A podium and a pole position for Imperiale Racing at Monza in the closing round of the Campionato Italiano Gran Turismo Sprint

07.10.2024 – It was with an overall podium and a pole position in the AM class that Imperiale Racing concluded its commitment in the Campionato Italiano Gran Turismo Sprint, which was staged over the weekend at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza.

The team from Mirandola (MO) lined up two Lamborghini Huracàn GT3 EVO2 at the start: the #85 in the PRO class was driven by Jack Bartholomew (UK) and Phillippe Denes (USA), while the #54 in the AM class was driven by Alessandro Tarabini (IT) and Giuseppe Fascicolo (IT).

The first free practice session on Friday morning was marked by rain, but the crew of the #85 Lamborghini still managed to finish third overall (1’55″123). Even in the second session, on a dry track, Bartholomew and Denes were able to secure third place, stopping the clock at 1’46″613. It was with these two excellent results that the Anglo-Saxon crew went to the start of qualifying, which brought further satisfaction to the drivers and the team. At the end of the first session Denes again managed to secure third position (1’45’405), guaranteeing him the right to start from the second row ahead of race one, while in the second session Bartholomew stopped the clock at 1’45″305, which earned him eighth place.

During race one, Bartholomew and Denes pushed hard to stay in the top group, managing to never lose sight of the first position and driving from the first to the last metre of the race, virtually staying on the podium. It was with that very fast and precise driving that the two were able to cross the finish line in third position, taking their second podium finish of the season after their victory in race two at Imola. In race two the Anglo-Saxon crew constantly tried to make up positions: after a clever strategy put into practice by the pit box at the driver changeover, Bartholomew was able to put pressure on the drivers in front of him, leading a couple of them to make mistakes. One of these manoeuvres, performed on the very last lap and at Parabolica, allowed the #85 Lamborghini to recover a position by finishing seventh.

The tricolour crew of the #54 Lamborghini had to get to grips on the wet track in the first free practice session, which represented a return to racing for Tarabini a year after his last appearance. The two defended themselves excellently by setting the third best time in the AM class (1’59″058). In the second session, with the track this time dry, Tarabini and Fascicolo confirmed their speed by setting the fourth best time (1’52″709). In the first qualifying session, Fascicolo drove the #54 Lamborghini to fourth in its class thanks to a time of 1’48’070, a time improved on again by Tarabini in the second session: his 1’47″245 allowed him and Fascicolo to move into pole position in the AM class at the start of race two.

Their first race saw them climb as high as second in class, but a technical problem caused the #54 Lamborghini to run off the track, forcing it to retire. After post-race work by the mechanics, the car was back on the grid ahead of race two. Fascicolo and Tarabini drove a consistent race in which they were able to finish sixth in class.

Elena Pignatti (Team Owner):
‘The podium achieved by Bartholomew and Denes and the pole position taken by Tarabini and Fascicolo are two results that make this season finale in the Campionato Italiano Gran Turismo Sprint sweet. The third place overall in race one once again demonstrates what has been clear throughout this year, namely the extraordinary speed of the Briton and the American: only a few unfortunate episodes have slowed them down over the course of the season, but this podium repays them and all of us for those difficult moments. I am equally happy with the performance of Tarabini, who was returning to racing after a year off, and Fascicolo: the pole position they took ahead of race two was certainly a great achievement, and without the bad luck of race one they could certainly have been aiming for the podium! We remain focused on our season, which still has to finish in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Powered by AWS Sprint Cup and in the Campionato Italiano Gran Turismo Endurance: we are ready!’.

Drivers’ classification Campionato Italiano Gran Turismo Sprint | Round 4 of 4
1. Kligmann pti. 117
2. Delli Guanti-Mazzola pti. 81
3. Michelotto-Stadsbader pti. 76
4. Cazzaniga pti. 63
5. Denes-Bartholomew pti. 55

Calendar Campionato Italiano Gran Turismo Sprint 2024
3-5 May > Misano
31 May-2 June > Imola
23-25 August > Mugello
4-6 October > Monza