The Abarth 500 Selenia Trophy resumes on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September on the circuit of Mugello in Tuscany with the fifth round of the season. After the first eight races – two for each event – Sicily's Salvatore Tavano leads the standings ahead of Veneto's Nicola Baldan.
Tavano has stringed a series of five consecutive wins at Mugello, Imola and Magione, bouncing into the lead of the championship with a 24-point advantage over Baldan, who won at Monza and Magione. Third in the standings is Liguria's Manuel Villa, who will not be present at Mugello because he is taking part in the Sanremo Rally, where he will be targeting the Intercontinental Rally Challenge 2 Wheel Drive title at the wheel of a Fiat Punto S1600.
In the Under 23 category, Emilia's Alex Campani leads ahead of Trento's Tobias Tauber and young Simone Monforte, who has acquired wealth of experience during summer, taking part in the Abarth 500 Selenia-European Trophy.
Among the contenders in the two races at Mugello is also Guido Meda, who conducts Mediast TV show Motomondiale and will get acquainted to the small but powerful Abarth 500 Assetto Corse.
The programme of the weekend features a free practice session today (Friday 25 September) at 4:05pm. Qualifying takes place tomorrow at 12:25pm and Race1 gets underway at 6:20pm; On Sunday, Race2 starts at 2:00pm.
Abarth 500 Trophy provisional standings: 1. Salvatore Tavano 158 points; 2. Nicola Baldan 134; 3. Manuel Villa 79; 4. Denis Babuin 69; 5. Andrea Rizzoli 68; 6. Raffaele Giammaria 56; 7. Francesco Iorio 54; 8. Alex Campani 42.
Under 23 standings: 1. Alex Campani 137 points; 2. Tobias Tauber 121; 3. Simone Monforte 106; 4. Gabriele Larini 88; 5. Enrico Fulgenzi 78; 6. Patrich Gobbo 62.
Turin, 25 September 2009.
International
