08.09.2003 NICOLA LARINI AND ROBERTO COLCIAGO TAKE A WIN APIECE IN SWEDEN

RACE 2

Tarquini could not take the start, after his engine was damaged in the first race. Priaulx was on pole on the reverse grid and took the lead at the start, followed by Rydell. Jörg Müller, Huisman and Larini were fighting hard for the third position. They entered the long straigh side-to-side and Larini managed to squeeze between the two BMWs, outbraking them at the North corner. During the first lap Colciago overtook García for eighth position, while Giovanardi passed Huisman, climbing to sixth. The fight between Giovanardi and Huisman became hot, and their cars clashed more than once. 

At the beginning of the second lap, their duel involved Colciago, who was trying to pass both on the outside line. The collision was almost unavoidable, Colciago got the worst of it and spun off into the gravel trap. On lap 2 Larini moved up to second, overtaking Rydell; Huisman and Giovanardi continued swapping paints and positions. On lap 3 Dirk Müller dropped down from fifth to eighth, having missed the braking point at the end of the straight. The fight between Giovanardi and Huisman extended to García and Ruberti, and the latter finished in the gravel trap, his car badly damaged. Larini was stuck on the tail of Priaulx’s car, while Jörg Müller was putting pressure on Rydell. On lap 6 Dirk Müller went off because of a puncture to the front right, a few moments later he came back to the pits and retired. 

Another puncture forced also Karlsson out of the race. On lap 8 Larini jumped into the lead, overtaking Priaulx at the end of the straight. On lap 10 García passed Giovanardi for fifth. Another group of drivers was fighting for the ninth position: Engström, Coronel, Diefenbacher, Gené, Couto, Stureson and Andersson. On lap 11 Couto and Stureson clashed; the Swedish driver, who had managed to break into the top ten by lap 4, went off into the gravel trap. Showing a great determination, Larini claimed his first win of the season. Priaulx was classified second, despite a final attack from Rydell. Jörg Müller obtained another fourth position, which was enough for him to take the Championshp lead. García and Giovanardi crossed the line in fifth and sixth positions, ahead of Huisman, who encored his Independents Trophy win. Balzan scored the final point for the eight position, while Engström won the final rush for a much contested ninth place. 

RACE 1

The three Alfa Romeo cars of Tarquini, Larini and Colciago, took the lead at the start; Giovanardi drove wide at the first corner and dropped down. At the end of the long straight, Tarquini missed the braking point and went off into the gravel trap; Larini, who was closely following him, was caught by surprise and nearly went off as well. With his team-mates in trouble, Colciago inherited the lead. He was chased by Jörg Müller, García, Rydell and Huisman. Larini completed the first lap in ninth position, while Tarquini rejoined very last. 

At the end of the second lap, Tarquini pulled into the pits and retired, his engine damaged by the gravel. Dirk Müller overtook Priaulx for sixth. On lap 3 García stole second place from Jörg Müller, who was chased by Rydell, Huisman, Dirk Müller and Priaulx. Larini moved into eight, overtaking Ruberti. On lap 4 Dirk Müller won another positon, passing Huisman for fourth. Colciago was able to pull away, while Larini managed to latch onto the group of six drivers fighting for the second position. On lap 6 Larini overtook Priaulx for seventh. On lap 7 Dirk Müller overtook Rydell for fourth. 

The two Müllers were chasing García closely, and on lap 10 Jörg tried a move to pass the Spaniard, who shut the door; Dirk, who was immediately behind, could not avoid to clash with his team-mate’s car. However, they both managed to stay on the track. In the meanwhile, Huisman got past Rydell for fifth position. The Swedish driver lost another place to Larini on the following lap. On lap 12 Dirk claimed the third position overtaking Jörg. Colciago won the race, his second this year, with a comfortable lead. García defended the second position and finished ahead of Dirk and Jörg Müller. Huisman was classified fisth and won the Independents’ race, with Larini in sixth, Rydell in seventh and Priaulx in eighth.

DRIVER QUOTES

Gabriele TARQUINI: “I only have to blame myself for what happened today. I took a very good start in the first race. I was leading, with my team-mates guarding my back. It was the ideal situation. But I was too much optimist at the first braking. I braked in the usual way, but the track was dirty, because of the rubber lost by the tyres of the GT cars, and my tyres were still cold. In the end I missed the braking point and went off. I collected a lot of gravel, which damaged the engine, and I could not take the start in the second race. I have paid dearly this mistake, because this was a great occasion to increase my leadership. This racetrack suited our cars, Colciago and Larini have proved it.” 

Nicola LARINI: “It was a great weekend for me. In the first race, I missed the braking point when Tarquini did it. I was following him so clesely I could not avoid to do the same. Colciago was on my right. I could not close the corner, so I decided to go on the outside and I broke my front spoiler. I then had too much understeering and fought hard to get from eight to sixth and collect some good points. In the second race, I overtook Jörg Müller and Duncan Huisman in between them. I thought it was the only possibility and had to try it. I still can’t believe that it worked out. There was some very good fighting today. I’m also very pleased, because now I’m second in the Championship, two points from the lead. But it will be hard, and I think that the winner will be crowned only after the final round in Monza.” 

Roberto COLCIAGO: “I am very glad to have won here in Sweden. The start of the race was good for me but not for my team-mates who had problems at the end of the straight. We all arrived there on cold tyres, and everyone braked late to keep its position, because it is very difficult to overtake here. My team-mates missed the braking point and went onto the gravel. I found myself in the lead, and my car was very good. I did not have to push a lot. I just had to keep the tyres in good conditions. It was easier here than in the other races. Unfortunately the second race was a completely different story. At the start Giovanardi passed me. I then tried to overtake Garcia and finally passed him. I overtook both of them on the start/finish line but then I got a hit from the back and went off.”