CLIO DOUBLE AND ONE-TWO FOR SCUDERIA VITTORIA

Scuderia Vittoria dominated a weekend of AirAsia Renault Clio Cup racing at Croft, with Matt Allison winning both races and Luke Wright claiming a second place, after the duo had blitzed the field in qualifying to take first and second on the grid.

They were the first Clio Cup victories for Scuderia Vittoria, which was only established before the start of this season, and add to the win the team took at April’s opening round of the British GT Championship with its Ferrari 458 at Oulton Park.

Allison romped to a pair of pole positions on a wet circuit, with Wright second on the grid for race one and third for race two. Allison was never headed in either race, which took place in mainly dry conditions. It was his first win following a two year sabbatical and the first in the new shape of Clio after much success in its predecessor.

The Norfolk man opened an extraordinary gap of three seconds on the opening lap of race one, but had to do it all over again after it was halted due to a heavy accident for Wright, who hit the barriers exiting the fast chicane

Allison was 2.3 seconds in front at the end of the first lap of the restart, and stayed firm throughout the race as he came under pressure from the closing James Colburn.

“I had a demon start, and felt confident that I could win if I got to the first corner first,” he said. “I had to sit there and stew for a few minutes at the red flag, but I knew I could get a buffer to the rest of the field early on. James is quick and it’s easier to chase than lead, but I was confident he wouldn’t try anything silly.

“I’m really chuffed. We’re just over halfway through my comeback season and this is my first podium and first win, and I’m very happy to triumph for the team but also my sponsors Palletforce Plc, The Alan Boswell Group & Motorcommerce.co.uk.”

Allison managed to get in front at the start of race two and had opened up a four-second gap within the first four laps. Wright dropped to fourth on the opening lap, but squeezed past rivals Colburn and Chris Swanwick with some excellent moves. While Allison drove to a serene second victory, Wright did a superb job to soak up Colburn’s advances for second and Scuderia Vittoria’s first one-two.

“That was easier than yesterday,” said Allison. “I’m really stoked for the team to get a one-two. Everything clicked this weekend and I’m really pleased to show we’ve got the pace in all the conditions the weather threw at us this weekend.”

Team director Danny Buxton, the former Clio Cup champion who set Scuderia Vittoria up with fellow ex-racers Piers Masarati and Tom Ferrier, said: “This is an emotional weekend. Once Matt was so far ahead after the first three laps, we knew it was done and dusted because when he gets to the front, he isn’t going to lose.”

As part of the ultra-popular British Touring Car Championship package, the AirAsia Renault Clio Cup enjoyed live coverage of its second race at Croft on ITV4 and ITV4 HD, and was streamed live at itv.com/touringcars. The series now moves on to Snetterton in Norfolk for the sixth round on the weekend of August 6/7.

STRONG RESULTS FOR SCUDERIA VITTORIA

New team Scuderia Vittoria had a strong weekend in the second round of the AirAsia Renault Clio Cup at Donington Park.

Matt Allison took a pair of competitive fifth-place finishes, while teenager Luke Wright finished 10th & 7th respectively after another encouraging performance by the new squad.

Allison, returning from a motorsport sabbatical since 2008, played a canny game after qualifying eighth for Saturday's race and sixth for Sunday's. He immediately got into contention for fifth in the first race, but was hit by young charger Tom Grice in a manoeuvre that relegated him to sixth. Ex-British Touring Car Championship racer Allison then did a great job to fend off a train of cars behind, and was promoted to fifth when Grice was penalised.

"I got a heavy knock on the front-right corner, and after that I had some understeer than in the car," he said. "The group in front were doing similar times but they got the jump early on me but I think we're looking good for tomorrow."

In the second race, Allison moved up to fifth early in the race and then closed the gap to the leading runners. He not only finished just 2.245 seconds away from the race winner, but set a better fastest lap that stood as the second fastest of the race on lap 12 of 14.

"We set the car up to come on midway through the race due to the increased temperatures today we were concerned about cooking the front tyres too early, but not as late as it actually did!" said the Palletforce plc supported man Allison. "The speed was there, and in another three or four laps we would have been hassling for podium places. But it's only my second race weekend back after two years away, so we're going in the right direction. I'm looking forward to the next round at Thruxton - it's one of my favourite circuits so hopefully we can get that elusive champagne spray!"

Matt went on the thank all his supporters this season including 'K B Wilde consulting' who attended on Saturday, The Alan Boswell Group, M&K Commercials Ltd, Motorcommerce.co.uk, MA Digital Media and of course title sponsor Palletforce plc who's IT Director Dean Hughes and associates were guests at Donington.

Team director Danny Buxton, the former Clio Cup champion who set Scuderia Vittoria up with Piers Masarati and Tom Ferrier, was impressed with his two drivers. "I thought Matt drove really well and he grew in confidence as the weekend went on," he said. "The rustiness is going, and that was proved from his second fastest lap in race two - I think his season will really start at Thruxton."

As part of the ultra-popular British Touring Car Championship package, the AirAsia Renault Clio Cup enjoyed live coverage of its second race at Donington Park on ITV4 and ITV4 HD, and was streamed live at itv.com/touringcars. The series now moves on to Thruxton in Hampshire for the third round on the weekend of April 30/May 1

SCUDERIA VITTORIA CLOSE TO PODIUM ON DEBUT WEEKEND

The brand-new Scuderia Vittoria racing team has had a hugely encouraging debut race weekend, coming within 0.4 seconds of a podium finish.

Former BTCC Racer and GT Champion Matt Allison and Luke Wright represented the team in the opening rounds of the Air Asia Renault Clio Cup at Brands Hatch, with Allison taking a superb fourth place and Wright unlucky to miss out on what could have been a podium finish in his first-ever weekend in a touring car category.

Wright, who raced in Formula Renault last season, qualified fourth for both races, whilst Allison, who had contested only one race weekend since spring 2008, was fifth and eighth on the two grids. Both drivers were within 0.2 seconds of pole position in the hotly-contested one make series.

Unfortunately, Wright was eliminated when he was hit from behind at the second corner of the first race. Even worse for the team, Allison was also knocked out of the race as a result of the chain reaction, with both cars sustaining identical steering-arm damage.

Race two faired much better for the Palletforce Plc. backed driver, Allison, who dropped a spot at the start after another hectic first lap which saw him narrowly miss a spinning car in turn 1. The Norfolk man then grabbed fourth when the second-placed car went out. He spent the following 15 laps within a few feet of ultra-experienced Clio racer Aron Smith for a podium position, but there was no way through.

“That was much better, and it’s great to get a result on board after yesterday,” said Matt. “It is nigh-on impossible to overtake on this circuit in a Clio because the braking zones are so small. With four or five laps to go I flicked my headlights on and Aron nearly locked up at the next corner and I thought I had him, but he kept it going! Our car was superb and on a bigger circuit we could have had a go for third, but I’m pleased with that, most of the other top drivers have had one bad result this weekend too so it’s almost as if we’ve reset the points. The team worked incredibly hard to get the car ready in time for the meeting and I’d like to thank my sponsors, Palletforce Plc, Motorcommerce.co.uk and the Alan Boswell group for their continuing support for what I’m sure will be a good season ”

Team director Danny Buxton, a former Clio Cup champion himself, who set Scuderia Vittoria up with Piers Masarati and Tom Ferrier, was delighted with the team’s form, if not the outcome of the first race. “Matt had less running before the season than most the other championship favourites and is playing catch-up a little, but he battled well and brought it home. After yesterday’s result he had to finish. He was quicker than the second and third guys in front but it’s difficult to pass cars here, and he did the right thing & showed his many years of experience and brought the car home for good points and in one piece.

“From a team point of view, the biggest compliment I can pay everyone is that it seemed as though we’d been doing this for years, rather than it being our first weekend. The team were fantastic. Matt’s car only arrived on Wednesday, and they had late nights on Wednesday/Thursday to get it ready & then on Saturday to repair the race damage. They did an amazing job.”

As part of the ultra-popular British Touring Car Championship package, the Air Asia Renault Clio Cup enjoyed live coverage of its second race at Brands Hatch on ITV4 and ITV4 HD, and was streamed live at itv.com/touringcars. The series now moves on to Donington Park, near Derby, for the second round on the weekend of April 16/17.