Superstars: Good qualifying for Gianni Morbidelli and Audi Sport Italia at Monza

By Tarek Ramchani

Monza is hosting the first round of the International Superstars Series  this weekend. Only two Audi RS5 quattro cars have entered the event, two cars from Audi Sport Italia. Unfortunately the #47 RS5 of Thomas Thomas Schöffler from Audi Sport MTM is not taking part in the race weekend.

Action started today with two free practice sessions and qualifying. It was a very good day for Audi Sport Italia top driver Gianni Morbidelli. The four time Superstars Series champion topped the first wet free practice session and finished eighth in the second one with the #45 Audi. His team mate Ferdinando Geri was twelfth and eighteenth with the sister #46 RS5. In the qualifying session Gianni Morbidelli ended in a very positive fourth place, with a time of 1:56.013. The Italian touring car ace was the best of the rest, behind a dominant trio of  Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG cars driven by Vitantonio Liuzzi, Thomas Biagi and Luigi Ferrara. Ferdinando Geri with the other Audi car had a harder session and was only able to take the seventeenth position.

The Audi RS5 quattro was the 2012 series champion, however its strength has never been its top speed. At a very fast track like Monza this somewhat hinders the Audi cars, but we hope that Gianni Morbidelli and his team mate will be able to fight and take maximum points in the two races tomorrow.

Photo credit: Audi Sport Italia

Audi Sport Italia and Gianni Morbidelli back to Superstars Series

By Tarek Ramchani

The Audi RS 5 quattro had a winning debut in the Superstars Series last year. Three cars were entered by three different teams. It was a great season with the championship title in the end for Johan Kristoffersson.


The first team to confirm their return in 2013 is Audi Sport Italia. A single RS 5 quattro so far for Gianni Morbidelli, an Audi regular who is returning with the team, and this time he wants to win the overall title. Gianni Morbidelli is of course a four-time Superstars Series champion, two of them with Audi Sport Italia and the Audi RS 4 quattro. Last season he won four races with double victories at both Donignton Park and Spa-Francorchamps, he finished fourth in the final points standings.

Morbidelli is very confident about the upcoming 2013 season: "Being back for a new season in SUPERSTARS is always exciting - told Morbidelli - I'm more motivated than ever in fighting back to the top. Sure it's going to be a tough season, with many fierce - and quick - competitors. My team already displayed their class. Unfortunately, several unlucky breaks prevented us from fighting for the title in the late part of 2012 but, in the end, that's racing. You win, you lose, you try to put the puzzle together. And this season, I hope to put the winning piece…". Quote from superstarsworld.com

The Superstars Series field is continuing to grow each season. Last year Audi KMS won the title in a very dramatic way, on the very last lap of the last race against Mercedes AMG. We hope that Gianni Morbidelli and Audi Sport Italia will be among the teams fighting for the title. The RS 5 quattro clearly proved to be one of the best cars in the field.

Photo credit: Superstars Series

First Audi RS5 onboard video - Audi Sport Italia Superstars

By Johan Laubscher

The Audi RS5 debuted in the 2012 Italian Superstars Series. It has been extremely competitive as a RS5 driver, Johan Kristoffersson, is leading the drivers championship. Here is the first onboard video of a RS5 race car which is available online. It features Gianni Morbidelli in the #45 Audi RS5 at Vallelunga during race two where he charged from the back of the grid. Enjoy the video.

More information:

Gianni Morbidelli on Facebook

Audi Sport Italia on Facebook