| Monza, 2006 April 2nd Alberto Cerrai takes win in the first race The first race of the 2006 Trofeo Audemars Piguet Maserati Europa season was run today (Sunday 2 April) at Monza. The race was won by Alberto Cerrai, winner of the 2005 Trofeo Maserati. He edged out Maurizio Fabris and Manuel Villa. At the end of the 23 laps, Cerrai's total time was 51'38"907, an advantage of 23"294 and 31"154 over his pursuers. The end of the race witnessed at tight battle for second spot between Manuel Villa and Andrea Demegni (in the Pakelo VIP car). Demegni nudged Villa into a spin from which he recovered to come back onto the track in fourth. At the chequered flag, the race order was Cerrai, Demegni, Fabris and Villa but a 20 second penalty for Demegni saw him relegated to fourth. For Villa, the ex-rally driver, it was the first pole in the Trofeo Maserati. Starting on the shoulder of Diego Alessi in row one, Cerrai held second until lap 14 when he eased into the lead and increased his advantage lap after lap. Lap four saw the safety car called for after the Brazilian Beto Richa went off at the Ascari curve. The pack bunched up once more with Alessi up front. On the successive lap, the young Nicolò Oddi overshot turn one and ran into Alberto Radaelli's Trofeo GranSport. Oddi was forced to retire while Radaelli managed to keep going until the 17th turn. Luigi Moccia and Stefania Grassetto did well to come seventh in the Toora VIP car. They were beaten by the experts Alberto Pizzicannella (fifth) and Alberto Vescovi (sixth). The third VIP vehicle, bearing Audemars Piguet colours, finished 15th with Jean Claude Andruet and Philippe Liechti on board. Apart from the three cars that retired, all the Maserati Trofeo GranSports (20 at the start) made it to the finish at Monza, a testimony to its reliability. The same can be said of the Pirelli tyres, sponsor and sole supplier of the Trofeo Audemars Piguet Maserati Europa. Despite the high temperatures, the Pirelli P0 tyres guaranteed an elevated level of performance from the cars. The next round of the Trofeo Audemars Piguet Maserati Europa will be held on 7 May at the Silverstone circuit in England. The event will form part of the FIA GT International Championship. Final standings |
| 1. Cerrai |
23 laps in 51'38"907 |
| 2. Fabris |
+ 23"294 |
| 3. Villa |
+ 31"154 |
| 4. Demegni |
+ 31"592 |
| 5. Pizzicannella |
+ 33"806 |
Trofeo Audemars Piguet Maserati Europa 2006 classification after race 1 |
| 1. Cerrai |
25 points |
| 2. Fabris |
20 |
| 3. Villa |
16 |
| 4. Demegni |
13 |
| 5. Pizzicannella |
11 |
