Super Trofeo Esports: Porco leads final quartet to The Real Race finale

Sometimes, just sometimes, we can all get a little presumptuous, or indeed forgetful. Yes, I ’twas the fool one week ago writing about Miatto’s victory in Spain as if it was his final chance to qualify for The Real Race: Super Trofeo Esports grand finale at the end of July. Allow me to correct myself. 

The fourth and absolutely, definitely, final tour would see the Super Trofeo grid head to Spa-Francorchamps. A last chance saloon was open to many who had failed to make the top four in any of the prior encounters, chief among them Marcin Swiderek who endured a torrid time last outing.

With plenty of overtaking opportunities yet plenty of peril; success around this circuit demanded bravery as much as pace. Who would come out on top?

Qualifying 

Swiderek would, yet again, discover trouble attempting to translate his pre-qualifying pace into a hot lap on the day. The Pole would start ten positions down from where he would like to be; hovering on the edge of the top ten.

Leading from the front was William Pisano who arrived seeded third – unfancied Leonardo Porco sewing upset as joined his countryman on the front row. 

Michele Perrella arrived to the chequered flag sixth in Spain. He started from the more lucrative third position this time around, beating out the man who finished behind him on that same day – Lorenzo Magnani.

Also of note, Leonardo Grigis had returned for one more try. Thirteenth might well have been the omen he was looking to avoid considering his previous luck. 

Race

To be fair, at the fourth time of asking, Grigis could not have asked for a more fortuitous opening lap. He was in the thick of the midfield yet avoided strife through Turn 11 as an incident unfolded in front of him.

Capped off by a strong move into Pouhon, his initial rise had landed him inside the top ten. Swiderek had also benefitted from the chaos, finding himself in eighth.

Fifteen minutes in, the battle for the top eight had broken up into duels or solo efforts. Porco was keeping Pisano on his toes, whilst Magnani was wishing that Perrella was a little closer to keep Jannes Reinders as bay.

It was not inaccurate to suggest that the German was frustrated, so much so that he ultimately overtook the Italian illegally through Les Combes. 

Positions were corrected before the stewards got involved although a punishment was still delivered to Reinders for contact through the corner.

Red mist descended leading to a lunge out of frustration at the same corner. Magnani was spun, opening the door to Guglielmo Filippi; a driver who had achieved fifth previously and was now in the pound seat to go one better.

Not content with simply qualifying, Porco launched another assault upon Pisano’s lead. Breaking point arrived with some seventeen minutes left; a strong run around the outside of Turn 7 allowing a move to see completion.

His pace thereafter was unmatched and with no other major switches, the final four drivers heading to Germany had been confirmed. 

RACE CLASSIFICATION

1. Leonardo Porco – 26 Laps
2. William Pisano – +1.144
3. Michele Perrella – +2.731
4. Guglielmo Filippi – +3.410
5. Marcin Swiderek – +4.316
6. Lorenzo Magnani – +12.736
7. Alessio Famulari – +16.034
8. Karim Mattea – +16.546
9. Mikolaj Nowicki – +21.275
10. Nicola Dessi – +32.336