Italian track of Franciacorta, the scene of the second round of the season of the Nascar Whelen Euro Series 2019.
The Monegasque team had arrived at the Daniel Bonara Circuit determined to achieve an important result, but the layout of the track, one of the shortest and most technical of the entire calendar, proved to be difficult to read for Alex Caffi Motorsport who lined up the Ford Mustang #1 on this occasion entrusted to team manager Alex Caffi (ITA) in Elite 1 and Thomas Krasonis (GRC) in Elite 2, Kenko Miura’s Chevrolet SS #2 (JPN) in Elite 1 and Jesse Vartiainen’s (FIN) in Elite 2 and Ford Mustang #27 for Thomas Ferrando (FRA) in the major class and Pierluigi Veronesi (ITA) in Elite 2. Callum Cripps (GB) defended the team’s colours in Elite Club at the wheel of the Mustang #27 again.
ELITE 1
In the qualifying session Ferrando was the best of the team and stopped the clock in 1’13.631, sixth performance among the Junior. Alex Caffi finished in twenty-third place in 1’14.350, while Kenko Miura set the third fastest time in the Challenger Trophy with a time of 1’15.570.
In the Saturday race Ferrando scored a a consistent performance. He ended in fourteenth overall, fifth in the Junior Trophy. Alex Caffi’s performance was less positive and he was forced to retire in the first lap after a collision with the Chevrolet SS #31. Miura drove a proud race and masterfully held off the powerful 400-horsepower Chevrolet V8 engine tooking third place in the Challenger Trophy.
Sunday race was difficult, with Ferrando fighting for a probable top ten and ending up in the sand, losing several positions. Alex Caffi’s performance was decidedly spectacular. The former Formula 1 driver was the protagonist of numerous overtakings and closed the race in eighteenth place. Miura could not repeat the performance of the first race and stopped in the early stages.
ELITE 2
In the Saturday race a very positive performance for Veronesi. The Alex Caffi Motorsport driver was the protagonist of a comeback that saw him claw the top ten with arrogance with a tenth place finish and six positions recovered. Even Vartiainen on the other hand has played a good race, which saw him at eighteenth overall and just outside the top ten rookies. Too bad for Krasonis, slowed down after only six laps.
In Sunday race Veronesi was unable to repeat the performance of Saturday. The #27 Ford Mustang crossed the line in thirteenth position. A more complex race also for the team mates: Krasonis finished twenty-second, while Vartiainen twenty-sixth.
ELITE CLUB
Important the performance of Callum Cripps in Elite Club. The British driver was particularly effective in both sessions with a fourth and a third place that saw him colsing the weekend with the third best score. He is now sixth in the championship standings.
Alex Caffi – Team Manager:
“It wasn’t the weekend we wanted. We knew that compared to Valencia the Franciacorta track would be difficult, especially with backward starting positions, and having struggled in qualifying the two races were certainly more challenging. When you find yourself starting from the middle of the group the pitfalls are many, the contacts are much more frequent and in fact we have suffered this condition that has marked the overall performance”.
Alex Caffi Motorsport will be back on track on the short and fascinating British track of Brand Hatch for the fifth and sixth rounds of the series scheduled from May 31th to June 1st.
