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Giovanardi's Best Qualifying Of The Year At Snetterton |
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Sunday, 13 August 2006 |
DESPITE never competing at Snetterton before, VX Racing's Fabrizio Giovanardi led an extremely practised Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship around the Norfolk circuit this afternoon.
The Italian dipped below the official lap record in the Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch at this, the fastest track on the BTCC calendar. He was denied pole by the lighter SEAT Léons of Jason Plato and James Thompson.
Earlier in the day Giovanardi had dominated the free practice session,
when the twice-European Touring Car Champion was sensational through
the tricky Esses complex, sending sparks flying as he stormed through
on three wheels to set the fastest time.
"I don't want to be spectacular," said the 39-year-old who narrowly
missed out on his first BTCC win at Donington Park two weeks ago. "I
want to win. We have made a change on the car and it was completely
different. I was really able to chase the lines at every corner. Before
I was just a passenger but now it feels really good - a very consistent
car.
"In qualifying I could have been even quicker but the problem is it was
starting to rain just as I got the set up right. Over a race distance
though it should get better and better and I've only got two cars to
over take of the start - simple!"
Ireland's Gavin Smith was the second fastest of the VXR drivers in
seventh place. "The car was good, to be fair," said the 28-year-old who
scored his first podium of the year at Donington. "Fabrizio proved that
but we're not far away.
"Snetterton is a lot to do with horse power and aerodynamics and we've
got the horse power. The car is definitely quick under the bridge,
which is the best over-taking opportunity on the circuit."
Tom Chilton was disappointed after qualifying eighth. "This is my worst
qualifying performance of the year, at a track where I won two races
last year," said the 21-year-old, who was just over half-a-second off
the pole-sitter's time. "I've been beaten by both my team mates so I'm
really annoyed with myself.
"It was my fault. On my fastest lap I binned it at the end of the
straight. I was four-tenths-of-a-second up but even that lap wasn't
perfect.
"I've got a lot of ground to make up tomorrow. But from eighth place
you can get a lot of slip stream ... you've got a lot of cars to get
close to!"
VX Racing's guest driver, Erkut Kizilirmak, qualified 18th.
2006 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship Qualitying - Round 19
| Pos. |
Driver |
Car |
Time |
| 1 |
Jason Plato |
SEAT Léon |
1:11.793 |
| 2 |
James Thompson |
SEAT Léon |
+0.061 |
| 3 |
Fabrizio Giovanardi |
Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch |
+0.314 |
| 4 |
Gordon Shedden |
Honda Integra |
+0.316 |
| 5 |
Matt Neal |
Honda Integra |
+0.363 |
| 6 |
Colin Turkington |
MG ZS |
+0.528 |
| 7 |
Gavin Smith |
Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch |
+0.559 |
| 8 |
Tom Chilton |
Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch |
+0.566 |
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| 17 |
Erkut Kizilirmak |
Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch |
+4.098 |
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 06 January 2007 )
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