September 12/13.