Formula Fiat Season Opening in Brazil
04/30/97
by Joao Alcino Martins, FormulaNews
Special correspondent to The Auto Channel
SAO PAULO, BRASIL -- Last weekend the 1997 Brasilian Formula Fiat Championship, a popular touring car competition, began at Taruma circuit, in Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brasil. The series has two categories, Formula Uno and Formula Palio, with the Palio categorie split in class A and class B. The first round found teams adapting to race rules that had changed from last year's regulations. The teams will need to work hard to test and properly set up their cars, as the past records will not be useful for this year's competition--especially tire pressure and suspension set up.
"This year the suspension calibration and tire pressures were changed," said Andre Duek, driver for Alpagartas/Santista/Kwikasair. "Also," added Duek,"the races were enlarged to about 45 minutes, and this makes it possible for the most consistent driver to struggle for the victory." The races went well without any major noteworthy incidents. In Formula Uno, the Sao Paulo born Luizito Massa, Belco driver, got the top place in the podium while in Palio B series, the winner was Fred Marinelli, the defending champion. In the Formula Palio A race, Waldir Buneder, Bauduco driver, won back to back.
Top six drivers after first round for the Formula Fiat series are:
Formula Uno
P Driver Race time
---------------------------------
1 Luizito Massa 30:13.235
2 Romulo Rocha 30:13.581
3 Lairton Miranda 30:13.374
4 Aloysio Moreira 30:22.132
5 Felipe Gianetti 30:29.154
6 Ivan Sacht 30:29.630
Formula Palio B
p Driver Race time
---------------------------------
1 Fred Marinelli 45:20.024
2 Caca Bueno 45:20.130
3 Albery Spinola 45:20.580
4 Mario Covas 45:25.048
5 Jose Fiaminghi 45:26.024
6 Bruno Santos 45:32.545
Formula Palio A
P Driver Race time
---------------------------------
1 Waldir Buneder 44:57.674
2 Luiz Castro 44:58.332
3 Paulo Gomes 44:58.631
4 Ingo Hoffman 45:06.437
5 Elias N. Junior 45.06.615
6 Rogerio dos Santos 45.10.072