After a very successful inaugural season last year, the Trofeo Abarth 500 is back for a second time, the European and Italian championships carrying over to be joined by a third series taking place in the UK. Last weekend the Trofeo Abarth 500 Italia kicked off at Misano with 20 entries taking to the track in the 190 bhp racers.

For this year the Italian series has four points scoring classes: Overall, Under 25, Under 18 and Gentlemen (reserved for drivers over 40 years old). The series has attracted many young drivers as the best placed Under 18 pilot at the end of the season will win a Formula ACI/CSAI Abarth single seater for next year. Drivers can compete in the Trofeo from the age of 15 years, provided they hold a CSAI National C licence which can be obtained after passing a course at the CSAI's school.

The Trofeo Abarth 500 Italia this year is divided into six events with two races each. For each event the itinerary consists of a free practice session, two qualifying sessions of 20 minutes duration eeach and two rounds of 12 laps each plus one additional lap. The big change for this season though is that teams can run the same car with two drivers over a weekend, one pilot in the first race and then a different one in the same car in the second race. The Trofeo Abarth 500 Italia rounds are held as part of the sanctioned CSAI events which include Formula ACI/CSAI Abarth and the Italian Formula 3 Championship.

In the first race last weekend after a good start Baldan slowly but steadily increased his lead over his pursuers until he built up a comfortable margin to take to the chequered flag. Behind him in the wet conditions Simon Monforte had a great race passing Alex Campani and Francesco Iorio to climb up to the runners-up spot. Starting from 16th on the grid the star of "Striscia la Notizia" Jimmy Ghione made no less than nine passes as he turned in a very strong performance.

Race two saw Baldan facing a much tougher test, and on a now dry circuit the Venetian driver had to defend his lead first from Franco Cimarelli and then in the final laps of the competition from Campani. Baldan, Cimarelli, Campani and Francesco Iorio turned in a good show at the front of the pack as they indulged in hard but fair duelling. Ghione also impressed for a second consecutive race: From the eighth row of the grid he managed to gain five places at once and eventually crossed the finish line in seventh place. A young driver to have an outstanding time in race two was Tobias Tauber, who started from the fifth row and finished fifth as well as posting the race's fastest lap time.

Qualifying Result for Race 1: 1. Nicola Baldan in 2’11”221, av. speed of 115,939 km/h; 2. Francesco Iorio 2’11”953; 3. Alex Campani 2’12”005; 4. Franco Cimarelliin 2’12”437; 5. Simone Monforte 2’12”577; 6.Gianluca Caporali 2’14”039; 7. Carlo Casilloin 2’14”071; 8. Simone Niboli 2‘14”468; 9. Tobias Tauber in 2'14''691; 10. Eric Scalvini 2'14.784.

Qualifying Result for Race 2: 1. Nicola Baldan in 2’10”080, av. speed of 116,956 km/h; 2. Francesco Iorio 2’10”895; 3. Simone Monforte 2’11”193; 4. Franco Cimarelli 2’11”196; 5. Alex Campani 2’11”530; 6. Gianluca Caporali 2’12”960; 7. Simone Niboli 2'13.152; 8. Carlo Casillo 2‘13”319; 9. Tobias Tauber in 2'13''457; 10. Eric Scalvini 2'14.735.

Result Race 1: 1. Nicola Baldan 13 laps in 28’36”823, av. speed of 115.199 km/h; 2. Simone Monforte +1”361; 3. Francesco Iorio +3”316; 4. Franco Cimarelli +5“985; 5. Gianluca Caporali +26”709; 6. Tobias Tauber +29”036; 7. Jimmy Ghione + 30”824; 8. Nicola Gianniberti +31”583; 9.Carlo Casillo +37”990; 10. Simone Niboli +38“164; 11. Riccardo Iob +50”296; 12. Eric Scalvini + 1’09”813; 13. Paolo Scudieri + 1’10”353; 14. Riccardo Lonati +1’11”889; 15. Alex Campani +1’35”792; 16. Mattia Pegoiani +1’45”617. Fastest lap: Simone Monforte in 2’10”590, av. speed of 116.499 km/h.

Result Race 2: 1. Nicola Baldan 14 laps in 27’45”567, av. speed of 127,879 km/h; 2. Alex Campani +1“052; 3. Francesco Iorio +2”044 ; 4. Franco Cimarelli +3“023; 5. Tobias Tauber +6”571 ; 6. Gianluca Caporali +46“651; 7. Jimmy Ghione +48”569 ; 8. Simone Niboli +49“522; 9. Carlo Casillo +52.367; 10. Riccardo Lonati +1‘30“040; 11. Paolo Scudieri +1‘30“626; 12. Riccardo Iob +1’34”654 ; 13. Andrea Pezzotti +1’34”968 ; 14. Eric Scalvini + 1’35”723. Fastest lap: Tobias Tauber in 1’57”468, av. speed of 129,513 km/h.