In the third round of the Sara GT Italian Gran Turismo championship concluded today (Sunday 28 May) at Vallelunga. The Maserati MC12 fielded by Playteam Sara Free won both the two races run courtesy of the Gianbattista Giannoccaro-Toni Vilander pairing. In race 1, the Racing Box came home in second place with the Luca Cappellari-Piergiuseppe Perazzini crew at the wheel. Unfortunately, the pair were forced out of the second race after a crash. The double victory was a fine end to a weekend that began well with pole position in both sessions: Cappellari in the first and Giannoccaro in the second.

With this result, Giannoccaro and Vilander maintain their lead in the Italian drivers' series.

Cappellari began race 1 well and built an early lead over Giannoccaro and Lancieri in the Saleen. On lap eight, the advantage held by the Racing Box Maserati over that fielded by Playteam was of three and a half seconds. Giannoccaro pulled into the pits on lap 15 to be replaced by Vilander; Cappellari chose to stay out on the track and now had Lancieri for company. Once the driver changes had been completed, a Maserati MC12 was still in the lead, this time with Vilander. Perazzini was harassing Montermini's Saleen for second and, on lap 24, he swept past him. Thus, two Trident cars held a lead that they kept until the chequered flag.


Vilander and Perazzini both began race 2 brightly but it was not long before Vilander sped to the front. The two MC12s enjoyed a 30" lead by lap eight. The Playteam Sara Free MC12 was the first to pull into the pits (on lap 21) and saw Giannoccaro replace Vilander. On the following lap, Cappellari replaced Perazzini but, just as he drove out of the pit lane, he clashed with Pasini's Ferrari F430 in an incident ruled him out of the race. Fifteen minutes from the end, Giannoccaro held a lead of a minute over Chiesa's Ferrari, an advantage that was big enough to see him cruise to victory.

Race-1:
1. Giannoccaro-Vilander (Maserati MC 12) 1:00'14.714;
2. Cappellari-Perazzini (Maserati MC 12) + 10.099;
3. Lancieri-Montermini (Saleen S7R) + 55.774;
4. Chiesa-Kessel (Ferrari 575) + 1 lap;
5. Pasini- Mediani (Ferrari F 430) + 1 lap

Race-2:
1. Giannoccaro-Vilander (Maserati MC 12) 1:01'05.340;
2. Kessel-Chiesa (Ferrari 575) + 44.641;
3. Cadei-Maceratesi (Ferrari F430) + 1'18.670;
4. Caffi-Zardo (Ferrari F 430) + 1'37.994;
5. Pandini-Sabatini (Chrysler Viper) + 1 lap

GT1 Championship:
1. Giannoccaro e Vilander 95;
3. Panini, Sabatini, Kessel e Chiesa 72