Photo: TCR Italy

Nicola Baldan reclaims points lead with Race 2 win at Imola

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Nicola Baldan is back in the TCR Italy points lead after winning the second race of the weekend at Imola while main rival Ruben Volt finished third.

BRC driver Gabriele Covini (Hyundai) started from pole but was shuffled down the order after contact with Baldan at Turn 1 as the Audi driver bounced over the curbs.

Matteo Poloni was tapped into a spin at the start and made light contact with the barriers. The Gear Works driver was able to rejoin the race only to retire at mid-point due to a technical issue.

Junesung Park made a strong start from third and was able to snatch second place from rival Hyundai driver Alex Ley.

But the South Korean driver suffered a puncture with six minutes left of the race and dropped down to 22nd and last position.

Race 1 winner Volt was on a move early on from seventh place on the grid, passing rival Honda driver Jacopo Cimenes for fourth with 19 minutes left of the race.

The top seven were close in the fight for the top position, including Canadian driver Nicolas Taylor who received a ten-second penalty for an infringement of the pre-race procedure – dropping him to eighth place.

Aikoa Racing driver Baldan won the race just over a second ahead of Target Competition driver Ley while Volt claimed the final podium spot.

Cimenes was fourth ahead of Cupra driver Salvatore Tavano while Damiano Reduzzi rounded off the top six.

Baldan heads the standings on 242 points, eight more than Volt.

The penultimate TCR Italy race weekend of 2024 takes place at Vallelunga on September 20-22.