Formula 3: It probably shouldn't always be Zeller
WINNER AND LOSER At the fifth round of the Drexler Cup in Mugello, Sandro Zeller exceptionally only had one inherited race win. He had the later winner to thank for the zero in the second race. At the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello, the Drexler-Automotive Formula Cup got off to a high start in Rounds 9 and 10. At [...]
Rounds 9 and 10 of the Drexler-Automotive Formula Cup at the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello were a high-scoring affair. With 22 drivers from Formula 3, many of whom were also fighting for points in the TopJet Italian F2000 Trophy, this was hardly surprising. For once, the winner of the weekend was not Sandro Zeller, who struggled a bit with the set-up of his Dallara F312 and therefore did not reach his usual speed, but Andrea Cola - but in a questionable way.
Sandro Zeller inherits the one victory...
The Roman dueled with Tom Beckäuser in the first race. On the twelfth lap, the Czech, who was fastest in qualifying, got stuck on the rear wing of Cola's Dallara. A collision occurred during an overtaking maneuver, after which the race organizers decided to stop the race.
The two squabblers were given a time penalty. The classification was calculated on the lap before the race was stopped. As a result, Sandro Zeller, who had been lurking in third position until then, inherited the win and Dino Rasero second place. Cola and Beckhäuser had to settle for 3rd and 4th place. Behind them were Kurt Böhlen and Antoine Bottiroli, two other Swiss riders.
... and loses the possible second triumph
In the second race on Sunday morning, Andrea Cola put all his eggs in one basket and won after the 14-lap chase. On his way to the front, however, he cleared Sandro Zeller, who had slowed him down in the first corner at the start of the fateful twelfth race lap. Flying parallel through the next few corners, he hit Zeller's right rear wheel, sending him flying into the gravel and then into the tire pile.
Sandro Zeller: "Cola is a ... I was clearly in front and left him enough space. Already on Saturday he shot down another guy who had a big damage like me afterwards. For the action against me he didn't even get a penalty. At some point it stops..."
Bottiroli catches up
Apart from Zeller's retirement, the subsequent safety car phase and the subsequent restart had no effect on the outcome of the race. Cola won and Geneva's Antoine Bottiroli, in second place, took his chance to continue to have a say in the championship when it comes to awarding podium places.
Dino Rasero led the chasing group in third place. Tom Beckhäuser could not get past the man in front of him and once again missed the podium. Kurt Böhlen and Marcel Tobler followed in 5th and 6th place.
The Swiss lead all tables
In the Drexler-Automotive Formula Cup, Zeller is still clearly ahead of Cola (150) and Bottiroli (148) with 218 points despite the zero. In the Swiss Formula 3 Cup, Zeller is also clearly ahead of Bottiroli (166), Böhlen (120) and Tobler (114) with 233 points.
In the Formula 3 Trophy classification for race cars born in 2007 and younger, dentist Urs Rüttimann, who is in charge of Jo Zeller Racing, won both rounds with a commanding lead over his teammate Florian Münger and Italian Luca Iannone. As there were only four competitors at the start, there were only half points. Münger (104.5) leads the standings ahead of Iannone (82) and Rüttimann (75), who has only competed in two events.
Basic information: Rolf Schindler
