With some determined comeback performances, Francesca Raffaele made up places in the second TCR Italy round at Misano, as Carlotta Fedeli fought against adversities in the midfield.
Misano World Circuit was the stage of the second racing weekend for the Italian TCR 2020 season, with both Francesca Raffaele and Carlotta Fedeli making their return to the grid after the previous round at Mugello for the championship season opener.
The BF Motorsport driver had an impressive debut a couple of weeks ago, but a difficult qualifying session forced the young lady to start her second TCR weekend from the eighth row. One spot behind her, it was the other lady on the field, experienced racer Carlotta Fedeli.
Misfortune immediately hit the young Audi lady at the start, when she stalled just before the green light and she was forced to rejoin the group from the back of the grid.
Nonetheless, Francesca Raffaele showed her potential and in the initial stages she was able to advance up into the midfield, with an even better second part of the race - where she managed to clinch a spot in the top ten.
It wasn't a positive start of weekend for Carlotta Fedeli either, who finished P14 after a challenging race in the middle of the pack and suffered from a contact with her husband Federico Paolino.
Felice Jelmini dominated Race 1 and led the entire 25 minutes of the heat, but a post race penalty handed by the stewards for a technical infringement on his Hyundai assigned the victory to Raffaele's teammate, Eric Brigliadori.
Argentian driver Franco Girolami, who ran in second place and looked like the only competitor able to fight the leader Jelmini, suffered a puncture on his left front tyre at mid-race, which allowed Brigliadori to conduct a comfortable second half of the competition in second.
Salvatore Tavano, Mauro Gustamacchia and Marco Pellegrini fought for the last podium spot, with the Cupra Girasole driver ultimately able to defend his positions from the attacks of the rivals.
Marco Pellegrini took his Hyundai to fourth, but thanks to the penalty inflicted to the race winner, he completed the official top three positions.
Sunday's Race 2 saw the starting grid being shaped by the inversion of the top eight due to the reverse grid rule, with Iverti as polesitter.
Francesca Raffaele was again authour of a strong comeback during the race: after running in P14 in the initial stages, she recovered a handful of positions straight from the start.
On lap 8 she was involved in a close battle with a group of five drivers and with a decisive move she was able to avoid a spinning car and moved up into P11 - a position that she would keep until the chequered flag.
Carlotta Fedeli found herself involved in a contact with Andrea Argenti's Opel on lap 2 - fortunately avoiding major damages - but was left with few opportunities to recover up through the field in the remaining laps.
Eric Brigliadori doubled his Race 1 victory and crossed the finish line ahead of Marco Pellegrini after a winning move on the last Misano Circuit's corner with 1 lap to go.
TCR Italy's next round will be at Imola on the last August's weekend.
