Emanuele Smurra took a third consecutive win in the Trofeo Vodafone Maserati Europe, at the fourth round of the season run on the Lausitzring circuit in Germany. 

The youngster from Rome, who started from pole for the first time this season, received the winner’s trophy from guest of honour and Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro test driver, Felipe Massa. After wins in Magny-Cours (France) and Nurburgring (Germany,) Smurra has thus consolidated his lead in the overall classification of the one-make series. 

“I lost a place immediately after the start, but managed to get back in the lead in the period immediately after the pit-stop” explained the winner. “It would be nice to do it again in the next race at Silverstone, in England (20th July) in front of the Formula 1 crowd”. 

Runner-up was Sergio Rota from Bergamo, who had a great race, climbing through the field from sixth place on the grid. 

Emanuele Smurra was the fastest on the Lausitzring circuit during the qualifying session to determine the starting grid for tomorrow’s fourth Trofeo Vodafone Maserati race. 

The session took place under gloriously sunny skies and the conditions fully tested both drivers and Pirelli tyres alike. On a technically demanding track that is also fun to drive, the gathered public was enthralled by the battle for pole position right from the off. 

Smurra’s was pole was commandingly won. The Roman adopted a conservative strategy to allow him to conquer the endurance section of the Trofeo Vodafone Maserati. His main rivals, Cerrai and Tirella, will start from further back down the field: the Roman in fourth and the Swiss back in eighth. 

The red flag interrupted proceedings at the start of qualifying after a collision between Vescovi and Notter. 
The Swiss driver was hit by the man from Pistoia and the end of the start-finish straight. 

Before Smurra’s pole - snatched at the very end of the session – Alessi had been the main player with a time of 1’59. The fight for the first positions was an interesting one as up to ten competitors were bunched within a second of each other, Cerrai, then Rota and then Cattori (with his teammate La Vecchia) claimed third spot. 

In a last gasp development, Bozzetto managed to grab fifth spot and Smurra his pole. Smurra, together with Alessi, was the only driver to duck under 1’59” – again demonstrating his ability to set fast times. 

The line-up on the starting grid thus reads: Smurra (1'58"528), Gay-Alessi (1'58"911), La Vecchia-Cattori (1'59"567), Cerrai (1'59"784), Bozzetto (1'59"906), Rota (2'00"094) and the Gedol-Coldani pairing (2'00"290).