12.02.2004 ALFA ROMEO'S 2004 SPEC 156GTA HITS THE TRACK AT THE FIA ETCC TEST AT IMOLA

Yesterday was a warm and sunny day for the thirteen drivers taking part in the first day of a two day FIA ETCC test at Imola. It was the first visit ever for the S2000 spec-cars at the Italian racetrack, home of the San Marino Formula 1 Grand Prix.

At the wheel of his Schnitzer-built BMW 320i, Dirk Müller emerged as the fastest driver with a lap in 1:59.86 at the end of day one. Oregon Team’s Luca Rangoni, in a 2003 Alfa Romeo 156 GTA, was second-fastest with the time of 1:59.96.

None of the Alfa Romeo Autodelta drivers managed to break the 2-minute barrier; Fabrizio Giovanardi and Gabriele Tarquini clocked almost the same times, 2:00.32 and 2:00.33 respectively. For the first time the team ran one car with the new Alfa 156 Gta bodywork, which includes a completely redesigned front splitter.

Antonio García in a Ravaglia Motorsport BMW 320i was one tenth slower than the two Autodelta men (2:00.41); the Spaniard was closely followed by SEAT Sport drivers: Frank Diefenbacher (2:00.68) and Jordi Gené (2:00.88). Alessandro Zanardi, in the second Ravaglia car, was the last driver able to go under the 2:01. mark (2:00.93 his best lap). Third Autodelta man Augusto Farfus and Oregon Team’s Salvatore Tavano and Michele Bartyan remained around 2:01.2; while Stefano D’Aste’s Proteam Motorsport BMW was clocked at 2:02.03. Jörg Müller in the second Schnitzer car did not use new tyres and set his best time at 2:06.1.

The second and last day of testing today saw the weather turn overcast, with temperatures cooling. Autodelta’s Fabrizio Giovanardi set the fastest time, which was also the fastest over the two days, at 1:58.53 in the 2003 Alfa 156 GTA, but Jörg Müller answered with a 1:58.74 at the wheel of his Schnitzer BMW 320i. None of the other drivers managed to break the 1:59 barrier.

Five cars were covered by only 0.015 seconds, with Antonio García third fastest in the first Ravaglia Motorsport BMW (1:59.15), closely followed by Jordi Gene’s SEAT Toledo Cupra (1:58.20), his own team-mate Alessandro Zanardi (1:58.25), second SEAT Sport driver Frank Diefenbacher (1:58.26) and Autodelta’s Augusto Farfus (1:58.30).

As usual the Oregon Team drivers took stints at the wheel of the team’s only Alfa 156; their best times were 1:59.49 for Luca Rangoni, 1:59.56 for Salvatore Tavano and 1:59.96 for Michele Bartyan. As for Dirk Müller he only tested on used tyres, and his best time remained 1:59.80. Farfus went off at the Piratella corner, damaging the bodywork of the new 2004 Alfa 156 GTA, while the Oregon Team’s car suffered from a blown engine.

Zanardi was particularly impressive, consistently lapping in the same pace of his team-mate. “Alessandro was delighted. Now the driving aid system, developed together by Fadiel and BMW Motorsport is working perfectly, and he can look for pure performances,” team manager Roberto Ravaglia commented.

Gabriele Tarquini missed today’s testing, as he was in Paris for the Hearing of the FIA International Court of Appeal. The verdict on the accident that involved him and Carly Motors’ Duncan Huisman in Monza on October 2003, will be delivered tomorrow in the early afternoon.