28.09.2003 (lil), Press release Team Coloni, Formula 3

Formula 3 – Historic 1-2 result for Coloni at Monza!
September 28th ’03

It’s a historic result the one taken by Coloni Motorsport at Monza in the penultimate race of the Italian F.3: the outstanding 1-2 result Montanari-Bonanomi brings in fact on the first two places the Lolas-Dome F106 / Mugen-Honda of the Italian team, which gets his third win in 2003, after Mugello and Imola.

Sammarinese Christian Montanari didn’t offer any chance to his opponents: after having dominated qualifying and free practice, Coloni’s driver laid down the law also in race, leading the field from the first laps of the race to the chequered flag. Montanari’s performances throughout the whole Monza week end clearly show the excellent quality of the ongoing development work done by the engineers and drivers of Coloni Motorsport; the development process won’t stop now and it will continue in sight of Vallelunga (last race of 2003).

A very good result for Marco Bonanomi too: the young Italian started from the fifth position, but during the qualifying he already proved that the podium was in his reach. After a good start, when he made up two positions, Bonanomi overtook then Belgian Gregory Franchi at the Parabolica corner on the third lap, earning a precious second place and keeping it until the end of the race.

Coloni Motorsport’s duo gained an impressive lead on their opponents: eight seconds between Bonanomi and the third place, while there are almost twenty seconds between Marco and the fourth place. Title chase is now open again thanks to the wonderful result got by Montanari and Bonanomi and the Sammarinese driver will be able to fight for the Championship until the last lap of the last race, scheduled on October 12th at Vallelunga (I).

Christian Montanari, 1st : “Race went really good and I’m really happy with my victory. After the lights I skidded a bit and so Franchi passed me, but on the third lap I took back my first place with a overtaking at Variante Ascari. All was perfect and the car was excellent. I want to dedicate this win to my team and to Gianni Pedrazzani, a great friend of Enzo Coloni, recently passed away. Now things look to be promising, we won’t give up and we will fight for the title also at Vallelunga”.

Marco Bonanomi, 2nd : “It was a demanding week end but in the end I got an important outcome. I started well and on the first corner I could earn two positions and without clashes. Soon after, on the third lap, Christian passed Franchi and I did the same, overtaking him at the Parabolica and earning the second place. The car was good and I’m really satisfied with my result and with the work done by Coloni Motorsport”.

Paolo Coloni, Team Principal: “We dominated the race and thus we reopened the title chase. Now we will give 100% to win also at Vallelunga. Both Christian and Marco proved to be very mature and I’m very happy to have seen them finishing first and second. After Varano, we showed that we can rule also over fast tracks and now I’m looking forward to carry out the test in sight of Vallelunga, in order to try the latest technical solutions that will allow us to improve again. This 1-2 result here at Monza, where our last win dates back to 1986 and above all on the occasion of the painful disappearing of Gianni Pedrazzani, makes us really proud”.