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[BTCC] Giovanardi Proves He’s A Lightening Learner |
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Saturday, 22 April 2006 |
GIOVANARDI PROVES HE’S A LIGHTENING LEARNER
Fabrizio Giovanardi was just fractions of a second off the pole-sitter’s time at Mondello Park this afternoon, despite only ever completing seven flying laps of the Irish circuit. The VX Racing driver’s time will see him start tomorrow’s Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship race in sixth place, just ahead of his two team-mates, Tom Chilton (Reigate) in 7th and Dubliner Gavin Smith in 9th.
Despite Giovanardi’s remarkable performance, the result was a disappointment for VXR – a team more used to leading from the front. Operations Manager, Mike Nicholson, is still optimistic for tomorrow’s races.
“We spent a lot of our time in the practice session trying to find a better balance for the race set up, which compromised our qualifying,” he said. “We hope that what we’ve done will give us the extra pace in the race.
“There’s a feeling of confusion in the garage. Something is not quite right with the car and everyone is trying to work out what it is. I’m sure it won’t be long before we crack it.” Smith, who is the only VXR driver to have driven last year’s Astra Sport Hatch, says this year’s problem lies in the car’s set-up. “A perfectly balanced race car should do exactly what you want it to do,” said the 28-year-old. “If it’s unbalanced the car’s just not comfortable to do a quick lap. Today’s qualifying was a very frustrating session but I reckon I should make an alright start tomorrow.”
Giovanardi is new to all but one of the BTCC circuits, after moving from the World Touring Car Championship to VX Racing this year. “I had a lot of problems today,” said the Italian, whose car was put out of action for much of this morning’s free practice with a damaged oil system. “I don’t know the circuit 100% so my qualifying lap was not so clear. I think I can find more time but the closer you get to the top limit, the harder it is to find those tenths.
“I must make up places off the start if I’m going to get a good result tomorrow, but I can’t risk having an accident. I’m a driver with experience and I know when I have to push and when I have to be calm. Our best chance is if it rains. I’ve won a lot of races in the rain. I have a good feeling for the tyres – I can feel their limits.”
Chilton was relatively happy with his performance after his third place in the championship meant he had to carry a 30kg success ballast in today’s qualifying. The 21-year-old, who will be driving his 100th BTCC race this weekend, said: “It’s the first time I’ve been here in this car and I’m very close in time to the cars around me, who weren’t carrying any ballast.
“Mondello Park isn’t very wide but there is a tiny little window where you can get up the inside on the first corner and I’m on the inside on the grid – that can only be good. For the race, we just have to conserve our tyres better than at Brands Hatch and I think there will be a lot of defending. We have to use tactics and be very tough.”
2006 Dunlop MSA Bristish Touring Car Championship
| Grid Position | Driver (Team) | | 1 | Matt Neal (Honda Integra) | | 2 | Jason Plato (SEAT Leon) | | 3 | James Thompson (SEAT Leon) | | 4 | Gordon Shedden (Honda Integra) | | 5 | Colin Turkington (MG ZS) | | 6 | Fabrizio Giovanardi (VX Racing Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch) | | 7 | Tom Chilton (VX Racing, Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch) | | 8 | Robert Collard (MG ZS) | | 9 | Gavin Smith (VX Racing, Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch) | | 10 | David Pinkney (Honda Integra) |
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