At an average speed of almost 160 km per hour, the title contenders staged breath taking duels as the standings at the top of the points classification were on a razor's edge going into Monza and remain open with one more round still to be contested; that comes up in just over a fortnight’s time.

The first race was won by the Juuso Pajuranta, the title hopeful finishing ahead of Italian Cosimo Barberini, the championship points leader, by a hair's breadth, just 0.149 of a second to be precise, meaning the Finn chipped away slightly at the Italian’s advantage at the top of the standings.

Race 2 was won by young Italian driver Andrea Mabellini with Barberini the runner up once again, but with Pajuranta going missing from the big paying points positions Barberini eased out a useful cushion to take into the final round.

Thanks to his two well-deserved second places from last weekend’s two races at Monza, Barberini is still leading the overall classification of the Trofeo Abarth 500 with a score of 232 points, comparing very favourably to Pajuranta's 207 points and Mabellini's 202 points.

That means the fight for the championship title carries on to the final round of the Trofeo Abarth 500, which is scheduled to be held on 27-28 October at the Mugello Circuit in Tuscany.

Once again, in Monza members of the “Scorpionship”, the community dedicated to the Abarth brand and which numbers more than 100,000 members, as well as local Abarth clubs, crowded into the paddock and the Abarth hospitality zone. They enjoyed the unique opportunity to meet the drivers, watch the mechanics preparing the cars, experience the pre-race excitement and enjoy the atmosphere of the legendary Monza paddock.

Trofeo Abarth 500 2018, Rd 6, Monza

Result Race 1

1. Juuso Pajuranta (FIN) 13 laps in 28'47"116; 2. Cosimo Barberini (ITA) at 0"149; 3.  Andrea Mabellini (ITA) at 34"642; 4. Robin Appelqvist (SWE) at 34"946; 5. Stefano Fiamingo (ITA) at 51"915; 6. Biagio Caruso (ITA) at 1'06"109; 7. "Gioga" (ITA) at 1'14"932; 8.  Cristian Boninsegna (ITA) at 1'29"755; 9. "Boga" (ITA) at 1'41"727; 10. Filippo Lazzaroni (ITA) at 1 lap (Abarth 500 Assetto Corse); 11. Aurora Coria (ITA) at 1 lap (Abarth 500 Assetto Corse).
All other drivers in Abarth 695 Assetto Corse Evoluzione
Fastest lap: Cosimo Barberini in 2'11"291, average speed 158.8 km/h.

Result Race 2

1. Andrea Mabellini (ITA) 12 laps in 28'14"680; 2. Cosimo Barberini (ITA) at 1"691; 3.  Robin Appelqvist (SWE) at 21"015; 4. Stefano Fiamingo (ITA) at 28"142; 5. Biagio Caruso (ITA) at 37"995; 6. "Gioga" (ITA) at 57"930; 7. "Boga" (ITA) at 1'03"041; 8. Cristian Boninsegna (ITA) at 1'03"985; 9.  Filippo Lazzaroni (ITA) at 1'37"039 (Abarth 500 Assetto Corse); 10. Aurora Coria (ITA) at 1 lap (Abarth 500 Assetto Corse).
All other drivers in Abarth 695 Assetto Corse Evoluzione
Fastest lap: Juuso Pajuranta in 2'11"768, average speed 158.3 km/h.

Trofeo Abarth 500 overall standings (after 5 of 6 rounds)

1.  Cosimo Barberini (ITA) 232 points; 2. Juuso Pajuranta (FIN) 207 points; 3. Andrea Mabellini (ITA) 202 points; 4. Robin Appelqvist (SWE) 144 points; 5. Stefano Fiamingo (ITA) 86 points.