Tag: BOSS GP

Preview: Le Castellet

The BOSS GP Racing Series is the prime attraction at the Kennol Grand Prix de France Historique from 7 to 9 April 2023 at Circuit Paul Ricard. Formula 1 cars and a former F1 driver will enrich the programme for the season opener.

Legendary cars and drivers come together on the Côte d’Azur at Easter to enjoy racing and reminiscing about the “good old days”. Together with thousands of spectators, they celebrate racing from different eras, including the modern Monposto bolides of the last 25 years from the BOSS GP Racing Series. That racing series that gathers cars of immense material and emotional value and presents them to the spectators in action. All this will happen at the season opener in Le Castellet in front of the eyes of numerous French racing legends. Rene Arnoux, Yannick Dalmas, Jean-Pierre Jarier, Eric Helary, Gerard Larrousse, Franck Montagny and Jean Alesi have announced their participation. The latter will meet his 1997 race car, the Benetton B197 of German Ulf Ehninger (ESBA Racing), at the BOSS GP “Grid Walk”.

Entries

Divided into four classes (BOSS GP F1, OPEN, FORMULA, SUPER LIGHTS), 20 drivers and their teams head to Le Castellet for the season opener. There, the first championship points and trophies are at stake. Among them are defending champion Ingo Gerstl (AUT, Top Speed) in his Toro Rosso STR1, his team-mate Thomas Jackermeier (GER) in his STR3 and Frenchman Didier Sirgue (LRS Racing) in a Jaguar R2. A dozen GP2 cars (now Formula 2) and AutoGP cars will also try to conquer the notorious Signes bend at the end of the Mistral straight as quickly as possible. However, all eyes will be on the surprise comeback of ex-Formula 1 driver Antonio Pizzonia (BRA). The Austrian team HS Engineering has scored a coup by signing the former Jaguar and Williams driver: “It’s been almost eight years since I last drove a single-seater when I raced in AutoGP with Zele-Racing, and I can’t wait to get the feeling of pushing a single-seater car to the limit again,” says Pizzonia ahead of the season opener. The Brazilian will drive the modified World Series car with a Gibson V8 engine in the OPEN class all season long.

Timetable

For the BOSS GP Racing Series, there will be two practice sessions on Friday, qualifying and a race on Saturday and another race on Sunday. The races will start after the VIP Grid Walk at 15:15. The race duration on Saturday (20 minutes) differs from that on Sunday (25 minutes) – however, the same number of points will be awarded for both races. But apart from the points and trophies, the main focus of this spectacle is fun, adrenaline and the enthusiasm of the drivers and the fans.

Friday, 7 April
12:20–12:45     Free Practice 1
16:10–16:35     Free Practice 2

Saturday, 8 April
09:35–10:05     Qualifying (divided in two groups)
15:15–15:35     Race 1 (20 minutes)

Sunday, 9 April
15:15–15:40     Race 2 (25 minutes)

all times CEST

Tickets and live stream

Tickets can be purchased online or at the box office. Access to the paddock is included in the ticket price, and the pit lane is open for a pit walk during the lunch breaks on Saturday and Sunday. The supporting programme includes a Formula 1 exhibition and two concerts by the AC/DC cover band “Rock to Hell”. Those who cannot be there have the opportunity to follow a large part of the programme via livestream.

Support events

On the racetrack, which was used by Formula 1 until recently, other legendary racing cars will be on display in addition to the BOSS GP Racing Series. Among them are Formula 1 and Formula 2 racing cars from the 1970s and 1980s. They will be joined by the FIA Historic Formula 3 European Cup, Formula Ford with cars from before 1993, the Lotus Trophy and endurance racers. The latter will tackle a 6-hour race on Saturday evening.

Pictures: Jean-Marie Biadatti/HVM

Season registration open

We invite all interested drivers and teams to register for the upcoming BOSS GP Racing Series season at the latest before February 28, 2023.

In 2023, the BOSS GP Racing Series will once again offer the most professional platform for “gentleman drivers” and young talent to race with Big Open Single Seater cars. Between April and October, races will be held at seven premium European race tracks in five different countries. A race weekend includes two Free Practice sessions, the qualifying and two races.

07–09 AprilCircuit Paul RicardLe Castellet (FRA)
05–07 MayHockenheimringHockenheim (GER)
09–11 JuneRed Bull RingSpielberg (AUT)
21–23 JulyWorld Circuit Marco Simoncelli MisanoMisano Adriatico (ITA) without F1 Class
12–13 AugustTT Circuit AssenAssen (NED)
9–10 SeptemberAutomotodrom BrnoBrno (CZE) F1 Show Race
22–24 SeptemberMonza CircuitMonza (ITA)
30 September–1 OctoberCircuit de Nevers Magny-CoursMagny-Cours (FRA) F1 Show Race
06–08 OctoberMugello CircuitMugello (ITA)

As usual you can download the Season Application form and the Sporting and Technical Regulations from our website www.bossgp.com/forteams.

The registration form must be completed and sent to office@bossgp.com as well as the registration fee paid by 28/02/2023 at the latest. Please keep in mind, after the 28th of February only the more expensive Guest Driver Application is possible.

Photo: Angelo Poletto/BOSS GP

“In motorsport you never stop dreaming”

Austrian Andreas Hasler (49) is the SUPER LIGHTS champion of the 2022 season. In this interview, he gives insights into his career and how he made his way from hillclimb racing to the single-seater cars of the BOSS GP Racing Series.

How did you get into motorsport?

ANDREAS HASLER: “Unfortunately much too late, I was 23 when I was on a go-kart track during a holiday and that’s how it went from there. At first, I was vice national champion in karting, Styrian champion and also drove in the European championship. After ten years we switched to autocross racing. It was a good move for us because we didn’t have enough money for formula racing at first. There we competed with a 4WD buggy, which was really cool. I raced there for ten years and became national champion in only my second year. I experienced everything you can experience. But then it was time for a new challenge. Through colleagues we got a Radical with a Hayabusa engine and then drove a hill climb for the first time at the famous Rechberg. But then I went back to the circuit relatively quickly, that’s more my thing.”

What was your first contact with BOSS GP?

HASLER: “We always went to Brno with the Sports Car Challenge, where we drove as support race of the BOSS GP Racing Series. I always dreamt of the BOSS GP. It was always something special to look into the garages and hear the engines. I would never have dreamed of driving such a car myself. It’s an achievement that we can be here at all.”

What do you like about circuit racing?
HASLER: “You simply get to drive more. It was also better for my mechanics, because at the hillclimb they only saw me at the start, but on the circuit they can follow the races much better from the grandstands. It’s also not as dangerous as hillclimbing. On the mountain, however, I had a bad start, because the first time I drove the Rechbergrennen, there was a fatal accident. Of course, my family, who were there, were shocked. Then, to be honest, I also got a little more pressure from my wife … but I prefer the circuit anyway, because you get to drive more, it’s also more fun, the paddock is more comfortable, good showers and everything … that’s more fun for me.”

In 2022 Andi Hasler used a Tatuus World Series with 6-cylinder engine

What was your greatest success in motorsport? Which moment do you remember most?

HASLER: “Phew… there are so many, I don’t want to point out one. Of course, the national championship in autocross and the victories in front of the home crowd were special. There are so many stories I could write books about. The low point was a buggy fire in Hungary, where the European championship title was at stake. Nothing happened to me, but the car was almost a total loss and I only came third, the title was gone. The high point, of course, is that I finally managed to start in BOSS GP.”

You have your own team that supports you. How did that come about?

HASLER: “It’s always been like that, I’ve always had people helping me. It has changed a little over the years, but over time it has become more and more professional. Otherwise, it wouldn’t work, I’m incredibly grateful, because everyone here does it voluntarily, the family at home has to play along too. It used to be easier, but you notice that time is getting tighter everywhere in professional life, but the die-hards are still there, they always help. We’re a small team, but it’s a lot of fun. I have to thank my whole team and my sponsors. If you tackle something, you can achieve something even as a ‘little guy’. But I have always remained persistent and determined. That’s how it’s grown over the last 26 years.”

Four wins this season were enough for Hasler to win the championship in the SUPER LIGHTS 2022 class

How did you get your race car?

HASLER: “Over the Internet and through colleagues. Ingo Gerstl helped me a lot, gave me lots of tips and had a look at the car in Italy. Because as a beginner, you don’t know the sector that well. I think it’s great at BOSS GP, because here you get help if there’s a problem, you’re in a professional environment and yet it’s still familiar, it’s cool here. If you have an issue, the other teams also help you, there’s a lot of cohesion here. That’s something special and I really appreciate it.”

So a professional environment in racing is very important to you?

HASLER: “Definitely, in BOSS GP you have that and a series with Formula 1 cars is something very special. Being at the start with the Toro Rossos or the Benetton, everyone bows down. Everybody is completely thrilled. At BOSS GP I also think it’s great that the website is updated immediately, every driver is introduced. I can then also link that and show it to the sponsors. For all those who are looking for and have sponsors, that’s great.”

What are the plans for the future?

HASLER: “The goal is to get ahead. Right now I plan to use the current car for another two or three years and then possibly switch to a GP2 in the FORMULA Class or a World Series bolide with a V8 engine. But when I see the Toro Rossos, the goal is of course to be able to sit in a Formula 1 and do a few laps. You never stop dreaming when you’re in motorsport. In any case, I hope we can be in BOSS GP for a few more years.”

Photos: Angelo Poletto/BOSS GP

Report: Race 2 Misano

In the 25-minute Sunday race Harald Schlegelmilch set another lap record. Victory for the new champion Simone Colombo in FORMULA class.

The drivers of the BOSS GP Racing Series completed their final race of the season at the Pirelli Grande Finale in the best possible autumn weather.

BOSS GP OPEN Class

For the last time this season Harald Schlegelmilch (LVA, HS Engineering) was on the hunt for the lap record. Once again the former Formula 3 ace succeeded in improving the existing best time of 1:21.822, set in yesterday’s race. Today, Schlegelmilch achieved a fabulous time of 1:20.785 (average speed: 188 km/h) in his World Series Dallara V8. The 34-year-old thus makes history and at the same time thanks his Austrian team with the tenth victory of the season in the OPEN class.

BOSS GP FORMULA Class

Once again, Saturday’s race winner Marco Ghiotto (ITA, Scuderia Palladio) and the new champion Simone Colombo (ITA, MM International) got together very close. Only a few centimetres separated the two GP2 cars as they turned into the first corner at the World Circuit Marco Simoncelli. A resumption of the “duel of the season” failed to unfold, however, because Ghiotto spun into the grass only a short time later. But the 2019 to 2021 champion was able to continue and take home at least one more trophy with second place. Colombo celebrated the victory as a cherry on top of the championship title he had already secured yesterday.

Michael Aberer (AUT, MA Motorsport) was on his way to the podium for most of the race distance. But Luca Martucci (ITA, MM International) had something against it. As yesterday, the Italian managed to overtake rival after rival after a weak start and once again complete an all-Italian podium. After a spin by Aberer (finished 5th), Paul O’Connell (IRE, HS Engineering) also overtook the Austrian. O’Connell not only impressed with fast lap times in his WSbR, but also attracted attention with a spin in the early stages. Because he was also able to continue his drive, the chase was rewarded with his best result in the BOSS GP to date.

Giancarlo Pedetti (ITA, Nannini Racing) finished the race in sixth place, Walter Steding (GER, Scuderia Palladio) in seventh. With these points, Steding was able to improve one more place in the championship. With fourth place overall in the championship, he repeated his ranking from the previous year.

BOSS GP SUPER LIGHTS Class

Alexander Geier (AUT, Geier Racing) again started the race from 4th place overall. With used tyres, however, he had a much harder time today than yesterday and as a result he dropped further back in the field. Nevertheless, he crowned his performance this weekend with the second victory in class. Walter Colacino (ITA, Colacino Motorsport) in a Formula 3000 took second place. Champion Andreas Hasler (AUT, Hasler Motorsport) was absent this weekend due to health reasons.

After twelve races in five different countries, the BOSS GP Racing Series 2022 comes to an end. The planning for the 2023 season is already underway, the first round of the season is expected to start in April.

Photo: Angelo Poletto

Report: Race 1 Misano

Harald Schlegelmilch takes his ninth win of the season with a lap record. Simone Colombo manages to win the FORMULA title with a second place. Victory for Alexander Geier in the SUPER LIGHTS category.

While the Cinturato rain tyres were fitted in the morning, there was no more talk of this before the first race. It dried up just in time. So everything was set for a high-speed festival at the Pirelli Grande Finale 2022 at the World Circuit Marco Simoncelli in Misano. After all, there was still a championship title at stake.

BOSS GP OPEN Class

But first all eyes were on the lap times of Harald Schlegelmilch (LVA, HS Engineering) in his Dallara World Series. The V8 car completed the lap of the Italian circuit near the Adriatic Sea as fast as no other car had ever done before. Schlegelmilch not only took his ninth win of the season in the OPEN classification, but also made history with a new sensational lap record of 1:21.822. The previous lap record, set in a Euroseries 3000 race, was a time of 1:25.380 by Clivio Piccione. On the technically demanding and rather twisty MotoGP circuit, this meant an average speed of 186 kph for Schlegelmilch.

BOSS GP FORMULA Class

Marco Ghiotto (ITA, Scuderia Palladio) once again did everything in his control to keep his title chance alive. But the race win in the first heat was not enough. A second place was sufficient for Simone Colombo (ITA, MM International) to win the title early. This means that Ghiotto has to vacate his “throne” after three titles in a row. For Colombo it was the crowning of only his second BOSS GP season. Luca Martucci (ITA, MM International) completed the Italian celebrations with third place. Martucci was slow to get going, but the longer the race went on he overtook rival after rival and was subsequently delighted with his first podium of the year.

Giancarlo Pedetti (ITA, Nannini Racing) also claimed his best finish of the season with fourth place. Walter Steding (GER, Scuderia Palladio) made up further points on Zdenek Chovanec-Lopez (PRT, MM International) in the championship with fifth place. In the last race of the season, he has a good chance of moving up to fourth position overall.

BOSS GP SUPER LIGHTS Class

After a surprising fourth place in a wet qualifying session, Alexander Geier (AUT, Geier Racing) was in the front of the field, but Geier, in the underpowered 6-cylinder World Series, held his own in the race and was even in fourth place overall for a long time. Only Martucci was able to overtake him in the closing stages. With fifth place among the GP2 cars, the 16-year-old once again showed his talent. The class win in the SUPER LIGHTS was an easy matter, Walter Colacino (ITA, Walter Colacino Racing) in the older Formula 3000 finished second behind Geier.

Tomorrow Sunday the V8 and V6 engines will be fired up one more time this BOSS GP season. The race start for the twelfth race of the season is at 11:05 am local time. Admission is free.

Photo: Angelo Poletto/BOSS GP

Report: Qualifying Misano

Schlegelmilch takes pole position in the wet. Colombo with best starting position in FORMULA class and big surprise by Alexander Geier.

Harald Schlegelmilch (LVA, HS Engineering) secured the best starting position for the Pirelli Grande Finale in qualifying on Saturday morning. In damp conditions, the OPEN class driver was in a class of his own in his World Series car. In the absence of the BOSS GP F1 Class, he set by far the fastest lap time of the final BOSS GP qualifying session of the year with 1:35.159.

With second place overall in qualifying, Simone Colombo (ITA, MM International) took an important step towards the FORMULA class title. Although his main rival, Marco Ghiotto (ITA, Scuderia Palladio), came close to him towards the end of the half-hour session, Colombo defended himself with another improvement of his lap time.

Alexander Geier (AUT, Geier Racing) caused a sensation. The six-cylinder driver from the SUPER LIGHTS class qualified in fourth place overall and thus topped his previous best performance by far. With dry conditions forecast, can he defend himself against the armada of GP2 cars in the race?

Geier’s compatriot Michael Aberer (MA Motorsport) will start the race from row 3 together with Luca Martucci (ITA, MM International). Giancarlo Pedetti (ITA, Nannini Racing) and Paul O’Connell (IRE, HS Engineering) will start from row 4. As a rain specialist, O’Connell had expected a lot in the wet conditions. But the Irishman lost valuable track time after a spin and was only able to return to qualifying late in the session.

The eleventh race of the season with a distance of 20 minutes starts today at 14:35.

Photo: Angelo Poletto/BOSS GP

Preview: Pirelli Grande Finale Misano

The final decision will be made on the last race meeting of the year: the Pirelli Grande Finale in Misano from 4 to 6 November 2022.

Updated Entry List on 3/11/2022, 10:35 CET

Ingo Gerstl (BOSS GP F1 Class), Harald Schlegelmilch (OPEN) and Andreas Hasler (SUPER LIGHTS) have already been crowned the new champions of 2022 ahead of the Pirelli Grande Finale. The situation is completely different in the FORMULA class, where two drivers can still become champions after two dramatic races in Mugello. On the one hand, defending champion Marco Ghiotto (ITA, Scuderia Palladio). After two titles in a row, compatriot Simone Colombo (ITA, MM International) could break his winning streak this year. Colombo leads by 38 points after ten of the season’s twelve races and has two more victories than Ghiotto under his belt. With a maximum of 50 points up for grabs, Ghiotto will be going all out to repeat his victory double from last year at Misano in his 2011 GP2 car. Colombo (2017 GP2 car), on the other hand, has known since the second race at Mugello at the latest how quickly a race can end in the gravel bed. How much risk will he take this time?

With Luca Martucci (ITA, MM International), another Italian wants to finish his season in the best possible way. In the championship, he could still move up to third place. Whether the track record of 1:24.761, set by Marco Ghiotto in qualifying 2021, will fall this year is unclear. The weather forecast promises a high chance of rain for all three days of the event. Unfortunately, due to stricter noise regulations, the Formula 1 cars are missing on the BOSS GP Racing Series grid this time. The favourite for the overall victory is expected to be Harald Schlegelmilch (LVA, HS Engineering) in his 4.5-litre World Series car.

Entry List:

NumberNameNationTeamClassManufacturerYearModelEngine
10Haralds Slegelmilhs LVAHS EngineeringOPENDallara2012WSbR – T12Gibson 4.5
22Michael AbererAUTAM MotorsportFORMULADallara2005GP2Mecachrome
27Marco GhiottoITAScuderia PalladioFORMULADallara2011GP2Mecachrome
28Bruno JarachITAEesti MotorsportFORMULADallara2008GP2Mecachrome
31Paul O’ConnellIREHS EngineeringFORMULADallara2012WSbR – T12Gibson
32Simone ColomboITAMM InternationalFORMULADallara2017F2Mecachrome
37Luca MartucciITAMM InternationalFORMULADallara2011GP2Mecachrome
43Giancarlo PedettiITANannini RacingFORMULADallara2014GP2Mecachrome
47Walter StedingGERScuderia PalladioFORMULADallara2011GP2Mecachrome
55Lothar OberlaberAUTTeam Top SpeedFORMULADallara2011GP2Mecachrome
34Giulio Tine’ITAWalter Colacino RacingSUPER LIGHTSLola1998F3000Alfa Romeo
36Walter ColacinoITAWalter Colacino RacingSUPER LIGHTSLola1998F3000Alfa Romeo
111Alexander GeierAUTGeier RacingSUPER LIGHTSTatuus2003WSbRNissan

Track:

The BOSS GP Racing Series makes its second stop at the 4.2-kilometre Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli this year after last year’s premiere. The track has been in operation near the Adriatic coast since 1972, with the biggest reconstruction taking place in 2006 and 2007, when the direction of the track was rotated (now clockwise) to create more space for run-off areas. Today, like all the other tracks on the BOSS GP Racing Series calendar, the circuit has the highest safety standard and regularly hosts MotoGP, World Superbike Championship and the Fanatec GT World Challenge.

Timetable (CET):

Friday, 4 November 2022
10:35–11:05     Free Practice 1
14:35–15:05     Free Practice 2

Saturday, 5 November 2022
10:00–10:30     Qualifying
14:35–14:55     Race 1 (20 minutes)

Sunday, 6 November 2022
11:05–11:30     Race 2 (25 minutes)

Support races:

Like last time in Mugello, several Italian racing series will support the BOSS GP Racing Series in Misano. These include the Master Tricolore Prototipi sports car prototype series, the Lotus and Renault Clio RS one-make championships and the Mitjet Italia Racing Series silhouette championship. The line-up will be rounded off by regularity races of the Porsche Club GT. Saturday’s programme starts at 8:45 a.m. and goes until 9:20 p.m. with floodlights. Sunday starts at 8:30 a.m.

Live Stream:

The race programme on Saturday and Sunday will be partly broadcast on promoter Gruppo Peroni’s YouTube channel.

Photos: Angelo Poletto/BOSS GP, PR & Event Keke Platzer (Poster)

Time to register for our Grande Finale

The “Pirelli Grande Finale Misano” event takes place from 4–6 November 2022.

You can find the entry forms and guest driver application forms under For Teams on our website.

We are looking forward to your registrations. Please remember to send them to us as soon as possible.

Photos: Angelo Poletto, PR & Event Keke Platzer (Poster)

Report: Race 1 Mugello

Andreas Hasler takes the title in the BOSS GP SUPER LIGHTS. Wins for Gerstl (F1) and Schlegelmilch (OPEN) as well as a crucial victory for Simone Colombo in the FORMULA classification.

The Pirelli Cinturato rain tyres stayed in the garages this time. The ninth of twelve races of the season in Tuscany took place under partly cloudy skies and in the best climatic conditions. 20 minutes had to be completed as usual in Saturday’s race at the “Forza Fanatec” in Mugello. The group of Formula 1 cars was started in the proven manner with a gap to the other three classes.

BOSS GP F1 Class

Ingo Gerstl (AUT, Top Speed) controlled the first race of the weekend from pole position. In the 2006 Toro Rosso STR 1 the 7-time BOSS GP champion set the pace, only Thomas Jackermeier (GER, Top Speed) was able to keep up at times on his F1 debut at the Mugello circuit. Jackermeier held his own against the fastest driver from the OPEN classification, Harald Schlegelmilch (LVA, HS Engineering), who hung on to the rear of the Toro Rosso STR 3 after an early restart. Jackermeier scored 22 points for second place, which now puts him equal with Ulf Ehninger in second place in the standings behind Gerstl.

BOSS GP OPEN Class

Harald Schlegelmilch brought the improved World Series car home first again and without any technical problems. His team, HS Engineering, celebrated the seventh victory of the season at the seventh event together with their pilot.

BOSS GP FORMULA Class

When it comes to the championship, Marco Ghiotto (ITA, Scuderia Palladio) made a serious mistake on the first lap. The reigning champion spun off the track with cold tyres on lap 1 and had to retire from the race early. This left the way clear for Simone Colombo (ITA, MM International), who controlled the race at the front. However, the gap at the finish to the next driver was not even one second. Salvatore de Plano (ITA, MM International) made it onto the podium for the first time in his third start this year. With 1:37.701 De Plano also drove the fastest lap in his class. Francesco Malavasi (ITA, Scuderia Palladio) was no match for him. However, his 3rd place was his third top-3 result in a row. With three Italians at the front, the “Fratelli d’Italia” (Italian national anthem) was rightly played. Colombo heads into tomorrow’s race with a 58-point lead over Ghiotto. If he maintains a lead of 50 points, Colombo could be celebrated as Ghiotto’s successor on Sunday.

In midfield Marc Faggionato (MCO, Zig-Zag) fought his way through the pack as expected after his bad qualifying. Similar to Alexander Seibold (GER, Seibold Auto + Sport), he managed some impressive overtaking manoeuvres. After a suspension change, Seibold was able to move up to 5th place behind Faggionato by setting quick lap times. Paul O’Connell (IRE, HS Engineering) in the only World Series 3.5 V8 kept ahead of the two GP2 cars for a long time, in the end he finished 6th ahead of Walter Steding (GER, Scuderia Palladio) and Bruno Jarach (ITA, Eesti Motorsport). Unlucky was Luca Martucci (ITA, MM International), who started the race late with electronics problems and finished the race one lap down.

BOSS GP SUPER LIGHTS Class

While Harald Schlegelmilch had already secured the title in the OPEN class after the race weekend in Brno, it was now Andreas Hasler’s (AUT, Hasler Motorsport) turn in the SUPER LIGHTS. The former hillclimb racer won his class for the fourth time this year. Because Alexander Geier (AUT, Geier Racing) could not fix the gearbox problems from qualifying for the race either, Hasler’s most important opponent remained without points this time. This means that Hasler can no longer be ousted from the top spot before the last three races of the season. Second place in Mugello went to Walter Colacino (ITA, Colacino Motorsport) in the 1998 Formula 3000.

The tenth race of the season will take place tomorrow, Sunday, at 13:15 local time. Before that, there will be a ten-minute warm-up of the BOSS GP Racing Series at 10:00 am. Tickets are still available at the box office.

Photo: Angelo Poletto/BOSS GP

Report: Qualifying Mugello

Pole position for Ingo Gerstl at the “Forza Fanatec” in Mugello. Ghiotto holds his own against FORMULA leader Colombo and Andreas Hasler is fastest in the SUPER LIGHTS.

Ingo Gerstl (AUT, Top Speed) confirmed his role as favourite with the best time in qualifying. With a lap time of 1:26.747, the driver of a Toro Rosso STR1 secured pole position for the two race rounds in Mugello. Gerstl will be followed at the start by OPEN driver Harald Schlegelmilch (LVA, HS Engineering) in the World Series car with 4.5 litres capacity (instead of 3.5). Thomas Jackermeier (GER, Top Speed) will start from row 2. Jackermeier is competing for the first time in a Formula 1 car at Mugello and is doing excellently so far. Will he be able to step up a gear in the race and follow Gerstl?

Marco Ghiotto (ITA, Scuderia Palladio) secured the best starting position in the highly competitive FORMULA classification. The two-time BOSS GP champion started in qualifying section 2 after a cautious Friday practice run and it took him a few laps to get past team-mate Francesco Malavasi (ITA) on the timings and then championship leader Simone Colombo (ITA, MM International). With a fantastic time of 1:35.035, Ghiotto qualified almost nine tenths of a second ahead of Colombo, who lost time especially in the first sector. Filling the starting row behind are BOSS GP rookie Francesco Malavasi and Luca Martucci (ITA, MM International), who is a candidate for the podium with a good qualifying performance on one of his favourite tracks. Team-mate Salvatore de Plano (ITA) follows behind.

With Joey Foster (GBR, HS Engineering) withdrawing from the event, the only World Series by Renault 3.5-litre pilot Paul O’Connell qualified sixth in class. Best from the Zig-Zag squad was Nicolas Matile (MCO) in the Auto GP Lola in eighth in class, just ahead of teammate Jean Christophe Peyre (FRA). Team leader Marc Faggionato (MCO) was unable to take part in practice after spinning and will therefore have a race to catch up.

In the SUPER LIGHTS category, rookie Alexander Geier (AUT, Geier Racing) only familiarised himself with the track today after still being in school yesterday. Geier’s Tatuus World Series V6, however, remained in the pits with gearbox problems, so Andreas Hasler (AUT, Hasler Motorsport) will start the races as the best-placed SUPER LIGHTS competitor. Walter Colacino (ITA, Colacino Motorsport) qualified his Formula 3000 in 15th place overall.

The first race starts today, Saturday, at 15:05 local time and is over a distance of 20 minutes, the second race over 25 minutes is scheduled for tomorrow, Sunday, at 13:15. In order to keep the workload on the Formula 1 cars low, the BOSS GP F1 Class will see the chequered flag after 15 minutes.

Photo: Angelo Poletto/BOSS GP