WORLD TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP AT IMOLA ALFA ROMEO RETURNS TO THE TRACK AFTER ITS SUCCESSES AT SILVERSTONE IN THE ALFA GTs BATTLE BETWEEN BIKERS MELANDRI, DE ANGELIS AND GRESINI

After the opening race at Monza, the World Touring Car Championship returns to an Italian track to contend the fourth date on the calendar. On Sunday May 29 on Imola’s ‘Enzo and Dino Ferrari’ circuit, the Alfa Romeo Racing Team’s Alfa 156’s return to the track to repeat the exciting performance obtained in the past edition when the works Alfa’s of Gabriele Tarquini and Fabrizio Giovanardi racked up two one-two’s in races 1 and 2 with pole and fast laps for Giovanardi. This year, the Alfa 156’s in the hands of Gabriele Tarquini, James Thompson, Fabrizio Giovanardi and Augusto Farfus come to Imola in the wake of a historic one-two-three-four finish at Silverstone in England with the four Alfa 156’s taking the chequered flag in formation on the third date of the season. Thanks to this result, Tarquini jumped to second place in the drivers’ rankings, just two points behind Dirk Muller (Bmw), and Alfa Romeo cut the distance in the manufacturers’ race, keeping tight hold on second place just six points behind Bmw. On the basis of Fia regulations on handicap ballast weights, at Imola all drivers in the Alfa Romeo Racing Team will start with handicaps: Tarquini will carry 55 kg extra, Farfus 30, Thompson 20 and Giovanardi 5.

At Imola, Alfa Romeo will have as guests of honour Marco Melandri, Alex De Angelis and Fausto Gresini, three motorbike stars who on Sunday May 29 at 2.15 p.m. will race at the wheel of three Alfa GTs.

The Alfa 147 GTA Cup’s of the European Alfa Challenge will also be seen on the Santerno circuit in the third round of their season. Following the Monza and Magny-Cours races, the spectacular Alfa Romeo one-make trophy sees the Italian Maurizio Campani and Irishman Eoin Murray heading up the rankings ex aequo, both with 134 points. In the Under-25’s, Murray is still provisional leader.

The weekend programme also includes, on Friday May 27, two free practice sessions for the European Alfa Challenge: Saturday 28, two free practice sessions (from 9 to 9.30 a.m. and from 12.30 to 1 p.m.) and the qualifiers (from 3.15 to 15.45 p.m.) for the World Touring Car Championship, qualifiers (from 10.45 to 11.15 a.m.) and race 1 (at 4.20 p.m.) for the European Alfa Challenge; Sunday 29, race 1 and race 2 (at 3.10 and 4.15 p.m.) of the World Touring Car Championship, and race 2 (at 5.20 p.m.) of the European Alfa Challenge.

Turin, May 27, 2005

World Touring Car Championship Rankings
Drivers:
1. D.Muller (Bmw) 32; 2. Tarquini (Alfa Romeo) 30; 3. J.Muller and Priaulx (Bmw) 27;5. Farfus (Alfa Romeo) 21; 6. Thompson (Alfa Romeo) 20; 7. Garcia (Bmw) 19; 8. Giovanardi (Alfa Romeo) 13; 9. Gené (Seat) 12; 10. Plato (Seat) 9.

Manufacturers:
1. Bmw, 81; 2. Alfa Romeo, 75; 3. Seat, 60; 4. Chevrolet, 12.

European Alfa Challenge Rankings
Outright:
1. M.Campani (ITA) 134 points; 2. Murray (IRL) 134; 3. Bonacini (ITA) 120; 4. Chacon (ESP) 94; 5. Villamil (ESP) 87; 6. Magalhaes (POR) 82; 7. Francucci (ITA) a 80; 8. Jirik (CZE) 78; 9. Heino (FIN) 75; 10. Mancin (POL) 68.

Under 25:
1. Murray (IRL) 134; 2. Bonacini (ITA) 120; 3. Heino (FIN) 75;4. O'Brien (IRL) 64; 5. Nalio (ITA) 32; 6. Fantini (ITA) 24.

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