The Dutch EF Racing driver hits the open from pole position and wins the first race of the season in the inaugural round on the Romagna circuit with the fastest lap. Among the 35 protagonists at the start, a fast Bertonelli also climbed the podium and the two-time champion Iaquinta made a comeback. Entertainment and overtaking for Jorge Lorenzo, while De Amicis lifts the Michelin Cup. Race 2 completes the weekend on Sunday at 11.55am live on Sky Sport Arena and free to air on Cielo

The opening round of the Porsche Carrera Cup Italia 2023 is already marked by extreme duels and breathtaking qualifying at the Misano World Circuit. On Saturday, among the 35 protagonists at the start at the wheel of as many 911 GT3 Cups, Larry Ten Voorde secured the limelight both in qualifying and in race 1. The 26-year-old EF Racing driver, who has won two titles in the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup, he made his debut in the Italian one-make brand by laying down the law in practice and then winning the first race of the season.

Protagonist of an error-free performance and coldly managed even during the safety car period which occurred in the middle of the race (to recover Matteo Rovida's 911 GT3 Cup which spun to avoid that of Johannes Zelger), Ten Voorde preceded on the podium Diego Bertonelli (Bonaldi Motorsport – Porsche Center Bergamo) and Simone Iaquinta (Ghinzani Arco Motorsport – Porsche Centers Milan). With the exploit taken on Saturday, the strong Dutch driver hoisted himself to the lead of the general classification and is now awaiting the start of race 2, which will see him again in pole position: always at a distance of 30 minutes + 1 lap, the appointment is for Sunday (May 7) at 11.55 with live TV on Sky Sport Arena and free-to-air on Cielo (26 of digital terrestrial) and live streaming in HD onCarrera Cup Italy .

Ten Voorde conquered the pole position of race 1 lapping the Romagna circuit in 1'35”104, a time that improves by 9 tenths the previous limit of the latest generation 911 GT3 Cup fielded since last year in the Porsche Italia one-make series. Just one tenth of a second behind the pacesetter, Bertonelli qualified alongside him on the front row, but in race 1 the Tuscan driver was unable to keep up with his rival. However, the driver of the Bonaldi team maintained his second position with authority up to the finish line of an exciting race and with Iaquinta protagonist of an exciting comeback. The 2019 and 2020 champion, who started from sixth, first overtook Alberto Cerqui (BeDriver – Centro Porsche Piacenza) and then, after the safety car, at the first opportunity he crashed into Lorenzo Ferrari, gaining the third step of the podium.

Cerqui also tried to enter the fight for the podium. However, the 2021 champion had to settle for fifth place in front of the landlord Giorgio Amati. The young man from Rimini of Dinamic Motorsport - Centro Porsche Verona preceded Matteo Malucelli in the sprint. The expert driver from Forlì of Team Malucelli – Centro Porsche Pesaro finished seventh after overtaking the reigning champion Gianmarco Quaresmini, eighth with Dinamic Motorsport – Centro Porsche Brescia, and Riccardo Agostini, 2015 champion returning after 8 years in the Carrera Cup Italia with Villorba Corse – Treviso Porsche Center. Andrea Fontana completed the top-10 at the end of an interesting progression from the ninth starting row. In the race, the Ebimotors – Centro Porsche Varese driver from Belluno dueled with Jorge Lorenzo for a long time.

The multiple MotoGP world champion since last year was the official rider of the Q8 Hi Perform Team and was one of the most combative riders on the track, protagonist of various overtaking and counter-overtaking. Started 13th after a progressive qualifying ended just 9 tenths behind Ten Voorde, the Majorcan had climbed up to 11th place, then at the end of the race he was however classified 19th due to a 5 second penalty imposed for a contact with Lodovico Laurini .

In the Michelin Cup category, the first winner of the season is Alberto De Amicis. The Ebimotors – Centro Porsche Varese driver did not miss the opportunity after starting in front of everyone in the class. Only in the final stages did the driver from Guidonia have to contain the return of Alex De Giacomi. The two-time winner of the Michelin Cup brought the 911 GT3 Cup driven by Tsunami RT – Centro Porsche Latina to second place, while Francesco Maria Fenici, always the protagonist in the contest, was third on the podium. The AB Racing – Centri Porsche Roma driver ruled both Pietro Gnemmi (Ebimotors), fourth at the finish line, and Gianluca Giorgi (BeDriver – Centro Porsche Piacenza), fifth in the top-5.

Photos: Tommaso Giocondi