Gianni Morbidelli not taking title for granted

Gianni Morbidelli took the lead of the Superstars championship after Imola, leaving former joint leader Thomas Biagi with a huge 33-points gap to close. The Audi Sport Italia driver is not taking anything for granted, though, and knows that he will face a big challenge in Vallelunga.

The former Grand Prix driver is going to enjoy the results he got this weekend before starting to prepare for the next race, which is in two weeks.
“To be honest I want to take this day of happiness for the great result we got before starting to think about Vallelunga. What I can say now is that we will need to suffer until the track says that I won, I will not take it as just a formality,” said Morbidelli to TouringCarTimes.

The Audi Sport Italia driver was determined to hit back at those who state that Audi won because of the rain.
“It is true that the conditions played in our favour today, but this is the sixth win of the season for us. You can get a win by chance, but six wins in all sorts of different conditions – hot, wet, cold, dry – and I think our package is strong in general.”

The Italian emphasizes the effort of the team to be a big part of the joy of his victories.
“It would be unfair to just take the good things and leave them the bad ones. We’re a team, and we’re all responsible for the good – or bad – results that we get. There’s a lot of work behind this win and it didn’t just happen by chance and rain, it’s the result of the effort of several people.”

Morbidelli claims he doesn’t miss having a strong team-mate, despite Vitantonio Liuzzi and Biagi being able to help each other if needed.
“It’s not necessarily a disadvantage, to be honest. Of course, there are times in which you wish someone could help you, but on the other hand I have a team which is basically focused on me.

“As far as I know, Mercedes and Team Romeo Ferraris went the other way and decided to have two drivers with the same equipment and possibilities to fight for the title, and it could have played in Biagi’s favour today, but it didn’t. It’s just a different choice. Of course you need to be able to manage two strong drivers with basically the same possibilities, which is a problem we didn’t have at Audi Sport Italia as they decided to put their efforts on me.”

Morbidelli has a strong 33 point lead over main title rival Biagi and a further ten over Liuzzi, with just two races to go. The last event of the season takes place in Vallelunga in two weeks. Should he win the championship, it would be the fourth title for the former Ferrari driver in the Superstars Series. Two of those titles were won behind the wheel of the RS 5’s predecessor, the Audi RS 4. Morbidelli also boasts an International Superstars title, won with BMW in 2009.