The Scuderia GT driver had an easy run to the first chicane as Manuela Gostner (CDP-MP Racing), who was alongside in second place on the grid, had to start from the pit lane.
So it was left to Ernst Kirchmayr (Baron Motorsport), Axel Sartingen (Lueg Sportivo-Herter Motorsport), Claudio Schiavoni (Scuderia Niki-Iron Lynx) and Thomas Gostner (CDP-MP Racing) to offer some opposition to Engstler, but it was a lost cause as the German was setting such a pace that his followers were outdistanced to the point that there was a 12 second gap between first and second.
Unusually for a Ferrari Challenge race, the top 8 positions remained exactly the same from start to finish, with the only noteworthy action coming as Schiavoni occasionally put some pressure on Sartingen, who took the runner-up slot in the championship, but the Italian was unable to get by. The German was able to benefit from the absence of Roman Ziemian, yesterday’s race winner.
Peter Christensen (Formula Racing) and Alexander Nussbaumer (Gohm Motorsport-Herter Racing) ran sixth and seventh throughout to dominate the AM class, the Dane scoring his second win of the weekend over the champion, and both men finishing ahead of Fons Scheltema (Kessel Racing), while Corinna Gostner (CDP-MP racing) finished seventh in the Coppa standings and ninth overall. Martinus Richter (Mertel Motorsport Racing) rounded out the top 10, getting the better of Christian Herdt-Wipper (Saggio Muenchen), but the result wasn’t sufficient to beat him for second place in the championship.
There was plenty of action further down the field however as the race direction had a busy time handing out penalties and track warnings. Paolo Scudieri (Sa.Mo.Car) made a bold move on Paul Rogers (JCT600 Leeds) at the Tamburello, and the British driver came off worse with a trip into the gravel and a 5 second penalty for causing a collision. Matthias Moser (Baron Motorsport) and Andreas Koenig (Scuderia GT) also had a coming together, Pino Frascaro (Kessel Racing) had a spin and crashed violently into the barriers at the Villeneuve and Manuela Gostner a spin at the Piratella, before the safety car brought an end to the race.
FERRARI CHALLENGE - Imola: Race 2 Coppa Shell EU
