News
Liverpool fights back with top four finish at Vallelunga
02/11/2008
Liverpool FC driver Adrian Valles bounced back from his opening race disappointment to grab a top four finish in today's Superleague Formula reverse grid event at Vallelunga near Rome.
Valles had qualified on pole for the opening race but a poor pit stop followed by a fuel pressure problem ruined his chance of success. The Spaniard started 10th in the second race and drove a clean event despite major engine concerns in a crash-strewn race that eliminated many of the leading contenders.
Brazilian clubs Flamengo and Corinthians plus AC Milan were all eliminated in an opening lap 300km/h major collision and Borussia Dortmund later crashed heavily at the same location after touching wheels with AS Roma.
Liverpool was lucky to escape late in the race when Olympiacos rookie Stamatis Katsimis spun and was collected by Tottenham Hotspur's Duncan Tappy and Galatasaray's Alessandro Pier Guidi.
Valles was able to "thread the needle" through the spinning cars to emerge in fourth place.
Tappy's impact with the Greek car was slight but the resulting spin and flat tyre forced him out the race.
British driver Craig Dolby finished sixth for Belgian club RSC Anderlecht while Rangers' home-grown Scottish ace Ryan Dalziel completed his club's best Superleague Formula points scoring weekend – adding a seventh place finish to his fifth position in the opening race.
Liverpool remains the top scoring UK Superleague Formula club in third position ahead of Tottenham in 10th and Rangers 13th. Dolby's Anderlecht squad is now in fifth position with one race weekend to go.
FC Porto driver Tristan Gommendy broke the hearts of local AC Roma fans when he pulled off a last lap pass on Franck Perera. PSV Eindhoven driver Yelmer Buurman finished third.
The final round of the 2008 Superleague Formula championship will be staged at Jerez in Spain on November 22-23.
Adrian Valles (Liverpool FC)
“For me it was a really disappointing weekend because we started the weekend on pole and we thought that we could win it and then we had loads of problems.
“We also had engine problems in the second race which is why our pace was not very good. We were really worried, I was always on the radio and the water temperature was really high.
“We were hoping for fourth which would give us some options for the championship but now it is really hard as Beijing has almost done it.
“Anything can happen, he could not finish both races in Jerez like me in Germany.”
Duncan Tappy (Tottenham Hotspur)
“I suppose if we are to take any positives out of the weekend it’s the fact that we have made progress.
“The first race was disappointing but in the second race my team told me that I was quicker than the car in front.
“The incident was bloody frustrating but it is one of those things, you want to go and have a word with him and say “how did you spin there!”
“But I did everything I could to get out of the way but it was a matter of inches and I clipped my rear wheel and it gave me a puncture and then game over.
“I think we have to finish the season with a podium I think.”
Craig Dolby (RSC Anderlecht)
“We got more points than most people and I have just been told we have moved back up to fifth in the championship, so that’s good.
“Its difficult at the moment as there is something not quite right with the car.
“Every time I want to turn in slow corners the car wants to spin, like rear wheel turning, the back wants to come round.
“We have three weeks until Jerez and we are going to work really hard now and I hope we can come back strong there.
“I am going to Belgium on Tuesday or Wednesday and am going to spend a week or two with the team.
“In three weeks time, Jerez is a new race and its my first time there as well, so it will be a learning curve but we can hopefully try and squeeze in a top three in the championship for Anderlect.
Ryan Dalziel (Rangers)
“It was another good race for us. We were involved in the incident at the start and it may have done a bit of damage to the tyres so we had to drop back at the start.
“We had a good pit stop again and our race pace was pretty good.
“The second race is generally trouble and we managed to stay out of trouble and had a sold result.
“The car is a lot better and it has definitely been one of the faster cars in both races.
“Track position is everything in the first race and this is important to see how you are pace wise.
“We were third fastest in the first race, so we are looking forward to Jerez.”
Full results can be download by clicking on this link.
