CIV, MONZA: FIRST QUALIFYING OF THE DELLORTO ROUND DRAWS TO A CLOSE Monza, 27th April 2012 the first qualifying sessions of the Dellorto CIV round – the third round of the Italian CIV championship – took place this afternoon at the ‘Autodromo Nazionale di Monza’. Over 145 bikes are out this weekend on the historic and very fast track with tomorrow’s second qualifying sessions setting the grid positions for Sunday’s races that cover seven classes. FIRST QUALIFYING RESULTS – Team Italia FMI dominated in the Stock 600 with its two Yamaha riders recording almost identical lap times. Riccardo Russo took provisional pole thanks to a best lap time of 1’50″560 while his team-mate Luca Vitali set a 1’50″568 which places him a close second. Third was Gennaro Sabatino (Honda Prorace), followed by Morbidelli and Monti. Frenchman Sylvain Barrier (BMW) recorded the quickest time in the Stock 1000 category (1’45″754). Participating as a wildcard, the current FIM Cup leader closed almost half a second ahead of his team-mate Lorenzo Baroni and the Ducati ridden by Simone Saltarelli (Team Barni). Alessio Velini and current leader Ivan Goi completed the top five. Current Superbike champion Matteo Baiocco was back on top at Monza with a fastest time of 1’44″988. On board the Ducati prepared by Team Barni he concluded first qualifying two tenths of a second ahead of Ivan Clementi (BMW Asia Competition) and his closest rival in the standings, Tuscan rider Gianluca Nannelli (Ducati Grandi Corse). Behind them, Luca Conforti and Fabrizio Lai, took provisional fourth and fifth place respectively. In Moto3 the clear leader was Kevin Calia (Honda Elle2 Ciatti) who registered a best time of 2’01″309. Finishing well behind him were Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Oral M3 Team Italia Gabrielli) and Matteo Ferrari (Honda). Two ‘home’ riders, Stefano Valtulini and Andrea Locatelli, closed fourth and fifth. ‘Virtual’ pole in the 125 Gp went to Riccardo Moretti. The Mahindra rider scored an impressive 2’01″773, more than a second faster than second placed Simone Mazzola, riding the Aprilia for GT Racing Publisport, who closed ahead of Lorenzo Dalla Porta, also on an Aprilia prepared by O.R. by 2B Corse-Zack-M. Andrea Mantovani and Cristiano Carpi also finished inside the top five. Stefano Cruciani (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) finished first in Supersport: his time, a 1’49″348, was seven tenths quicker than of current champion Ilario Dionisi (Honda Scuderia Improve), who finished the session in second place. Dino Lombardi finished third (Yamaha Team Pata by Martini), followed by Giansanti and Cottini. Current champion Alessandro Andreozzi (Andreozzi R.C.) set the best time in the Moto2 class (1’50″402), ahead of the Bimota prepared by Edo Racing for Danish rider Robbin Harms. Ferruccio Lamborghini (Quarantaquattro Racing) closed in third. PLAYING AT HOME There are more than 20 riders hailing from the region of Lombardia, ready to make the most of the fact that they are racing ‘at home’ at Monza. Some will aim for the points zone or a top ten finish while others hope to score more significant results, such as a podium finish or even a win. In Superbike both Conforti and Lai have high expectations but so does Lorenzo Mauri, from Lurago D’Erba (Como) and riding a Ducati for M Motocorsa, and Luca Pedersoli (from Brescia, class of ’74) on board Batter Pedersoli’s Ducati and Giovanni Baggi, from Massalengo (Lodi), on an Aprilia with team Nuova M2. In the Moto3, as well as Andrea Locatelli it’s worth keeping an eye on Stefano Valtulini on board the Honda of team Imperiali and Milanese rider Andrea Zanella with another Honda, that of Team Bierreti while in the Stock 1000, Ivan Goi and wildcards Gianpaolo Brambilla (Milanese and riding a Ducati for M Motocorsa) and Riccardo Fusco, who lives just a short distance from the track, all have high hopes. There are five ‘home’ riders competing in the Stock 600: leading the pack is a rider with international experience, Daniele Beretta (from Madone, class of ’89) who will try to power the Yamaha of Prorace Squadra Corse to great things. Alongside Daniele are Stefano Casalotti, from Brescia, (on the Yamaha with Team Riviera) and Milanese rider Luca Salvatori (Yamaha Team Pata by Martini). Also looking for a top ten finish are Roberto Mercandelli from Sovico (Yamaha RCGM Team) and Alberto Butti (Yamaha Mottini Corse), class of ’93 and from Erba. In Supersport those striving for success include Alessandro Bonecchi from Abbiategrasso (with the Yamaha of 2R Antonellini by Bargy), Andrea Agnelli from Cavernago (Yamaha CDM-RS) and Alessandro Mantia from Mandello (Kawasaki MV Racing) but also the three wildcards Mauro Carzaniga (from Lecco), Niccolò Lagiongada (from Cornate d’Adda) and Giovanni Altomonte from Arcore, all on board Honda machines. UBBIALI ENTERS THE HALL OF FAME Once again the Pirelli CIVillage will be at the heart of the paddock tomorrow. After official qualifying, at about 6pm, the Dellorto pole position prize-giving will take place, during which the seven stars of qualifying will take to the stage. Before this Carlo Ubbiali will enter the CIV Hall Of Fame: the former rider, class of ’29 and nine times world champion, will enter the national hall of fame for having won six Italian 125 titles with MV and Mondial and two 250 titles with MV, and for having been one of the protagonists of the Italian motorcycle racing history. The Lombard rider will celebrate at his ‘home’ track and will be presented with an official certificate and celebrative painting, created especially for the occasion, by the CIV and FMI staff. TV AND INTERNET COVERAGE On Sunday live coverage will begin at 11.30am on Nuvolari (ch. 144 Sky and Digital Terrestrial) with the Stock 600 and Stock 1000 races while on Sportitalia 2 (ch. 226 Sky and Digital Terrestrial) the Superbike, 125 Gp/Moto3 and Supersport/Moto2 races will kick off from 1.50pm. The Monza round will also have good coverage abroad thanks to Motors TV (with coverage of the event across Europe) and TenSports, the Indian television channel that will broadcast the 125/Moto3 category. The racing is also broadcast on the Internet, in live streaming, on the CIV website (www.civ.tv) in collaboration with Sportube.tv. USEFUL INFO Tomorrow, following on from the first practice sessions (from 10am), official qualifying will begin from 2.40pm. On Sunday the racing will get underway with the Stock 600 at 11.45, followed by the other categories. Visitors can watch qualifying tomorrow (tickets cost 10 euros, or 8 euros for under 18’s and FMI card holders) while on Sunday combined grandstand-paddock tickets cost 19 euro (or 15 euros reduced rate).