VICTORIOUS START TO THE SEASON FOR VSR
Double victory for Lewandowski-Myszkowski
Four podiums for Abbate-Nemoto and Dreyspring-Liang
Lamborghini Super Trofeo, Monza 23rd April 2017
Glorious spring sunshine welcomed the Lamborghini Super Trofeo teams to Monza this weekend for the first race of the 2017 season. Thirtyfive cars, with drivers representing all four categories, entered the race and VSR were present with three Huracans for Abbate-Nemoto (Pro), Liang-Dreyspring (ProAm) and Lewandowski-Myszkowski (Am). All three driver pairings were rapid in the free practice sessions, a performance which was repeated in Saturday's qualifying which saw Liang, Dreyspring and Lewandowski claim class pole positions and the team's first points of the year.
The start drivers for Saturday's race were Nemoto, Liang and Lewandowski. Nemoto started from the second row with Liang right behind him whilst Lewandowski lined up on row six. After a clean start the Pro drivers pulled away from the rest of the field and Nemoto was soon harrying Spinelli for third place. Their battle continued throughout the first half of the race and there was never more than half a second separating the two cars. When the pit window opened the first VSR driver to stop was Liang who pulled in from 4th in ProAm to handover to Dreyspring. A lap later Lewandowski, who had been fighting hard with Jenny for the Am lead, pitted and Myszkowski took over the 66 car.
Nemoto was the last to stop, entering pitlane glued to Spinelli's tail. Abbate jumped into the car and as he headed for the pit-exit came across Spinelli's team-mate Grenier, released dangerously by his team into the fastlane. Before they could begin racing the Safety Car entered the circuit and when the track went green again there were just ten minutes left. Abbate tailed Grenier relentlessly, crossing the line in 3rd less than a second behind the Canadian. Their positions were later reversed due to the unsafe release of Grenier leaving Abbate-Nemoto to celebrate a fine 2nd place on their Super Trofeo debut. Dreyspring, lapping as quickly as the Pro's ahead of him, passed three cars to
claim an impressive 2nd in Pro-Am for himself and teammate Liang. Myszkowski spent his stint trading the Am lead with Leimer but it was the Pole who got the upper hand on the final lap, taking the chequered flag and the Am victory.
Sunday saw Abbate, Dreyspring and Myszkowski line up on the grid for race two. Dreyspring started from the third row after qualifying 5th overall and taking the Pro-Am pole. Abbate lined up just behind him and Myszkowski on row nine. The race started behind the Safety Car due to a problem with a backmarker. Racing resumed on lap two and Dreyspring was quick to show that he had the speed to stay with the Pro drivers around him, running comfortably in 5th. Behind him Abbate was fending off Pavlovic and holding onto 7th whilst Myszkowski had worked his way up to 4th in Am. When Rettenbacher crashed out of the leading group the Safety Car took control and green flag racing conincided with the opening of the pit window. Abbate and Myszkowski, who
had just cleared Giannone for 3rd in class, pitted first and Dreyspring came in a lap later. On board the number 6 Nemoto was quickly up to speed and started chasing down the leaders. With ten minutes left he was on Cecotto's tail and on lap twenty-four he pulled alongside the Venezuelan coming out of the Parabolica and they raced side by side along the pit-straight. Under braking for
turn 1 Cecotto conceded the place and Nemoto went on to take the chequered flag in 3rd. Liang hung on to the Pro-Am lead until the final five minutes of the race when he was passed by Brioche and had to settle for second for 2nd in class, 9th overall. Taking the flag just three places further back was Myszkowski who completed a perfect weekend by taking another Am victory.
After their victorious start to the season VSR heads into the next round at Silverstone in May at the top of the Pro-Am and Am Championships and 3rd in Pro. The VSR Lamborghini's will be in action again next weekend for the first round of the Italian Super GT Championship which takes place at Imola.
