Superstars Series: Front row for Gianni Morbidelli's Audi RS 5 quattro in Portimao qualifying

By Tarek Ramchani

A very busy Audi Sport Italia this weekend. In addition to the Italian GT Championship round at Imola where the team scored a fantastic pole position, the official Audi Italia dealer team is racing in the Superstars Series at Portimao. 

The team being splet in two locations a single Audi RS 5 quattro have been entered for the Portuguese round. The #45 Audi of Gianni Morbidelli who is currently second the driver's standing after double victories at Zolder last time out. The three-time Superstars Series performed very well today in the qualifying session with a fine second on the grid. Not bad from the Italian touring car ace as the Audi RS 5 quattro is carrying extra 60 kilograms and a smaller air restrictor. 

Gianni Morbidelli will have to fight with three fast Mercedes-Benz cars tomorrow in the two races. Pole position went to Luigi Ferrari with a Mercedes-Benz AMG C63. In third and fourth the factory supported Mercedes Romeo Ferraris cars of Vitantonio Liuzzi and Thomas Biagi. Both Liuzzi and Biagi are the direct rivals for Morbidelli in the hunt for the championship title. 

In addition the the official Audi Sport Italia entry two Audi RS 4 quattro (B7) cars are entering the Portimao round. The cars are from Adria Raceway with drivers Jonathan Giacon and Alessandro Battaglin. They qualified respectively in tenth and fourteenth.