Zolder, Belgium – A constant growing, race by race, kilometer by kilometer: we can describe in this way the Solaris Motorsport first season in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series. A podium grabbed in UK on the legendary track of Brands Hatch is probably the highest point of a season that started a new chapter for the Italian team history: in the 2018 Solaris has switched to NASCAR learning how big is the difference between a stock car and an European GT or Touring car. Many good races and some bad luck portrayed the 2018 of the Italian squad led by Roberto Sini, already at work for a 2019 on top.
“It was a kind a year ‘zero’ for the team and for me too, as a driver.” commentend Francesco Sini, third in the NASCAR GP of UK. “I had to reset totally my driving style and adapt it to the characteristics of this car. I came from the GT3 world, I had to change everything: from the braking point and style, to how much speed bringing in the corner, passing through how to setup the car. It’s all very different from the GT world, probably closer to the Superstars era. The car is very responsive to the setup changes, no driving aids and over 450hp to face with a manual gearbox, only two new tyres per weekend. It’s a type of racing very different from what we are used in Europe. Here the driver and the team can made the difference yet. Sometimes it was easier and we had the chance to stay on top, sometimes it was more difficult but we managed the way to climb back during the weekend. And I think this is the most important thing. We adapted soon to the door to door battles on track, we love them, very Ringhio style. This season we matured a lot of experience and we want to take advantage of it next year. At Zolder Circuit we had the pace to reach the Top5 in the Final 2, we posted the 4th fastest time in the Sunday’s warm up and we were ready for a full-attack race, but someone crashed into us at the first corner. What a pity!”

“New championship, new car, new tracks but the same passion and the same desire to work in a professional way as at the beginning of the Solaris history. We faced this season well knowing to need to learn everything and well knowing we had to confront with professional teams involved in the series by several years. When you have more than 15 cars in less than a second, details don’t make the difference, they become fundamental. But I think we had a good season, we reached the podium already at the third event and we lost some good performance during the season due a race contacts.” said Roberto Sini, Solaris Motorsport Team Principal. “We are back to race with the Camaro, it’s like a emblem for our team. We have all the winter to prepare the 2019 and to remain loyal to our winning tradition with the most beautiful muscle car on the market. No one won with a Camaro in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series yet, once more we can be the first ones of the Chevrolet history!”
Massimiliano Palumbo

Barcelona, Spain – Solaris Motorsport grabbed the third place in an eventful International GT Open final round at Barcelona. The Italian Aston Martin suffered a faultless contact in the middle of the race and then put up spectacular comeback. Sini-Fannin celebrated with champagne their first race as team-mates, proving to be competitive in a round that saw 23 supercars on grid. The third place conquered by the Solaris Motorsport Vantage GT3 was the best result obtained by an Aston Martin in the two Spanish races.
Solaris Motorsport’s Vantage improved its performance session after session, having to discover all the secrets of the 4.655 km Barcelona track and the behaviour of the Michelin tyres used in the International GT Open. Since Thursday’s test session, the Solaris Motorsport Vantage GT3 showed a good potential and the team worked a lot, even in the Friday’s free practices, on the research of the best setup.
The first qualifying session saw Jody Fannin bringing home a good P7, but race control moved him down to P11. In such a high competitive championship, with a lot of cars with similar performances, the Solaris Motorsport Aston Martin finished tenth, posting good lap times but it was slowed in the middle of the race by the BMWs, which were slower on an entire lap but faster on the straights, thus making impossible any overtake attempt.
The second qualifying session, held on Sunday morning, nearly gave an incredible first row to Solaris Motorsport, thanks to a Francesco Sini in the top part of the charts all session long. Sini posted the best chrono both on wet and damp track and he was repeating himself on a dry track with slick tyres, but a slow car ruined his best lap when all the opponents were improving. So in the end Ringhio was just eighth, with a little bit of regret for the great opportunity lost.
At the start of Race 2, Sini took advantage of an eventful first lap to move up to fifth, gaining third position during the race. When the podium seemed locked, “Ringhio” was sent off on the grass by a lapped car which hit him in Turn 1. The solidity of the Vantage GT3 allowed the Italian driver to rejoin the track and begin a huge comeback before leaving the wheel to his team mate at the mandatory pit stop. When Fannin took the track, he set a very quick race pace and gained some positions overtaking the opponents on track and bringing back the Aston Martin in third place. The safety car that went on track in the last part of the race allowed to the English driver to close the gap from the front and begin a spectacular battle for the win in the last few laps. Sini and Fannin, third under the checkered flag, brought home the best result of the weekend for Aston Martin. This is the fourth podium of the season for the Solaris Motorsport, the first one in the International GT Open.
“I’m very happy about this podium, we had to fight until the end to take it! The contact in the middle of the race was very hard, I was quite sure I had to retire but this Vantage is very strong! Jody was incredible, very quick and smart. It’s a pleasure to race with him,” said Francesco Sini. “We proved we can be competitive in international events and this is the most important thing. We improved our performance session after session, taking the podium at the end.”
“The car was much improved for Sunday’s race and it showed straight away with a strong stint from Francesco. He was unlucky to have contact with a back marker, so when I got in the car I did my best to regain the places and made it up to P3,” commented Jody Fannin “It was very difficult to get close enough to the second placed BMW to try to pass it, so I decided to bring the car home in third. I’d like to thank all the Solaris Motorsport guys for their hard work over the weekend!”
“With such highly competitive opponents, we are very happy we confirmed our strength and we were the best Aston Martin on track. It’s the right prize for the hard work we did this year. Jody was an incredible discovery, a very young driver but already quick and smart,” said Roberto Sini, Solaris Motorsport Team Principal. “Now we have to start thinking about the 2017 season, we want to enjoy the fruits of the work done this year. But before we will to celebrate this season with all our supporters at Pescara Racing Show, scheduled on November 18-19-20th.”
For further information you can visit the web site www.solarismotorsport.com or send an email to media [at] solarismotorsport.com
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Massimiliano Palumbo

Scarperia (Fi), Italy – The 2016 season of the Italian GT Championship ended this Sunday at Mugello circuit. The Italian track saw probably the best Aston Martin of the season, the Vantage GT3, in fact, was very competitive in every sessions, sign that the Solaris technicians were able to take the maximum advantage from the data of the race in July. The Sporting Director Laura Sini ‘celebrated’ one more time the recent marriage with her husband Orges, coming on the Race 2 starting grid with her wedding dress.
After having posted the best time during the free practice, the Solaris Motorsport’s Aston Martin missed the its high performance in the Saturday’s morning qualifying, where, on a track that was drying itself after the huge rain fallen during the night, Max Mugelli and Francesco Sini brought home just the 8th and 6th row on the starting grid with a car that lacked of grip.
The two races gave back to the Italian Vantage the right competitiveness, with the Aston Martin able to lap with the same race pace of the top contenders. IIn both the races, the English coupè was one of the fastest car on track, but it couldn’t concretize its high potential because of the start on the back of the field. The huge comeback of Race 1 of Sini and Mugelli, that enjoyed the fans on the grandstands and at home thanks to a lots of overtakes, ended with the 8th position. The placement could have been also better, but the safety car, entered in the last laps, stopped the Aston Martin fielded by Solaris Motorsport.
The last race of the season offered a very particular starting grid. Laura Sini, Sporting Director of the team, wanted to ‘re-celebrate’ her recent marriage with her husband Orges, coming on the starting grid with the wedding dress, consecrating her union to the motorsport world. The newly married DS, then, attended the race by the usual spot on the pit wall, giving radio informations to the drivers with the usual headphones and the ‘white dress’. Also Race 2 saw the English coupè recovering positions by positions, but the comeback stopped at Lap 10, when a contact between Sini and the Frassinetti’s Lamborghini forced both the drivers to a retire.
“Really I don’t know what to think. For sure I’m disappointed because we gathered very little, an eight place and a retirement for sure don’t satisfy me. However, we were among the fastest on track and with better qualifying we could fight for the win.” commented Francesco Sini. “I’m sorry for the contact in Race 2, it wasn’t my purpose to ruin the race mine and Alex’s, but it’s something can happen in motorsport when you are fighting for a position. We were a lot faster, the Lamborghini was good to close all the doors, when I saw a little space I tried to overtake, but it didn’t go as I expected. It was a pity, really.” Anyway, Ringhio is confident for the future: “Now we have the certainty to have a very competitive car! We can reach important goals: this Aston Martin is a rocket!”
“The Mugello circuit clearly is not in favour with us. As the same in July, also this time we weren’t to able to end Race 2, but today the car was very fast. I’d have liked to conquer a good result here in my home-race, but the qualifying has frustrated all our hopes. We had a very competitive car on the dry track, but we suffered on the damp and with low temperature during the qualifying on Saturday morning.” said Max Mugelli. “I want to thank all my sponsors, all my supporters and the team for this year so incredible and intense. We brought home two second and a third place in a so much competitive championship. We lacked the victory, but to be arrived many time so close is a sign of our good job.”
“The results of the Mugello’s weekend are unsatisfying and not not in line with our expectations, but anyway I’m very happy about what I saw on track. In comparison to the round in July, our Vantage seemed completely another car, we worked well at home and now we are competitive also here. The qualifyings are the bigger regret of the entire weekend, on the damp track we didn’t find the right performance and we lost an important part of a weekend that could see us as big protagonists, as Max and Francesco showed during the races.” commented Roberto Sini, Solaris Motorsport Team Principal. “I want to thank all the people worked with us in this first, important and challenging year under the Aston Martin logo: sponsors, supporters, technicians, drivers. All together we wrote this first incredible chapter of a new story.” Sini added also: “Last race of the Italian GT Championship gave us two stunning races and a level of cars and drivers very very high. We would like to repeat this series next season, if there will be the right conditions and if the Federation will find the way to solve the issues that have come to light in this year.”
For further information you can visit the web site www.solarismotorsport.com or send an email to media [at] solarismotorsport.com
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Massimiliano Palumbo

Imola, Italy – Once again Solaris Motorsport had a brilliant weekend at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola. The Italian team conquered the third podium of the season in its best weekend of 2016. The first row on the Race 1 grid was the preamble of a solid P2 in the first race, while on Sunday’s Race 2 the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 showed a very competitive pace.
The visit of Aston Martin Racing chairman David Richards, who arrived in the Solaris box on Friday morning and stayed followed with the team the two free practice sessions, motivated the Solaris Motorsport squad and led to a positive P2 in the FP1.  The Vantage GT3 was very competitive also in qualifying and reached the first row on the Race 1 grid, just one tenth of a second from the pole. Sini probably missed the pole only because of a red flag that stopped his flying lap on new tyres. Max Mugelli brought home the fourth row on the Race 2 grid.
The first race of the weekend saw a perfect start by Sini, who immediately took second behind Venturi’s Ferrari. The Vantage GT3 kept a qualifying pace for the entire first stint, giving Max Mugelli the chance to enter the track again in P2 after the mandatory stop for the driver’s change. With a smart race, Mugelli looked out to contain the comeback of Bortolotti’s Lamborghini and Albuquerque’s Audi, conquering the second place for the the Vantage GT3, at its third podium of the season, in a thrilling final.
At Sunday’s Race 2 start, the Mugello-native driver had the better hand on Cerqui’s BMW in the first laps, placing his Vantage on P7. In a very close competition, in which the drivers from third to ninth position constantly ran the same lap times, the Aston Martin run by Solaris Motorsport kept the same race pace as the top competitors until the mandatory stop. After the driver’s change, Sini came back on track in P4, fighting all race long with Venturi’s Ferrari and Venturini’s Lamborghini. “Ringhio” took the checkered flag in a solid fifth position, which became sixth after a 7.2 seconds penalty due a pit stop violation.
“It was definitely a great weekend! We have shown a convincing pace in each session and probably this is the most important thing. I toyed a lot with the idea of the pole position in qualifying and maybe I could have posted a better lap without the red flag.” commented Sini. “The Vantage was simple perfect during the races, really quick and stable. The penalty in Race 2 was a pity, with a linear race we could have tried to catch the podium.” The Pescara-native driver added: “This is the third podium for our Aston Martin, the best way to thank David Richards for his visit and hope to see him soon again. I’m very happy because we showed we can race at the front, conquering a second place on the field and without taking advantage from any penalty.”
“The car was really competitive here in Imola and we were able to improve the third place we conquered in May. The team did an outstanding job, we were very quick in each session and our Vantage had a very impressive pace in both the races.” commented Mugelli. “I had a good pace in Race 1, the leading Ferrari was too far and so I just took care of bringing home the second position. I wanted to thank all the guys for their hard job this summer in rebuilding the car. The Race 2, instead, was the perfect demonstration of the very high level of the Italian GT Championship, with six car of 5 different brands clocking the same lap times. Unfortunately I made a little mistake entering the pit lane because I had to avoid a slow Porsche just in front of me. A little mistake that caused the loss of a position on the final classification. I’m sorry for the team. Anyway, the next race is in Mugello, my home track. I want to avenge the unlucky weekend of this summer!”
“Almost a pole position, the third podium of the season and two races ran with the pace of our best competitors. If someone had any doubts about the competitiveness of the team and the Aston Martin, today he had the answers he was looking for. All the guys did an awesome job, to have the chance to use the data from last May race pointed us in the right direction soon and we could work just on the fundamental details. I think it was what Richards expected from us and I’m happy to have been able to prove our strength.” commented Roberto Sini, who’s helped in managing the team by his sons Francesco and Laura “Both the drivers raced at their best without mistakes all weekend long, taking the maximum advantage from the high potential of our Vantage GT3. I’m confident we’ll see the Aston on top also in Mugello.”
The track situated in Tuscany will be the theater of the last round of the 2016 Italian GT Championship season, scheduled for the October 15th and 16th weekend. Francesco Sini and Max Mugelli will try to recover the 5 points they need to grab fourth position in the points standings.
For further information you can visit the web site www.solarismotorsport.com or send an email to media@solarismotorsport.com 
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Massimiliano Palumbo

Imola, Italy – This morning David Richards, Aston Martin Racing chairman and Prodrive CEO, visited the Solaris Motorsport team in Imola, the track hosting the sixth round of the Italian GT Championship. Richards arrived at the Circuito Enzo e Dino Ferrari to support the Pescara-based team and attend a race of the Italian series in person.
Starting from this season the italian team became in fact an Aston Martin Racing Team Partner and the reference in Italy for the historic English brand and are taking both advantage of a close and mutual collaboration. The Aston Martin Racing chairman wished to remain with the team during the free practices sessions, seeing the team at work on the Vantage GT3. Richards spent a lot of time with the technicians and the two drivers Francesco Sini and Max Mugelli, who set the 2nd and 10th fastest time in the two sessions. The performance in the second one could be better, but the Vantage GT3 was stopped twice by the red flag.


“I’m always pleased to be back in Italy, for me it’s like my second home. I love to come back here and to see a team like Solaris Motorsport, a real family team. It’s very special to me. Watching the performance in Imola, last time they was here they grabbed the third place, hopefully this weekend could be a first or second place. Looking to this morning practice the car seems strong.” said the Aston Martin Racing chairman. “It’s good for us to see an Aston Martin in a so competitive championship. With its 40 cars, the Italian GT Championship is a really competitive series, like the British championship and many other championship around the world. Anyway great weekend ahead of us, we have one more round on the championship. Looking forward to the next season when I’ll come back again and hopefully we’ll see Solaris regularly on the podium.”The sixth round of the Italian GT Championship in Imola will continue with the two qualifying sessions scheduled this evening, while the two races will start on Saturday at 2:15 PM and Sunday at 11:10, both will be avaible in live streaming on the Italian GT Championship web site (www.acisportitalia.it/CIGT).For further information you can visit the web site www.solarismotorsport.com or send an email to media@solarismotorsport.com Follow the Solaris Motorsport’s Aston Martin on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!
Massimiliano Palumbo

Pescara, Italy – The 40 supercars of the Italian GT Championship are ready to hit the track again on the Vallelunga track after the long summer break. In its home race, Solaris Motorsport is strongly motivated to gain good results with the just rebuilt Aston Martin Vantage GT3 after the huge crash in Mugello. Francesco Sini and Max Mugelli have worked a lot to be ready for the round near Rome, thanks also a profitable test session last week.
“I was born in Abruzzo but I always considered Vallelunga as my home race, I like a lot this track, it has high-speed and tricky bends that could make the difference. Find the right lane in the Curvone bend, for example, can give you a big help to find the last tenths you need. Here in 2014 I have conquered with Solaris Motorsport the first victory with the Chevrolet Camaro, it should be great to give once again the same amazing feeling to the team.” commented Francesco Sini, who, together with his teammate Mugelli, conquered twice a step on the podium this year. “In the last test we did a lot of comparisons with different setup configurations finding the best performance possible. I strongly want to give to all my supporters two good races! The team did an incredible job in rebuilding the car, after the Mugello weekend it was very badly damaged. I want to thank all the guys, without them we could not stay here thinking to catch the podium!”
Mugelli also joins his teammate in thanking the team: “They made an outstanding job, we covered over 500 km without any problem! I’m rather confident about the race, we should have a good pace. Having the choise to make the test helped us to fill the knowledge gap of car-on-the-track mix that slowed us in Mugello. We tried different setup configurations and now we think we have a good base, but probably we must change something else in the free practices.” Max is ready and aims to catch the maximum results possible.”The level of the championship is very high, we are all very close, nothing is obvious. We will have to work hard for everything, but I want to climb on the last step of podium we miss. After a summer like this, we deserve it!”
“Last week we covered nearly 100 laps with a good continuity, we collected a lot of interesting data and we tried thoroughly some solutions. And, most important, we had the confirm we made a good job in the factory in rebuilding the car. It was a very important session for us because it allows us to arrive at the race weekend better prepared and with some data more. Max and Francesco feel better the car and this will help all of us to find quickly the right performaces.” commented Roberto Sini, who’s helped in managing the team by his sons Francesco and Laura. “I’d like to gain a good result here in Vallelunga, it is our home track and there will be a lot of our supporters. To share with them the happiness for a great result should be great, the best recognition for the hard work we did this summer.”
The fith round of the Italian GT Championship from Autodromo Vallelunga will kick-off on Friday, September 9th with the two session of free practice, scheduled at 9:45 AM and 2 PM. On Saturday morning the green light for the two qualifying sessions, one for each race, will turn on at 8:20 AM. Race 1 will start at 2:15 PM on Saturday, September 10th, while Race 2 is scheduled for Sunday, September 11st, at 10:50 AM. Both the races will be live streamed on the official website of the Italian GT Championship (www.acisportitalia.it/CIGT).
For further information you can visit the web site www.solarismotorsport.com or send an email to media [at] solarismotorsport.com
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Massimiliano Palumbo

Mugello, Italy – Solaris Motorsport suffered an unfortunate weekend at Mugello Circuit in the fourth round of the Italian GT Championship. The Italian team paid the price of a lack of notes on a new track and the situation got worse when the rain prevented the team from completing the usual setup routine, leading to a difficult qualifying session and two exciting comebacks from a disappointing starting position.
Two showers hit the track before and during the free practice sessions, making it hard to find the right setup and the right confidence with the track for Solaris Motorsport on a circuit, the Autodromo del Mugello, completely new for the Vantage. The setup was improved lap by lap during qualifying, which was held on a completely dry track. Francesco Sini took the fourth row on the Race 1 grid, while Max Mugelli brought home the seventh row for the Sunday Race.
Race 1 took place under a burning sun that raised a lot the track temperature. The Italian Vantage GT3 did a good first part of the race with Francesco Sini, recovering a lot of positions thanks also to a perfect strategy: after the mandatory pit stop and the drivers change, the Solaris Motorsport Aston Martin was fourth. Max Mugelli, who took the wheel in the driver’s change, was able to keep the position until the checkered flag, defending from the comeback of Venturi’s Ferrari. At the end of the race, the English coupé was penalized due to a 2.7 second early exit from the pits during the mandatory pit stop and was moved back to P7, a result that does not change all the good things showed on track.
With the Race 1 experience and with some upgrades to the setup, the Sunday Race saw an awesome start by Max Mugelli, who was able to gain 5 positions in few corners and place his Vantage in P9. The local hero’s comeback ended on lap 4 due a contact caused by Venturini’s Lamborghini, which was sanctioned with a drive through by the Race Control, that sent the Vantage GT3 in the wall at the entry of the fast Biondetti’s chicane, forcing Mugelli to retire, after walking unhurt from the crash thanks the strength of the Aston chassis.
“It was probably the worse weekend we had this year. We suffered from the fact we didn’t have any reference here and the free practice sessions took place on the wet for sure didn’t help us, increasing the gap with the others. Despite not having a perfect car, we had a good Race 1, we found the way to gain positions and end up close to the podium.” said Francesco Sini. “The penalty was a pity, because we didn’t earn any position or, at least, we could lose just one. Dura lex, sed lex.”
“I’m twice disappointed because Mugello was my home race and I would have liked to make a good race for all my fans that came to the track. Unfortunately things went wrong and now we must look to the future and to the hard work needed to rebuild our Vantage. Not having participated to last week’s test session gave a huge advantage to our opponents and the weather made the rest. We went into qualifying making some experiments on the setup. We raced well the Saturday Race, we finished fourth on track without the penalty. Sunday I had a stunning start and I was waiting for the car to be ready to attack, in order to give Francesco the Aston in a good position and aim again at the Top5.” commented a disheartened Mugelli. “We weren’t at our best and we need to understand why during this summer break. We have all the time to recharge the batteries and to be ready for Vallelunga.”
“It was one of those weekend in which if something can go wrong, it does. We weren’t on top, we missed the right setup, especially compared to the teams had some more references on this track. But I saw the team work hard and react, Max and Francesco used their talent to fix a difficult situation.” commented Roberto Sini, Solaris Motorsport Team Principal. “Luckily we have enough time before Vallelunga, our home race, to be ready and in the best shape we can. We will do some test days before in order to aim at the top step of the podium.”
The Italian GT Championship will come back after the summer break, on September 10th and 11th on the Vallelunga track, near Rome.
For further information you can visit the web site www.solarismotorsport.com or send an email to media [at] solarismotorsport.com
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Massimiliano Palumbo

Pescara, Italia – The Italian GT Championship is ready to turn on the engines of its 43 Grand Touring cars for the start of the fourth round at Mugello Circuit. After the third place finish grabbed in Imola and the second scored in Misano, Solaris Motorsport wants to keep the momentum that brought Sini and Mugelli up to the third place in the points standings.
“Third, second…now we must complete the sequence! I like so much the Mugello Circuit and I think it could be good for our Vantage. I have great memories here, in 2012 I won the first race in Superstars for me and for the team. A memorable day!” commented Francesco Sini. “We used the break after Misano to check the car in each part and prepare the Mugello race the best way we can. It is also Max’s home race and it is close to us too, we want to try to make it special.”
“I’m really happy to race in Mugello! It is my home track but it is also one of the most beautiful circuits in the world. I know very well each and every centimeter of the track, turn by turn, kerb by kerb. Unfortunately we could not test our Aston Martin there before, so we will have to wait the free practice sessions to discover where we will be.” said Mugelli. “Well, after the two podiums in Imola and Misano, I’d like to climb the last step we miss! This month the team spent a lot of time preparing the car, I am confident we will have a good race pace but I need to improve my qualifying lap with new tires. I invite all the fans to come to Mugello to enjoy a full racing weekend! I want to see all of you at the track!”
“Every weekend we know the secrets of our Aston Martin better and now we manage to consistently stay in top positions. After the good performances of the first part of the season, in Mugello we want to confirm ourselves as one of the best teams in the championship.” said Roberto Sini, who’s helped in managing the team by his sons Francesco and Laura. “We should have two dry races and there should be a not too hot weather, both these thing could help us being stronger. Mugello is a very technical track with a lot of fast corners where our chassis can make the difference, if we will be able to find a good setup quickly, we can aim to the top!”
The fourth round of the Italian GT championship will start on Friday, July 15th, with two free practice session scheduled for 10:25 AM and 1.55 PM, with qualifying at 6:15 PM and 6:45 PM. The first race of the weekend will start on Saturday, July 16th, at 12:45 while the green flag for Race 2 will wave on Sunday, July 17th, at 9:50 AM. Both the races will be streamed live on the Italian GT Championship web site (www.acisportitalia.it/CIGT)
For further information you can visit the web site www.solarismotorsport.com or send an email to media [at] solarismotorsport.com
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Massimiliano Palumbo

Misano, Italy – After the third place conquered in Imola, the Solaris Motorsport Aston Martin brought home a solid P2 at the Misano World Circuit, once again in the Saturday Race. For the third time in a row, the Sunday Race was held under the rain and the Sini-Mugelli’s Vantage GT3 finished P7 under the checkered flag. At the end of the Misano weekend, Sini-Mugelli climb the point standings up to P4.
The Solaris Motorsport Aston Martin showed a great potential since free practice, in which the English coupè was third in FP1, while the team used FP2 to concentrate on the race pace. Good news also came from qualifying, in which Mugelli grabbed the fifth row for Race 1 and Francesco Sini was fourth in a very close Q2 session, with the Top4 grouped in just 2 tenths of a second.
Race 1 was held on a dry track and Mugelli was careful in taking care of tires and brakes in the first part of the race, giving Sini a very fresh car after the pit stop. The stop came on lap 14 and, thanks to a perfect strategy, the Aston went out of the pit lane gaining two positions. Sini’s incredible pace in the second part of the race allowed the Vantage GT3 to climb up to P3, also thanks to a couple of opponents retiring. After the race, due the disqualification of the Bortolotti-Mul Lamborghini, Sini-Mugelli were promoted to P2, their new best result of the season.
As usual this year, the rain fell for the Sunday Race, forcing Race Control to declare a wet race for the third time in three races this season. At the end of the formation lap, Venturi’s Ferrari went wide at the last corner before the start, slowing the entire pack. Sini, on his side, couldn’t pass him before the start\finish line and so the Aston lost one position at the first corner. The Vantage GT3 was fifth for all the first stint until the pit stop window opened. After the driver change, Mugelli did his best to gain as many points he could, but he had to surrender to the comeback of the Lamborghini. In the last laps, Mugelli closed the gap on Geri’s Ferrari, crossing the finish line in P7 just .7 second behind.
“It was a double face weekend. Race by race we are improving our performances and we know the car better. The results are starting to come with a certain continuity. Max was fantastic in his stint and gave me a perfect car in Race 1, I had an incredible pace and, thanks to a couple of retirements, we caught the first real podium of the year!” said Francesco Sini. “Race 2 was influenced once again by the rain, but I’m happy anyway because I improved my pace on the wet with the Aston Martin, staying permanently in the Top5. We go to the Mugello now after reaching two podiums and we want to win!”
“Third in Imola, second in Misano and fourth in the points standings after three rounds: if someone had told me before the season I’d sign for this without a doubt! I’m satisfied about Race 1, on the dry we showed a good pace and we can fight up front. The Aston Martin has good potential and the team did a great job as usual. My feeling with the car is improving race by race, but I know I can do better. The things change on the wet, where our car suffers a little for having a front engine. But I don’t want to find any excuse, I must improve my pace on the wet and know better the car. I tried not to risk too much and bring home the best possible result.” commented Max Mugelli, who is preparing for the next round, a very special one for him. “In a month we will be in Mugello and I hope we will have two dry races: it’s my home race and, after a third and a second, I want the highest step of the podium!”
“I‘m satisfied about what I saw on track: we scored our first real podium of the season and we brought home the second Top3 of the year, we conquered our best race result until now, we were very close to the pole in Q2 and now we are fourth in the championship! It was difficult to believe at the start of the season, due to the high level of the Italian championship. Francesco and Max are doing an outstanding job together with all the guys of the team and thanks to the support of Aston Martin. Each kilometer we do makes us stronger. We can be the outsiders in this championship, count us in at this point,” commented Roberto Sini, who leads the team with the support of his son and daughter, Francesco and Laura.
After the Misano round, Sini and Mugelli climbed up to the fourth position in the point standings, with a 31-point gap from the lead and 5,5 from the third place. The Solaris Motorsport Aston Martin will be back on track in a month, in the July 16th-17th weekend, with two exciting races in Mugello.
For further information you can visit the web site www.solarismotorsport.com or send an email to media [at] solarismotorsport.com
Follow the Solaris Motorsport’s Aston Martin on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!
Massimiliano Palumbo

Imola (BO), Italy – The Solaris Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage GT3 conquered in Imola, theater of the Italian GT Championship second round, the first podium of the season thanks to the third place in Race 1, putting the icing on the cake of a great weekend in which the English 600-hp coupè showed a very high potential. A red flag stopped a wet Race 2 when Sini-Mugelli were sixth and they were gaining positions, having the chance to aim the top of the standings.
The Solaris Motorsport Vantage GT3 showed a great potential since the two free practice sessions, in which it finished second and third to open the weekend in Imola. Good news came also from qualifying: Francesco Sini posted the third fastest time for Race 1, just .06 seconds from the first row, and Max Mugelli, slowed by traffic on track, was in fourth row for the start in Race 2.
The start of the first race saw Sini conquer the second position early on, just behind Bortolotti’s Lamborghini and the battle at the top for the first part of the race. After the the stop for the drivers change, Mugelli came back on track in third position and he was able to keep it until two laps to go when, slowed by a lapped car and with some brake issues, he was forced to leave the podium to Albuquerque’s Audi, finishing fourth under the checkered flag. After the race, following the disqualification of the #32 Lamborghini in P2 due a technical infraction, Sini-Mugelli stepped up to P3, giving Aston Martin the first podium of the season in the Italian GT Championship.
There were a lot of expectations for an interesting Race 2, but the heavy rain and some decisions taken by Race Direction didn’t allow the Solaris duo to express all their potential. The race started under safety car due to the prohibitive track conditions and was kept under yellow until the opening of the pit stop window. The Vantage GT3 was the first car to enter the pits, aiming at an aggressive race strategy, but the red flag came when not all the cars had pitted stopping the Sini-Mugelli comeback. The Solaris Vantage was among the fastest cars on track in sixth position when the race ended after 7 out of 11laps behind the Safety Car.


“I’m torn, the Francesco Sini Team Manager could consider this weekend substantially positive, but the Francesco Sini driver wouldn’t agree.” said after the races Francesco Sini “We conquered the first podium of the season, we are just at the second round and so we are happy about it. We also survived the crazy Sunday Race 2 without damages and we brought home some points. If I think about what happened in the Saturday post race, about the position lost in Race 1 due a lapped Porsche and the way the Race Direction managed Race 2, well, as a driver I’m a little bit disappointed.” continued Sini. “The positive thing is being aware that we have a very good car, which allows us to fight at the top on dry and on wet. I was competitive in qualifying and during the race. Now we are focused on Misano, where we want to keep our momentum, hoping in an honest and correct competition between all the drivers and the teams.”
“I’m satisfied about the podium gained in Race 1. It was a positive weekend for us and in Race 1 we demonstrated we can be as competitive as the best rivals. Maybe we expected to be faster in race conditions, but a brake failure slowed our pace. The team did a great job, Francesco is very competitive and he can take the maximum advantage of the characteristics of our Aston Martin and this makes me very confident about the next races” commented Max Mugelli, very disappointed about the way the Race Control managed the Sunday Race. “In Race 2 the only protagonist was the rain. When we were behind the safety car, it was very difficult to manage the car on track, you risked aquaplaning everywhere on the circuit. Probably there weren’t the right safety conditions to race and we should have postponed the start. Also the red flag was waved in a bad moment, with some drivers classified despite they were retired or didn’t pit yet.”
“It was a complicated weekend, difficult to decipher, but, by the way, we showed what we can do. The races were spoiled by extra race factors and I hope Imola was just a unfortunate and unlucky race weekend. When all of us race in the same conditions, we are able to give to the fans an incredible show. Anyway, I’m satisfied because performances are giving us reason, of course we need to improve and grow up more, but we are on the right way.” said Roberto Sini, Solaris Motorsport Team Principal
The Italian GT Championship will come back on track in two weeks, in the 11th and 12th of June weekend with two exciting races at Misano World Circuit.
For further information you can visit the web site www.solarismotorsport.com or send an email to media [at] solarismotorsport.com
Follow the Solaris Motorsport’s Aston Martin on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!
Massimiliano Palumbo