Balestri wins Ielasi Tuned International Cup

The annual Ielasi Tuned International Cup took place at Pista Leno in Italy over the weekend where it was Infinity’s Dario Balestri who once again took the 1:8 win ahead of team-mate Francesco Tironi and Capricorn’s Toni Gruber.   In qualifying it was World Champion Balestri who set the pace topping all three rounds with the Mugen Seiki of former World Champion Simon Kurzbuch claiming P2 with a pair of second fastest runs.  Second fastest in Q2, Tironi completed the Top 3 ahead of Gruber.  After some timing issues delayed the start of the final, when it did get underway it was Kurzbuch who got the jump on Balestri to lead early on but contact a few corners later between the pair saw the Swiss driver fly off the track and out of the race.  While Balestri would continue and lead, Gruber would hit the front for a lengthy stint before Balestri retook control approaching the half way point of the 45-minute final.  At the end he would have a 2-lap margin over Tironi who in turn had just 4-seconds on Gruber, the German completing the podium ahead of the Infinity of Thomas Lorenzi and Serpent’s Andrea Catanzani.  In 1:10 Nitro Touring it was Austria’s Gerhard Kandelhart who took the TQ ahead of Infinity team-mate Milan Holthuis.  In the final it was troubled race for Kandi and he eventually retired leaving Holthuis to take the win over the Xray of Stefan Strasser.

Image: Ielasi Tuned [Facebook]