Guido Cappellini used local knowledge to the full to win the Italian Grand Prix
Como native Guido Cappellini used local knowledge to the full on Sunday, July 16, when he won the tenth Annual Grand Prix of Italy held on the Italian lake.
The nine-time World Formula 1 Champion led from start to finish o the 50 lap event and now has 40 points in the championship. Chasing in the hunt for the title is Emirates Team driver Thani Al Qamzi who finished second, a result giving him 31 points on the points table.
The native of Abu Dhabi came within a few boat lengths of Cappellini in the closing stages laps finally finishing 2.4 seconds astern so proving he is now ready to move towards his first grand prix win.
The battle for third place was a three boat affair for most of the contest with American Jay Price of the Qatar Team set to pick up his first ever podium until the final lap when he ran out of fuel coasting home a very disappointing sixth.
Leading Jay for much of the race was Finnish driver Sami Selio who ended up dropping out on the 40th lap with engine problems.
Italian veteran driver Massimo Roggiero in the second Qatar Team boat slid into third and hit the podium for the first time in Como after three straight DNF’s (Did not finish). He was in a furious three-boat battle with teammate Price and Selio but still managed to score 12 valuable championship points.
American Scott Gillman of the Emirates Team was heading to the podium and holding on to the points lead in the world championship standings when his engine came to a stop on the 33rd lap. His dreams of a world title are now fading as he slips to third place on the table with a total score of 30 points.
The Formula I season now takes a summer break. The fleet will leave Europe for Asia and the Grand Prix of China early in October with Cappellini looking set for a tenth world title but there still is a long way to go before the final outcome.
