Race Report - Round 1 Monaco
Nasanu Claims Bragging Rights in Race One
The 2014 Track Stars Touring Car Championship kicked off in exciting fashion at the Cote d’Azur Street Circuit in Monte Carlo, Monaco on Thursday the 4th of September.
With a lap time of 1:31.722, Nasanu took the pole position for the opening race in his superior Mercedes-Benz. The fight for the remaining front row position was close, with ItzRacing’s last gasp qualifying lap falling 0.023 Seconds short of Nosoks’ earlier effort, seeing Nosoks take 2nd position. MTLA1984 occupied 4th position on the grid, while NW48 rounded out the field in 5th.
Race 1
Nosoks had a clean start from the front row and led the field into turn 1. His time at the front was short lived, with Nasanu, MTLA1984 and ItzRacing all moving ahead of him in the run up to Beau Rivage. Itz Racing then attempted and audacious move at Massenet, moving into 2nd behind MTLA1984.
The field had briefly sorted itself into single file heading through Casino, but ItzRacing then tried a pass on MTLA1984 into Mirabeau with Nasanu looking to do likewise to ItzRacing. ItzRacing then clipped the inside barrier with Nasanu right behind being disadvantaged, dropping to the rear of the field.
The battle for positions continued into the Loews Hairpin, with ItzRacing trying a move around the outside for the lead. NW48 moved ahead of his BMW Motorsport Teammate Nosoks into 3rd place and then ran side by side with ItzRacing through Portier, before ItzRacing moved ahead. MTLA1984 led the opening lap from ItzRacing, Nosoks and NW48, with Nasanu beginning his recovery at the rear.
ItzRacing closed up to the back of MTLA1984, attempting a pass at the Chicane and making contact. Both drivers continued in their positions. Nasanu’s charge through the field was taking shape, moving ahead of NW48 and then Nosoks heading in to Tabac.
ItzRacing continued to shadow MTLA1984 until he clouted the Armco barrier at Chicane, abruptly halting his progress and allowing Nasanu into 2nd position.
Nasanu then closed up to the back of MTLA1984’s Alfa Romeo. MTLA1984 made a slight slip exiting Anthony Noghes at the end of lap 7, which was all Nasanu needed to jump into the lead completing his charge from last to first!
NW48 retired from the race shortly after Nasanu took the lead, with Handling issues getting the better of his BMW.
Up front though, Nasanu streaked away in the lead (with his race suit on of course!) and crossed the line after 9 laps in spectacular fashion to take the race 1 Victory. MTLA1984 finished in 2nd place, ItzRacing rounded out the podium in 3rd place, Nosoks took 4th while NW48 retired from the race.