Race 2 at the Mugello Circuit is an incredible tough battle. Giacomo Pollini manages to come out on top, thus obtaining the double win of the weekend, almost full loot with 2 wins and 2 fastest laps, leaving only one point behind, with the fastest lap in race 1 to Roccadelli. Davide Uboldi manages to keep the duel for the Championship alive with two podiums, today finishing second after having ignited the clash. Aware of the sub-optimal conditions of the car, less performance than the one of Pollini, he was able to make the most of the start and the restarts, defending strenuously, but in the end he let the Brescian fly towards a well-deserved victory. At the Mugello Circuit came the first ever podium for Linus Hellberg, a Swedish driver in his debut season in the competitive 2022 Campionato Italiano Sport Prototipi.

In today's race one of the difficulties was interpreting the different track conditions. Race 2 in fact opened the Sunday of the ACI Racing Weekend, so the drivers found very different grip conditions compared to the previous day, which saw them compete after the many categories taking part in the rich weekend of motorsport. There were immediate difficulties at the start, with the two Masters drivers on the front row, Joe Castellano in pole and Andrea Mosca at his side, racing side by side and touching. It was retirement for Castellano, while Mosca restarted but lost his advantage. The lead passed to Giacomo Pollini, with Davide Uboldi behind him. Third is Emil Hellberg, with Matteo Roccadelli, already P2 in the first race, who opens the hunt for another useful result for the fight at the top.

Excellent start also for Giovanni Maschio, at the debut weekend of the CISP, suffering several difficulties already in qualifying and in yesterday's race, he started from the back and managed to slip into fifth place already with the first lap. At the Safety Car restart, on track to allow Castellano's Wolf to be recovered, Filippo Lazzaroni passed Maschio, also overtaking Roccadelli and launched himself in pursuit of Emil Hellberg. His race was aggressive and spectacular, but ended at the bottom of the standings after a three-way tussle with Hellberg and Roccadelli. There is contact in the trio and Lazzaroni ends up in the gravel, Roccadelli also spins and loses positions, but manages to restart.

 

Second Safety Car with the race that sees Giacomo Pollini in front, then Uboldi, Giovanni Maschio passed in P3, Emil Hellberg, Alessio Salvaggio, Linus Hellberg, Jolan Raccamier, Santiago Mejia, David Acosta, Matteo Pollini, and Roccadelli who rejoins the race in P11. P12 to Giovanni Mazza, followed by Steve Brooks in the top confrontation of the Master class, then Emanuel Romani, Andrea Mosca, and Alex Beatovic.

The Safety Car offers Uboldi another excellent opportunity, with the driver from Como still seeing Pollini's advantage wiped out. On the restart he passes on the outside leaving no room to the opponent. The two start the bagarre again at the San Donato, with Uboldi defending in a ‘physical' way with his car pushing Pollini’s on the outside. This manoeuvre earned him the black and white warning flag. Giacomo Pollini was great in keeping the car on the track, continuing his pursuit.

Behind, Linus Hellberg was third, followed by his brother Emil who got the better of Maschio. The Italian driver already active in the Italian F.4 briefly passed in P5, then had a collapse in the third sector and slipped to the back.  Behind is a three-way battle between Raccamier and Matteo Pollini, torn between attacking the podium and defending on Salvaggio.

At the exit of turn 3 Giacomo Pollini slipped to the inside and retook the first position with Uboldi coming out of his line and opening the gap. Giacomo Pollini also set the fastest lap of the day with 1'46.384. 

Roccadelli meanwhile finalised his comeback: he passed Jolan Raccamier and appeared on the edge of the top 5.

In the final stages of the race it was a clash between Matteo Pollini, who climbed up to fifth place and threatened the Hellberg brothers. A great feat by Pollini who, after yesterday's retirement, finds himself once again fighting for the podium. Emil Hellberg resisted the attacks, with Linus able to take advantage of the fight to increase his margin. Roccadelli then insinuates himself into the fight, lucky on this occasion Emil Hellberg who makes a mistake by entering the corner too, but does not suffer the consequences because of the duel behind him.

Matteo Pollini flanks the Swede and manages to pass him, with Emil Hellberg defending strenuously, perhaps too much: "accompanied" on the outside by Pollini he does not lift his foot and puts a wheel on the grass. His car spun and ended up on the grass coming out of San Donato.

In the Master class comes the first seal for Frenchman Steve Brooks, who manages to finish ahead of Giovanni Mazza, with Andrea Mosca forced to chase due to difficulties at the start that spoil his race.

The last lap is Matteo Pollini's assault on the podium, launched, taking advantage of the positive inertia he is determined to catch up with the Swede and take the podium, but he does not finish. The race was interrupted by a problem with the car of Emanuele Romani, who pulled over at the edge of the track with some flames showing on the rear of the car. No problem for the driver who manages to get out of his Wolf safely.

The race ends with the classification from the previous lap: 1. G. Pollini; 2. Uboldi; 3. L. Hellberg; 4. Emil Hellberg; 5. M. Pollini; 6. Roccadelli; 7. Raccamier; 8. Salvaggio; 9. Mejia; 10. Acosta; 11. Steve Brooks; 12. Mazza; 13. Romani; 14. Mosca; 15. Beatovic; 16. Male; 17. Lazzaroni.

Thus ends, with a double win, a very profitable weekend for Giacomo Pollini, who further tightens his grip on the Championship (145 pts.). Davide Uboldi was also very good, in his role of containing the rival’s ambition, keeping alive the clash with P3 in race 1 and the second place in the last of the day (96 pts.). Third in the fight for the Championship is Matteo Roccadelli (76 pts). 

 

Giacomo Pollini: "At the start I managed to get ahead straight away. The Safety Car did not help me, I seemed to miss a bit during the straight, probably we loaded the wing too much. Davide passed me both times. It was a tough battle, especially the second Safety Car, we even touched each other. I thought that I was throwing it all away, but we managed to stay on track. Then I managed to pass him, I had a bit more, and I took a victory which is fundamental for the Championship."

Davide Uboldi: "Pollini had another pace, I saw the black and white warning flag, I was afraid of incurring some penalty and I let him pass, but anyway he had more than me. I'm someone who gives his soul on the track, but if I realise that the other guy is clearly faster I don't hinder. Well done to him, we were struggling with the car for the first time this year. We couldn't find the right balance. I tried hard, I picked up good points. Now I'll unload three kilos of ballast and he'll put on his car, so that will be six kilos for Imola. Imola and Monza are two of my tracks, I have to make four wins. At the end we'll count the points and see who will win the championship, the pace this year, mine and his, is crazy. It's a good level of Championship, between me and him it's a good challenge."

Linus Hellberg: “I’m very happy to be on the podium from this race. I start from the back, but it was a crazy race. I managed to get some positions quickly and after the restart. I ended up on the P3, I could not really keep up with Uboldi at the end. I saw Pollini pushing from behind but I could keep him off to me and finish on the podium, I’m super happy. It is a really good Championship, it is a good a level and fantastic tracks and atmosphere. I’m very happy to be here in Italy.”

The next appointment of Campionato Italiano Sport Prototipi, after the summer break, will be at Imola, over the weekend of 4 September.