It was the best possible end to a long season which has seen the Swiss Team's dramatic Quattroporte-based racing programme finally coming right after two seasons when it was floundering in the mid field. In an era when the Fiat Group's marketing bosses continually demonstrate so little understanding of the portfolio of brands under their care, international racing winners have become rare commodities - but the Quattroporte can now add its name to a lengthy roll call of famous honours.

Bertolini, in his first year in the International Superstars Series came into the weekend's final double header with five wins to his name driving the Swiss Team-entered Quattroporte, but he was on the back foot after Alberto Cequi took both wins in the penultimate round of the series at Mugello a fortnight ago to haul himself into second place, 11 points behind CAAL Racing's Luigi Ferrara (AMG Mercedes-Benz) who has won just two races this season (at Valencia and Misano) but has consistently placed amongst the top runners all season. 19-year-old Cequi, who drives for Team BMW Italia, would however have to carry 60 kilograms of compensation ballast at Vallelunga's season-closer thanks to that double win. His BMW team-mate Thomas Biagi was just nine points further back but determined to defend his double 2010 title. The Bologna-based racer shared third place in the standings with four-time FIA GT Champion Bertolini, who had scored his five wins split between Valencia, Donington Park and Spa-Francorchamps.

In a true grand finale in front of a crowd of 28,000 spectators, Vallelunga provided a picture-perfect frame for the best of the Superstars action and in his first season in the V8-engined saloon car championship Bertolini was imperious, claiming pole and scoring a sensational double win from race 1 and 2 to haul himself from fourth to first in the final standings.

Bertolini simply dominated the day. With his team-mate Alessandro Pier Guidi covering his back and fending off attacks from those behind, Maserati's official test driver Bertolini led from the start to the finish of the opening race to lead out a Swiss Team 1-2. As he closed in on the title, Bertolini bested Pier Guidi and Cerqui, while his arch-rival, the championship-leading Ferrara, faced mechanical troubles with his CAAL Racing-prepared Mercedes C63 AMG.

In the second race Bertolini had to deal with a last-gasp attack from the experienced former Italian F1 driver Gianni Morbidelli, who was finally back in amongst the leading pack in an Audi RS4 that is fielded by Audi Sport Italia. After squeezing his way past Johnny Herbert, Morbidelli chased the leader's red-white-and-black liveried Quattroporte but fell just short of wresting the lead away, while in third place Pier Guidi enjoyed another podium finish to make it two Quattroporte's on the podium of both races. Two wins out of two at Vallelunga thus cemented the title for Bertolini with a 13 point cushion in the final points tally; it also meant he had powered the rapid Quattroporte to seven wins in his first season at the wheel of the race-prepared Modenese sedan. Ferrara hit troubles yet again in the second race and he had to be content with the runner-up spot in final standings, followed by Cerqui who was just 2 points further back but who wrapped up the Italian version of the series.

INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTARS SERIES, Final Standings (after 9 rounds and 18 races): 1. Bertolini (Maserati Quattroporte) 178; 2. Ferrara (Mercedes C63 AMG) 165; 3. Cerqui (BMW M3) 163; 4. Biagi (BMW M3) 147; 5. Pigoli (Mercedes C63 AMG) 125.