Salvatore Tavano (top) dominated the fifth round of the Trofeo Abarth 500, held at the circuit of Mugello over the weekend, the Sicilian winning both races and posting the fastest lap time in each and thus scoring maximum points for the championship. Also in the field was Italian TV motoring programme presenter Guido Meda (bottom).

Sicily's Salvatore Tavano dominated throughout the fifth and penultimate round of the Italian domiciled Trofeo Abarth 500, held at the circuit of Mugello over the weekend. Tavano won both the double-header races, also posting the fastest lap time in each, and thus scoring maximum points for the championship. He won the two legs ahead of Veneto's Nicola Baldan and has boosted his chances of winning the inaugural Trofeo Abarth 500. The two drivers are now separated by 32 points in the standings with one more meeting comprising of two races still to be contested, scheduled for October 11 at Vallelunga.

In the Under 23 category, Tobias Tauber won Race 1 and very young 17-year old Simone Monforte won Race 2, while Alex Campani, who was leading the standings before the event at Mugello, was forced into retirement after he was involved in an accident during Race 2. The race at Vallelunga will therefore be decisive for the awarding of the title in this category too, with three drivers still in contention: Taubert, Campani and Monforte. The tiny Abarth 500 Assetto Corse racers have yet again provided a great and action-packed show, including several incidents with no consequences for the drivers.

In the first race, Tavano made a good start from pole-position, followed closely by Baldan. At the first braking point, Paolo Scudieri, Gianluca Caporali and Alessandro Maneo were eliminated in a pileup involving several drivers. As the race continued, the two leading drivers were keeping a good distance from each other, while a tight fight for fifth place developed between Alan Simoni and Andrea Rizzoli, lasting until the very last moment.

Tavano made another good start in Race 2, tailed by Baldan. A collision between Campani and Rizzoli, who rolled in the Scarperia turn, caused the safety car to be deployed for two laps. When the race resumed, Tavano and Baldan were still first and second, while a fierce fight for third place sparked off between Francesco Iorio and Simone Di Luca. They finally caught up with Baldan, breathing down his neck, but this one defended his second place. Motomondiale TV show presenter Guido Meda who was a guest driver in this round slid off the track in the last turn while he was 15th overall.

Trofeo Abarth 500 - Mugello, Race 1 classification: 1. Salvatore Tavano, 8 laps in 18min23.315s - average speed 136.911kph; 2. Nicola Baldan + 1.594s; 3. Francesco Iorio + 6.189s; 4. Simone Di Luca + 7.847s; 5. Andrea Rizzoli + 15.343s; 6. Alan Simoni + 15.657s; 7. Tobias Tauber + 24.482s; 8. Franco Cimarelli + 29.776s; 9. Andrea Carboni + 35.723s; 10. Giuseppe Casillo + 37.713s. Fastest lap by Salvatore Tavano in 2min14.128s - average speed 140.775kph.

Trofeo Abarth 500 - Mugello, Race 2 classification: 1. Salvatore Tavano, 8 laps in 23min07.304s - average speed 108.884kph; 2. Nicola Baldan + 2.498s; 3. Francesco Iorio + 2.771s; 4. Simone Di Luca + 3.064s; 5. Franco Cimarelli + 6.638s; 6. Andrea Simoni + 6.791s; 7. Simone Monforte + 13.510s; 8. Tobias Tauber + 13.792s; 9. Manuel Lasagni + 17.317s; 10. Davide Stancheris + 22.328s. Fastest lap by Salvatore Tavano in 2min14.576s - average speed 140.307kph.

Trofeo Abarth 500 standings (after 5 of 6 rounds): 1. Salvatore Tavano 202 points; 2 Nicola Baldan 170; 3. Francesco Iorio 86; 4. Andrea Rizzoli 80; 5. Manuel Villa 79; Under 23 standings: 1. Tobias Tauber 172 points; 2. Alex Campani 151; 3. Simone Monforte 143; 4. Gabriele Larini 112; 5. Patrik Gobbo 100.