Superstars: Audi Sport Italia confirmed with the 2013 teams’ title

By Johan Laubscher

The 2013 Italian Superstars Series saw the Audi Sport Italia squad defeating the balance of performance to take yet another set of titles for the new Audi RS 5 quattro.

Despite an imposing balance of performance, the Italian Audi Dealer team was able to bounce back and secure both of the drivers’ titles with Gianni Morbidelli, who won the International Superstars drivers’ title and later the Italian title as well.

It was almost a complete set for Audi Sport Italia, as they narrowly missed out on the teams’ title, facing off against the original victors, Mercedes Romeo Ferraris.

However, the final standings of the 2013 teams’ title was not finalised, as Audi Sport Italia lodged a complaint against the Mercedes Romeo Ferraris team at Donington Park, regarding technical issues with bodywork components.

The FIA court has ruled that the components on the Mercedes-Benz cars at Donington where indeed illegal and their points have been revoked, costing the Romeo Ferraris squad a total of twenty points.

This points deduction was enough to promote Audi Sport Italia to the top of the points table, crowning them as the 2013 Superstars Series teams’ champions by seventeen points, adding to the two 2013 drivers’ titles of Gianni Morbidelli.

Audi Sport Italia and up to four RS 5 quattro cars will be returning to this form of competition this year, as they are entering the 2014 EuroV8 Series, which replaces the Superstars Series. So far only one driver has been confirmed by the team, Tomáš Kostka from the Czech Republic.

The 2014 EuroV8 Series will be getting underway at Monza, 6 April.

Audi Sport Italia’s official season review can be seen HERE.

Photo credit: Audi Sport Italia

EuroV8 Series: Audi Sport Italia back with the RS 5 quattro

By Tarek Ramchani

The EuroV8 Series will replace the Superstars Series this year. The Italian based touring car championship will have a 6-round calendar in 2014 with Audi Sport Italia set to join the field.

The EuroV8 Series will welcome the cars of the old Superstars Series. The Audi RS 5 quattro the car that dominated the competition since 2012 will be back to defend the titles.

Audi Sport Italia has been officially confirmed as a full season competitor by the series organisers. The number of cars and driver line-up will be announced soon by the official Audi Italia dealer team.

In 2012 Swedish driver Johan Kirstoffersson won the title with his family run KMS Motorsport after a titanic battle with Mercedes-Benz AMG driver Vitantonio Liuzzi. In 2013 it was the turn of Gianni Morbidelli to be crowned with Audi Sport Italia, despite a very penalizing Balance of Performance hitting the RS 5 quattro.

You can read Audi teams 2013 season review in the Superstars Series right here.

Audi Sport Italia and the Audi RS 5 quattro will have strong rivals from BMW, Mercedes-Benz AMG and Chevrolet teams.

The season opener of the EuroV8 Series is set at Monza, April the 6th.

Photo credit: Audi Sport Italia

Superstars: All goods things go by three - Audi Sport Italia Superstars season yields three crowns

Audi Sport Italia Press Release

All goods things go by three

Audi Sport Italia Superstars season yields three crowns

SEASON REVIEW

Fresh off a 2012 Superstars season that bolstered Johan Kristoffersson's three-title chase, the search for a name as favourite to succeed the incumbent was easy. Apparently it takes an RS 5 to win in the series for V8 tin-tops: Audis won half of the available races last year and things remained the same in 2013 as RS 5s picked nine of the 18 rounds. The outcome was that Italy’s Gianni Morbidelli achieved his own second International-Italian double to add to the four other honours he had already racked up in the series run by Rome-based promoter Maurizio Flammini. From 2007 on the former F.1 driver had claimed three Italians crowns and one International one, therefore the successes he celebrated in October make him the sole driver able to repeat in the International-Italian points standings.

17 Top3 finishes for Audi drivers --nine of those translating into wins-- may well mislead into thinking that the Audi camp enjoyed a smooth ride. On contrary 2013 started on the back foot for Audi Sport Italia, as Morbidelli struggled early on with quick circuits and a string of retirements. After six rounds Audis had picked no wins whatsoever and Morbidelli was lying fifth in the tables, and Emilio Radaelli's staff undertook a thorough review of the car weaknesses, especially focusing on tweaks to drivetrain details. By mid-summer the Audi squad was beginning to see the light. AMG Mercedes’ joyride, which had propelled Thomas Biagi, Vitantonio Liuzzi and Gigi Ferrara to the top with only BMW’s Giovanni Berton hindering their charge came to a end at Zolder. In Belgium Morbidelli and sensation guest star Laurens Vanthoor were handed the quickest RS 5s seen throughout the season, as the promoter took off a chunk of ballast and let Audis run their 2012 ride height. Relying on sheer car speed and swiftness Morbidelli and Vanthoor dominated the opposition and the former title bid was re-launched for good.

The promoter in a U-turn rolled back the measures that had given wings to Audis, but the Italian team was looking forward to a host of venues friendly to four-wheel-driven cars: the schedule helped Morbidelli to barrel ahead of any Balance Of Performance provision that was thrown at him. Although the car did not appear to handle the challenge with ease on Saturdays, as performance-wise the measures upheld took a toll on speed, the Audi camp had learned to bid its time and overcome the lack of performance with better endurance, getting the upper hand by way of superior braking and handling and less tyre wear. Stats provide a telling guide to the split between Audi results on Saturday and on Sundays: whilst RS 5s claimed two pole positions, eleven fastest laps were posted. An approach that yielded four successive wins for Morbidelli, who after the fifth victory at Donington Park was sitting on top of the standings level on points with Thomas Biagi.

Wresting the lead from AMG Mercedes’ driver for good was another story, though, as the Imola meeting loomed and a further BOP measure forced Audi Sport Italia to go to the quick and historic venue with an engine massively choked by a skimpy air restrictor. AMG Mercedes C63s looked set to keep the field at arm's length there and even more so the RS 5s. But events were to swing in Audi's favour: on Sunday Morbidelli put the Camozzi-liveried RS 5 back in its accustomed position in rain-soaked races,  even forcing Biagi to go scoreless after a late-race mistake and piling up a 33-point lead that enabled him to comfortably grab the International crown at Vallelunga, as Andrea Larini made a winning debut in the RS 5. Morbidelli was back to winning ways in a fortnight at Franciacorta, adding the domestic title to the International one at the expenses of Liuzzi, who had led the tables before the decider. Ermanno Dionisio came back to the series posting two podium finishes. The Italian series -- which predated the International -- was made up of races staged at domestic venues, plus Algarve.

Audi Sport Italia, besides boosting Morbidelli to two drivers’ titles, also picked the Teams’ trophy, as the aftermath of a protest lodged at Donington Park against Mercedes AMG Romeo Ferraris is ultimately winding down in favor of the Novara-based outfit, confirming the Superstars’ rule of three, as far as Audi titles are concerned.

INT.N'L SUPERSTARS SERIES (Top5)*:

1. GIANNI MORBIDELLI (AUDI) 235 points;

2. Giovanni Berton (BMW) 192 pts.;

3. Vitantonio Liuzzi (Mercedes AMG) 159 pts.;

4. Thomas Biagi (Mercedes AMG) 138 pts.;

5.  Gigi Ferrara (Mercedes AMG) 127 pts.

CAMPIONATO ITALIANO SUPERSTARS(Top5):

1. GIANNI MORBIDELLI (AUDI) 170 points;

2. Vitantonio Liuzzi (Mercedes AMG) 158 pts.;

3. Giovanni Berton (BMW) 83 pts.;

4. Thomas Biagi (Mercedes AMG) 76 pts.;

5.  Gigi Ferrara (Mercedes AMG) 59 pts.

SUPERSTARS TEAM TROPHY (Top5)*:

1. AUDI SPORT ITALIA 330 points;

2. BMW Team Dinamic 306 pts.;

3. Mercedes-AMG Romeo Ferraris 297 pts.;

4. Roma Racing Team 127 pts.;

5.  CAAL Racing 104 pts.

Photo credit: Audi Sport Italia

Superstars: Audi Sport Italia 2013 season review

By Tarek Ramchani and Johan Laubscher

Title successfully defended in the International and Italian Superstars Series. The Audi RS 5 quattro, which was victorious with Johan Kristoffersson last year, was again the series champion in the Italian based touring car series.Gianni Morbidelli and Audi Sport Italia took two great championship titles after battling with arch rivals from Mercedes-Benz AMG and BMW all season long.

The Italian ace, Gianni Morbidelli, was able to beat all of his rivals, despite the fact that the car was extremely penalized with extra weight and smaller air restrictors. Morbidelli was strong and Audi Sport Italia was very well prepared this season. The quattro system also made a big difference in some very wet races throughout the season.

The season review has been compiled from the 2013 Audi Motorsport Blog Weekend Round Up posts. Each round has been added as was seen in the individual Weekend Round Up posts during 2013, which can be accessed via the links throughout the review below:

Round 1: Monza

Monza hosted the opening round of the Superstars championship. Audi Sport Italia entered two RS 5 race cars. Monza is traditionally a difficult track for the Audis, due to the very high end top speeds, however the team worked well this weekend. A top four qualifying position and finish was achieved by Gianni Morbidelli in both races. His teammate, Ferdinando Geri, finished in the lower half of the field at Monza, and retired from race two.

Taken from Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (6-7/04/2013)

Round 2: Brno

Superstars headed to the Czech Republic this weekend, for round two at Brno. Audi Sport Italia arrived with their two Audi RS 5 quattro cars. The Audis suffered at Monza, round one, but the team was confident that Brno would better suit the four wheel drive cars. Gianni Morbidelli topped the first wet free practice session and qualified fifth, but unfortunately he retired from race one. His teammate Ferdinando Geri finished within the top ten. Race two saw Morbidelli perform very well, taking second place.

Taken from Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (18-20/05/2013)

Round 3: Slovakia Ring

The Superstars Series returned to Central Europe for the second round in succession, as they headed to the Slovakia Ring following Brno in the Czech Republic last time out. The Slovakia Ring hosted the third round of the series. Audi Sport Italia arrived with their two RS 5 quattro cars and qualified seventh and thirteenth for race one. The first race proved to be very difficult as both RS 5 cars retired. The second race saw Morbidelli improving up to third place, salvaging a good result from a difficult weekend.

Taken from Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (8-9/06/2013)

Round 4: Zolder

The Superstars headed to Zolder this weekend for round four of the championship. Audi Sport Italia arrived full of confidence, expecting the tighter Belgian track to suit their RS 5 quattro race cars. The team was joined by local Audi racing star, Laurens Vanthoor, in the silver #46 car. Vanthoor impressed during the free practice sessions. He was unable to take part in qualifying but his teammate and Audi Sport Italia regular, Gianni Morbidelli, was able to take pole position for the races on Sunday. During race one Morbidelli dominated at the front whilst Vanthoor came from behind and stormed through the field to finish second, completing an Audi Sport Italia 1-2. Race two saw a reverse grid and Vanthoor once again stormed through the field, this time taking the lead and dominating the race. Eventually Morbidelli was able to move up into the lead followed by Vanthoor, ensuring another Audi 1-2 finish.

Taken from Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (22-23/06/2013)

Round 5: Portimao

The Superstars Championship headed to Portugal, hosting round five at Algarve in Portimão. Audi Sport Italia was competing on two fronts this weekend, the Superstars in Portugal and the Italian GT at Imola, thus they decided to only enter one Audi RS 5 at Algarve. The car was driven by their lead driver, Gianni Morbidelli. He qualified on the front row and dominated both races, taking four straight wins now in the series following the double win at Zolder. Two Audi RS 4 cars were also entered by the Adria Raceway team.

Taken from Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (20-21/07/2013)

Round 6: Donington Park

The Superstars Series was also at Donginton, but only one Audi was entered. With Audi Sport Italia being split between Imola and Donington they again decided to only enter one Audi RS 5 quattro, the #45 with Gianni Morbidelli. He qualified fourth and battle at the front during race one, despite the severe performance penalties. He was battling for third and second when the leading group all slipped on oil dropped by a Lexus. Morbidelli unfortunately spun, but recovered to finish fourth, right behind his title rival. Race two saw Gianni Morbidelli battling for the lead with his title rival, Thomas Biagi. He finally passed Biagi for the lead during the second half of the race and held it to take victory, despite the performance penalties.

Taken from Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (31/08-1/09/2013)

Round 7: Imola

The Superstars Series headed to round seven at Imola. Audi Sport Italia arrived with a full set of three Audi RS 5 quattro race cars. Championship points leader and lead Audi Sport Italia driver, Gianni Morbidelli, was joined by Davide Di Benedetto and Giuseppe Cipriani. During qualifying the Audis struggled and Gianni Morbidelli was the highest Audi on the grid in eighth. Race one saw the Audis improving in the wet conditions, as Gianni Morbidelli moved up to second ahead of Di Benedetto in fourth and Cipriani in ninth. Race two again saw the Audi drivers capitalizing with quattro in the wet weather. Gianni Morbidelli won the second race, extending his championship lead even further. His teammates, Di Benedetto and Cipriani, finished fourth and fifth respectively.

Taken from Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (28-29/09/2013)

Round 8: Vallelunga

The Superstars Series finale was also held at Vallelunga this weekend. Gianni Morbidelli arrived at the finale as the championship points leader in his #45 Audi Sport Italia RS 5 quattro. He was joined by Andrea Larini in a second Audi RS 5 quattro from Audi Sport Italia for this event. Both drivers showed excellent pace by topping both free practice sessions. Morbidelli qualified on the front row, but most importantly, he was ahead of his championship rivals. Larini qualified sixth. The first race concluded with Morbidelli finishing third, ahead of Larini in fourth. These results were enough to crown Gianni Morbidelli as the 2013 International Superstars champion, his third title with Audi Sport Italia, his fifth in total. The second race of the day marked the final 2013 Superstars race. The season closed with another victory for Audi Sport Italia during the second race, as Larini won ahead of Morbidelli in seventh.

Taken from Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (12-13/10/2013)

Round 9: Franciacorta - Italian Series finale

The Superstars Series was at Franciacorta this weekend. The International Superstars Series, featured on tracks in various European countries, concluded at Vallelunga two weekends ago, when Gianni Morbidelli was crowned as the champion. There is also an Italian Superstars Series, which is comprised of all the Italian venues visited by the Series. This Italian series component of the Superstars hosted its final round at Franciacorta this weekend. Gianni Morbidelli was once again in the think of the title fight, as he arrived lying second in the points, trailing Vitantonio Liuzzi by only four points. Audi Sport Italia entered two cars this weekend, Gianni Morbidelli was joined by Ermanno Dionisio, who was making his return to the Audi Sport Italia team. Morbidelli dominated practice, setting the fastest time during both sessions, followed by Dionisio in second and fourth in the two sessions respectively. Gianni Morbidelli continued his good pace by taking pole position, backed up by Dionisio on the second row. Race one saw Morbidelli taking victory and the points lead. Dionisio finished third in race one, ensuring that both Audis were on the podium. The weekend was concluded by Morbidell taking the second race win as well, leading an Audi 1-2 with Dionisio in second. These results meant that Morbidell added the 2013 Italian Superstars crown to his International crown as well.

Taken from Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (26-27/10/2013)

Photo credit: Superstars Series

Gallery: Gianni Morbidelli and Audi Sport Italia Superstars Series champions at Vallelunga

By Tarek Ramchani

The Audi brand successfully defended the Superstars Series title at Vallelunga last weekend. Gianni Morbidelli and team Audi Sport Italia were crowned series champions after a great 2013 season. A back to back title for the Audi RS 5 quattro after Johan Kristoffersson (KMS) last year.

Audi Sport Italia had a perfect season finale at Vallelunga. In addition to Gianni Morbidelli's title, new comer Andrea Larini won race 2 driving the #46 Audi RS5 quattro.

Photo credit: Superstars Series

Superstars: A good, nasty quattro® day at Imola boosts Gianni Morbidelli

Audi Sport Italia Press Release

A good, nasty quattro^® day at Imola boosts Gianni Morbidelli to 6th Superstars win and substantial lead in standings

RACE REPORT

Throughout his long and successful career, Gianni Morbidelli had never posted a tin-top win at Imola: today, he made up for this blank spot in his brilliant resume as on a drenched track he claimed a runner-up finish after a comeback from row four in race one and a clean win in race two. The Pesaro-based driver sixth 2013 Superstars victory also puts him into a comfortable series' lead, as previous co-leader Thomas Biagi is now 33 points adrift with two rounds remaining.

Interestingly, the Audi Sport Italia camp--alongside Morbidelli, Davide Di Benedetto and Giuseppe Cipriani were both making their Superstars debut at Imola--was struggling on Saturday. The quick layout unfolding around the Santerno river took back the clock to the early season rounds, when RS 5s were on the back foot at Monza and Slovakia Ring. At Imola Morbidelli and Co. had to cope with the same kind of framework, only made worse by Balance Of Performance measures that had made the RS 5 car heavier, taller and more feeble in horsepower. At the end of Saturday's qualifying four AMG Mercedes had sweeped the two front rows, whilst Morbidelli nipped team mate Di Benedetto for P8 as Cipriani--a driver with spells in single seaters but learning the ropes of tin-tops at Imola--cantered to P12. However, darks clouds were gathering over Emilia Romagna, and on Sunday morning the venue was drenched: an environment well suited for the RS5s. The 15-car field took the start behind the safety-car, that held the cars in formation for three awfully long laps. Therefore, when the first green flag lap was in place, one third of track time had been chopped from the Noon race. The Audis, shrouded in a mid-field cloud of water, somehow managed to make up ground with Morbidelli in P6, Di Benedetto in P8 and Cipriani in P10. However it wasn't until lap five that Gianni could open the hunt to the AMG Mercedes Top3-bunch, with Vitantonio Liuzzi edging polesitter Gigi Ferrara and series co-leader Thomas Biagi. The former F.1 driver was enjoying a 9-second edge over the Camozzi Audi, which was up to a very tricky comeback race. As Morbidelli was charging, so were Di Benedetto--on his way to have the upper hand on the best BMWs and Andrea Bacci's AMG Mercedes--and Cipriani. The latter broke into the Top10 on lap five and soon moved past Francesco Sini's Camaro, zeroing in on the M3 pair. However, on lap eight he spun seconds after having moved past Max Mugelli's M3. His race one wound up in P9. As Di Benedetto was relishing the quiet of a freshly-won P5, Morbidelli closed the gap from the C63s. Ferrara's Coupe slowed down, though, leaving the  Camozzi Audi alone in pursuit of team Romeo Ferraris' sedans. If Liuzzi's cushion was too much for Morbidelli to overcome Biagi's one wasn't, and on the final lap the RS 5 pressure forced the AMG Mercedes driver to take one risk too much, slip slindig away in the Piratella beach trap. Biagi's blank box score handed Morbidelli sole possession of the points lead, 16 ahead of former co-leader and 47 stones in front of race one winner Liuzzi, with Ferrara and BMW's Giovanni Berton dropping out of contention.

At the start of race two team mates Morbidelli and Di Benedetto shared the spots available on row three, as Cipriani was one row behind alongside Liuzzi. After one lap behind the safety car, Francesco Sini's Camaro skyrocketed into the lead as the green flag was waved. Morbidelli quickly grabbed P3, as team mate Di Benedetto sneaked into P5 and Cipriani wasn't set on being happy for his initial P7, snatching P6 from Andrea Bacci's AMG Mercedes. On lap three Morbidelli was ahead of Berton's BMW, and it took him a couple of laps more to clinch P1 from Sini, after the Tosa corner. He never looked back--only hindered by a spotty radio--whilst the runner-up spot was soon claimed by race one winner Liuzzi, who moved past the Camaro. Di Benedetto challenged  successfully Berton for P4, whilst Sini proved more resilient than the BMW lead driver, as the rivals swapped P3 back and forth until the checker, with the Sicilian in fourth. Cipriani, quietly improving behind the duelling duo, was the man of the closing stages, as at the finish had caugth up with the sister Audi and the Camaro, also posting an outstanding second fastest lap in his first ever touring car meeting. Cipriani was obviously delighted, nearly so as beaming team mate Morbidelli...

INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTARS SERIES

Sunday, September 29 2013.

Round 15 - Imola, I:
1. Vitantonio Liuzzi (AMG Mercedes) 12 laps, 27:58.153s average speed 126.4 kph;

2. GIANNI MORBIDELLI (AUDI RS 5) +2.394s;

3. Gigi Ferrara (AMG Mercedes) +7.695s;
4. DAVIDE DI BENEDETTO (AUDI RS 5) +12.980s;

5. Giovanni Berton (BMW) +30.132s
../..
9. GIUSEPPE CIPRIANI (AUDI RS 5) +1:07.822s.

INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTARS SERIES

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Round 16 - Imola, I:

1. GIANNI MORBIDELLI (AUDI RS 5) 13 laps, 28:21.603s average speed 135.0 kph;

2. Vitantonio Liuzzi (AMG Mercedes) +15.518s;

3. Francesco Sini (Chevrolet) +21.793s;
4. DAVIDE DI BENEDETTO (AUDI RS 5) +22.468s;

5. GIUSEPPE CIPRIANI (AUDI RS 5) +23.352s.

DRIVERS' POINTS STANDINGS (Top5):

1. MORBIDELLI 212 points;

2. Biagi 179 pts.;

3. Liuzzi 169 pts.;

4. Berton 152 pts.;

5. Ferrara 127 pts.

Photo credit: Audi Sport Italia

Superstars: Hard qualifying and bad BoP for Audi Sport Italia at Imola

By Tarek Ramchani

The Superstars Series is at Imola this weekend for the penultimate round of the season. Battle is raging for the title between Audi and Mercedes-Benz.With Audi Sport Italia fielding no less than three Audi RS 5 quattro cars. Unfortunately that was not enough as the official Audi Italia dealer team faced an extremely hard qualifying session this afternoon.

Team's regular Gianni Morbidelli is joined this weekend by Davide Di Benedetto and Giuseppe Cipriani. The car is coming from a successful British round at Donington park last time out. Following Morbidelli's strong performances in the UK, Superstars Series organizers adjusted the Balance of Performance. The Audi RS 5 quattro once again penalized and slowed down. The three drivers had two very difficult free practice sessions earlier today. Things did not improve in the qualifying session as the Audi drivers were not able to match the pace of the rivals from AMG Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Gianni Morbidelli qualified his #45 RS5 quattro in eighth place. His team-mate Davide Di Benedetto ended in ninth place with car #46. Giuseppe Cipriani was twelvth with the #47 Audi.

The two races are set for tomorrow and it will be hard to see Audi Sport Italia drivers battling for the top spots. The Balance of Performance changed a lot of times this year in Superstars Series and each time hitting the RS 5 quattro. With only two meeting left, this is very difficult situation for title contender Gianni Morbidelli.

Photo credit: Audi Sport Italia

Superstars: Gianni Morbidelli grabs Superstars lead at Donington Park

Audi Sport Italia Press Release

Gianni Morbidelli grabs Superstars lead --level on points with Thomas Biagi -- after posting win number five at Donington Park

RACE REPORT

At Donington Park today Audi Sport Italia and Gianni Morbidelli had their Superstars winning streak snapped at four by a brilliant Gigi Ferrara effort. But, after the stunning coupe AMG Mercedes lights-to-flag success, the former F.1 driver put in a solid come back win in race two edging another Three-pointed-star driver, Thomas Biagi, and claiming from team Romeo Ferraris mainstay a share of the points standings lead: they both boast 173 points, with two meetings to go.

The measures taken by the series' body to slow down the rolling Camozzi Audi--which included choking down the V8 engine, raising the ride height and pushing even higher the already beefy car minimum weight--produced a toiling Saturday for the Audi camp, but Morbidelli's car vying for a podium place all the time on Sunday made soon a statement that his RS 5 was better than his P4 qualifying performance suggested. As race one got underway Morbidelli was squeezed in P5 between Biagi's AMG Mercedes and Colin Turkington's BMW. The three driver were packed behind Giovanni Berton's BMW who was fighting tooth and nail to keep his P3. But the young two-time race winner could only keep at bay the experienced folks behind him for three laps, then Biagi and Morbidelli moved past his M3 in sync, rushing to close the gap from the leading pair of polesitter Gigi Ferrara and Vitantonio Liuzzi. The AMG Mercedes drivers had pulled a gap from the closest pursuers, but it all was suddenly disposed by a safety car triggered by a shunt occurred to Francesco Sini's Chevy. When the safety car left the course Morbidelli immediately set about challenging series' leader Biagi for P3, completing his task on Lap 11. The Camozzi-liveried RS 5 then quickly closed in on Liuzzi's bumper, but Morbidelli saw his hopes of a runner-up finish --or an even better outcome-- dashed when Diego Romanini parked his ailing Lexus on the run-off area at Melbourne hairpin on Lap 12. The oil sprayed sent Liuzzi and Morbidelli spinning, allowing Biagi and Berton to move up the ranks. The unlucky former F1 drivers resumed the race, though, and the lone Audi soon had the red-silver Romeo Ferraris AMG Mercedes in sight, claiming again P4 with two laps to goI. It was too late to try any move on Biagi for P3, though, and the AMG Mercedes nipped Morbidelli at the checker by 0.3s, as Ferrara claimed a light-to-flag win and Berton wound up second.

Compared to race one, the second round looked quite uneventful. For Morbidelli, that is, as Liuzzi's Mercedes fell by the wayside due to technical trouble in the opening lap and Race 1 winner Ferrara's car followed suit at the half-race mark. Therefore if you do not count Max Mugelli's BMW, that Morbidelli overtook on Lap 1 to claim the runner-up spot, the Audi driver only had eyes for arch-rival Biagi, who took P1 at the start but could not open a gap on Morbidelli. The AMG Mercedes driver gave it all, even posting the fastest lap and the point that comes along it, but Morbidelli was biding his time waiting for the tyre wear to tilt the balance towards his 4WD. Which happened on Lap 11 when the Audi went past the C63 at Redgate Corner. As Morbidelli was dialing in his overweight car to make sure to take it to the checker, Motors TV commentator Clive McNeill quipped that 'you can take away a wheel off this car but Morbidelli will manage do find a way to win'. Which the Italian actually managed to do...

At Donington Park Audi Sport Italia lodged a protest in order to ascertain the compliance of bodywork and aero parts of team Romeo Ferraris C63s. The result of the protest will be available at a later date.

INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTARS SERIES

Sunday, September 1.

2013 Round 13 - Donington Park, UK:
1. Gigi Ferrara (AMG Mercedes) 16 laps;

2. Giovanni Berton (BMW) +1.874s.

3. Thomas Biagi (Mercedes AMG) +2.678s;
4. GIANNI MORBIDELLI (AUDI RS5) +2.962s;
5. Vitantonio Liuzzi (Mercedes AMG) +5.202s;

INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTARS SERIES

Sunday, September 1.

2013 Round 14 - Donington Park, UK:

1. GIANNI MORBIDELLI (AUDI RS 5) 17 laps;

2. Thomas Biagi (Mercedes AMG) +8.544s;

3. Max Mugelli (BMW) +9.322s;

4. Giovanni Berton (BMW) +10.916s;

5. Tiziano Trentin (BMW) +39.145s.

POINTS STANDINGS

1. MORBIDELLI - Biagi 173 points;

3. Berton 136 pts;

4. Liuzzi 132 pts;

5. Ferrara 113 pts.

Photo credit: Audi Sport Italia 

Superstars: Victory for Morbidelli and Audi Sport Italia at Donington Park race 2

By Tarek Ramchani

A great victory for Gianni Morbidelli and Audi Sport Italia in Superstars Series race 2 at Donington Park. After an unlucky race 1 earlier today, the RS 5 quattro took an impressive win in the second race of the day.

Gianni Morbidelli, driving the #45 Audi RS 5 quattro, won race 2 in style. The car is clearly the heaviest and the slowest in top speed of the entire field, yet the Italian touring car ace managed to battle against the much more powerful Mercedes-Benz AMG C63 of Thomas Biagi. Morbidelli had to win this race, not to let his rival increase his points lead. With only a few minutes left in the race, Morbidelli overtook Biagi for the lead. Right after that the three-time Superstars Series champion managed to built a big gap. His rival Biagi started to struggle and could not match the pace of the Audi driver.

A great win for a team that was forced to split and compete at two different locations this weekend. Big points collected in Britain, battling with single car against factory supported teams from AMG Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Now Gianni Morbidelli and Thomas Biaggi are leading the series with 173 points each.

Photo credit: Audi Sport Italia

Superstars: Gianni Morbidelli Audi RS 5 quattro fourth in Donington Park race 1

By Tarek Ramchani

It was a very eventful Superstars Series race 1 at Donington Park today. Gianni Morbidelli finished fourth with his Audi RS 5 quattro, but it could have been a lot better.

The 25 minutes sprint race saw titanic battles on track between the three German brands, Audi, BMW and AMG Mercedes-Benz. Gianni Morbidelli started from fourth place with his RS 5 quattro. The three-time Superstars Series champion battled hard all race long and was even able to catch third place. In the closing stages of the race, whilst putting great pressure on Thomas Biagi for second place, bad luck hit the Audi. Oil on track from a retired Lexus and Gianni Morbidelli had a spin. Down to fifth place, but he was able to recover and catch the leading group again. With some minutes left he passed Liuzi for fourth place after a great move. In the last lap he gave everything to do the same with Thomas Biagi, but the AMG Mercedes driver closed the door.

Race victory went to Luigi Ferrara with his AMG Mercedes-Benz C63. Second was Giovanni Berton with his BMW M3 and third Thomas Biagi with the works AMG Mercedes-Benz C63.

A fine fourth in the end, given how strongly penalized the Audi Sport Italia run RS 5 quattro is at the moment. Race 2 will take place later today, with live TV coverage on Motors TV.

Photo credit: Superstars Series

Superstars: Gianni Morbidelli Audi RS 5 quattro fourth in Donington Park qualifying

By Tarek Ramchani

In addition to the Italian GT Championqhip at Imola, Audi Sport Italia is also competing in the Superstars Series at Donington Park this weekend.

A single Audi RS 5 quattro is in Britian for their regular driver, Gianni Morbidelli. The three-time Superstars Series champion qualified his #45 Audi in a strong fourth, after a very close session. Not bad at all, given how penalized the Audi RS 5 quattro is now compared to the rivals from the other brands.

Gianni Morbidelli was only 0.320 behind pole-sitter Luigi Ferrari and his much more powerful AMG Mercedes-Benz C63. Second was Vitantonio Liuzi with the factory supported #15 AMG Mercedes-Benz C63 (Mercedes Romeo Ferraris). Third was the #4 BMW M3 of Giovanni Berton (Team BMW Dinamic).

The two races are set for tomorrow on the British track. Motors TV will provide live coverage for both races.

Photo credit: Audi Sport Italia

Superstars: Front row for Gianni Morbidelli's Audi RS 5 quattro in Portimao qualifying

By Tarek Ramchani

Audi Sport Italia is very busy this weekend. In addition to the Italian GT Championship round at Imola where the team scored a fantastic pole position, the official Audi Italia dealer team is also racing in the Superstars Series at Portimao.

The team being split between two locations, with a single Audi RS 5 quattro having been entered for the Portuguese round. The #45 Audi of Gianni Morbidelli, who is currently second in the driver's standing after double victories at Zolder last time out. The three-time Superstars Series champion performed very well today in the qualifying session with a fine second on the grid. Not bad from the Italian touring car ace as the Audi RS 5 quattro is carrying an extra 60 kilograms and a smaller air restrictor.

Gianni Morbidelli will have to fight with three fast Mercedes-Benz cars in the two races tomorrow. Pole position went to Luigi Ferrari with a Mercedes-Benz AMG C63. In third and fourth were the factory supported Mercedes Romeo Ferraris cars of Vitantonio Liuzzi and Thomas Biagi. Both Liuzzi and Biagi are the direct rivals for Morbidelli in the hunt for the championship title.

In addition to the official Audi Sport Italia entry, two Audi RS 4 quattro (B7) cars are also entered for the Portimao round. The cars are from Adria Raceway with drivers Jonathan Giacon and Alessandro Battaglin. They qualified  in tenth and fourteenth respectively.

Photo credit: Superstars Series

Superstars: Good qualifying for Gianni Morbidelli and Audi Sport Italia at Monza

By Tarek Ramchani

Monza is hosting the first round of the International Superstars Series  this weekend. Only two Audi RS5 quattro cars have entered the event, two cars from Audi Sport Italia. Unfortunately the #47 RS5 of Thomas Thomas Schöffler from Audi Sport MTM is not taking part in the race weekend.

Action started today with two free practice sessions and qualifying. It was a very good day for Audi Sport Italia top driver Gianni Morbidelli. The four time Superstars Series champion topped the first wet free practice session and finished eighth in the second one with the #45 Audi. His team mate Ferdinando Geri was twelfth and eighteenth with the sister #46 RS5. In the qualifying session Gianni Morbidelli ended in a very positive fourth place, with a time of 1:56.013. The Italian touring car ace was the best of the rest, behind a dominant trio of  Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG cars driven by Vitantonio Liuzzi, Thomas Biagi and Luigi Ferrara. Ferdinando Geri with the other Audi car had a harder session and was only able to take the seventeenth position.

The Audi RS5 quattro was the 2012 series champion, however its strength has never been its top speed. At a very fast track like Monza this somewhat hinders the Audi cars, but we hope that Gianni Morbidelli and his team mate will be able to fight and take maximum points in the two races tomorrow.

Photo credit: Audi Sport Italia

Audi Sport Italia and Gianni Morbidelli back to Superstars Series

By Tarek Ramchani

The Audi RS 5 quattro had a winning debut in the Superstars Series last year. Three cars were entered by three different teams. It was a great season with the championship title in the end for Johan Kristoffersson.


The first team to confirm their return in 2013 is Audi Sport Italia. A single RS 5 quattro so far for Gianni Morbidelli, an Audi regular who is returning with the team, and this time he wants to win the overall title. Gianni Morbidelli is of course a four-time Superstars Series champion, two of them with Audi Sport Italia and the Audi RS 4 quattro. Last season he won four races with double victories at both Donignton Park and Spa-Francorchamps, he finished fourth in the final points standings.

Morbidelli is very confident about the upcoming 2013 season: "Being back for a new season in SUPERSTARS is always exciting - told Morbidelli - I'm more motivated than ever in fighting back to the top. Sure it's going to be a tough season, with many fierce - and quick - competitors. My team already displayed their class. Unfortunately, several unlucky breaks prevented us from fighting for the title in the late part of 2012 but, in the end, that's racing. You win, you lose, you try to put the puzzle together. And this season, I hope to put the winning piece…". Quote from superstarsworld.com

The Superstars Series field is continuing to grow each season. Last year Audi KMS won the title in a very dramatic way, on the very last lap of the last race against Mercedes AMG. We hope that Gianni Morbidelli and Audi Sport Italia will be among the teams fighting for the title. The RS 5 quattro clearly proved to be one of the best cars in the field.

Photo credit: Superstars Series

First Audi RS5 onboard video - Audi Sport Italia Superstars

By Johan Laubscher

The Audi RS5 debuted in the 2012 Italian Superstars Series. It has been extremely competitive as a RS5 driver, Johan Kristoffersson, is leading the drivers championship. Here is the first onboard video of a RS5 race car which is available online. It features Gianni Morbidelli in the #45 Audi RS5 at Vallelunga during race two where he charged from the back of the grid. Enjoy the video.

More information:

Gianni Morbidelli on Facebook

Audi Sport Italia on Facebook

Gianni Morbidelli previewing 2012 and the new Audi RS5

From Superstars.it

Gianni Morbidelli won several SUPERSTARS titles, two of them with Audi Sport Italia, and now the Pesaro-born Former formula 1 racer will be back aboard the brand-new Audi RS5. After taking some rest, he's now ready to tackle the challenge.

SUPERSTARS is almost ready to go and you? What did you do over the winter?

I anxiously waited for this season to start! I'm really excited and can't wait to get in the new car. In addition to planning the season together with Audi and the sponsors, I played a lot of golf as I'm a great fan of that sport. As a professional, I also took care of my shape, so a lot of training for 2012!

What are the next steps for the RS5?

I'll be at the team's headquarters on Monday and I hope to be on-track in the first days of March. We're still completing some work on the RS5, but she'll be ready soon.

What do you expect from this season?

We're expecting a lot from this season especially because there's a multi-year deal behind it. I have two years in front of me and that enabled us to see things in a different way than, for example, when you have just one season and really strict times. Of course, I always try not to underestimate anyone, as there's a bunch of great competitors in this championship. We know that the car will need some development, but we can't hide that we're looking forward to be really competitive right from the start.

Audi has been really supportive in the new car's development, is that a key aspect?

The interest showed by Audi is really important to us. In addition to the engineering help they gave, they are believing in this project as confirmed by the two works Volkswagen drivers set to be lined-up with the new car. It's a further proof of how SUPERSTARS is being perceived like a benchmark series also outside the Italian borders. The quality of the competition is so hight it can't be ignored...

Have you already though about where the RS5 will be more competitive?

It's tough to say. Thanks to its great chassis we expect it to be competitive almost everywhere. Last year we sometimes performed very well with the old RS4 and like its predecessor, the new car will have its strongest point in the handling. The only issue is on the engine compartment as there will be no major improvements compared, for example, to Mercedes. I'm confident though. This series is great in balancing the performance of cars that are so different between each other. Someone counts on high power, someone on the handling. That said, there's still a lot to discover...

More infos here:

Audi Sport Italia page on Facebook

International Superstars Series official website

Photo credits: Superstars Series