Following
the suspension of the program on Saturday decreed by the stewards as a result of the precarious state of some sections of the track, racing was resumed on Sunday morning with the four remaining heats.
The heats went respectively to Hanley, Bressan, Renaudie and Vainio, but the victory in Saturday’s heat and two second places on Sunday morning guaranteed Kozlinski pole start for the pre-final. Next to the Frenchman, Vainio does better than Renaudie and Bressan who occupy the second row. Following, Convers-Cesetti, Maisano-Ardigò, and Groman-De Brabander to complete the first 10 positions. Instead, last heat disaster for Hanley disaster, who finish 20th undermining the excellent work done thus far. The English takes 12
th on starting grid next to Thonon.
The
Prefinal is very exciting. Renaudie takes the lead on lap one, followed closely by Kozlinski, Maisano, Thonon, Ardigò and Convers, while Vainio drops down to 8
th, and Bressan is forced to retire. In the next lap, positions change, with Kozlinski taking Renaudie's leadership, shadowed by Maisano, Ardigò, Vainio and Convers, while Thonon drops to 16
th due to a contact. The first six positions remain unchanged until lap seven, when Maisano overtakes Renaudie for second place. Vainio overtakes Ardigò and Renaudie, leaving the two in a scrap for fourth position. But Hanley has the better of them both, and after a brilliant comeback from 14th place, ends 4
th only 7 tenths off Vainio.
The
Final is just as exciting, with the addition of the rain factor. Renaudie once again got away well and grabbed the lead, ahead of Kozlinski, Vainio, Ardigò, Thonon and Rowland – who started from 9th - while Hanley lost three positions and Maisano dropped at the back of the field. The lead changed constantly, with Kozlinski, Ardigò and Vainio alternating until it finally seemed in Vainio’s hand.
But the French driver kept close, followed by his teammate Thonon and Hanley, with Camponeschi joining the leading group on lap 10 after a not so positive weekend and having started from mid grid. The first two kept on studying each other, but the Finnish seemed able to prevail. Behind them the fight was on, with Thonon, Hanley and Camponeschi exchanging positions time and again.
Meanwhile, the rain got heavier, and Kozlinski finds his way past Vainio on lap 17, but there's no more time for the Finn to get back to the Frenchman, as the stewards red flagged the race deeming track conditions too dangerous. The French CRG driver is crowned 2009 World Champion. Vainio finished a very close second from Kozlinski after having dreamed of a double European-World title, which would have been unreal for someone at his debut in the premier class - and, moreover, only 16 year old! Vainio’s teammate Hanley closed in 3
rd position at
5”, followed by Thonon, Camponeschi, De Brabander, Renaudie, Bressan, Ardigò and Puhakka.
FINAL RESULTS
1) 20 Kozlinski, Arnaud (F) CRG/Maxter/B'stone
2) 11 Vainio, Aaro (FIN) Maranello/Maxter B'stone +1.008
3) 38 Hanley, Ben (GB) Maranello/Maxter/B'stone +6.103
4) 18 Thonon, Jonathan (B) CRG/Maxter/B'stone +7.376
5) 35 Camponeschi, Flavio (I) Tony Kart/Vortex/B'stone +9.255
6) 12 De Brabander, Yannick (B) Intrepid/TM/B'stone +12.612
7) 6 Renaudie, Manuel (F) Gillard/Parilla/B'stone +13.832
8) 37 Bressan, Alessandro (I) Kosmic/Vortex/B'stone +15.379
9) 1 Ardigò, Marco (I) Tony Kart/Vortex/B'stone +15.841
10) 16 Puhakka, Simo (FIN) PCR/TM/B'stone +16.917
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