The opening sessions of the second round of the 2012 Campionato Italiano Velocità took place today at the “Enzo e Dino Ferrari” circuit of Imola. Over 130 riders, across seven categories, battled it out against the clock as they worked to refine their bikes ahead of Sunday’s races while also striving to secure a strong grid position. The Stock 600, Moto2 and Moto3 categories all make their Imolese debut this weekend as in 2006, when the CIV last visited this track, these classes were not yet part of the Italian championship.

FIRST QUALIFYING RESULTS – the provisional fastest time for the Superbikes was set by Matteo Baiocco (Ducati – Team Barni) who stopped the clock on 1’49”748. His closest rivals, Gianluca Nannelli and Fabrizio Lai, also set impressive times with the former (riding the Ducati prepared by Team Grandi Corse) closing just five hundredths of a second from the leader while Lai, riding for Team Althea Racing by Echo, was only nine hundredths off Baiocco’s pace. The fourth Ducati in the first four belonged to Conforti who was followed by Clementi.

After his win at Mugello, Riccardo Moretti, riding the Indian Mahindra machine, once again topped the 125 Gp timesheets with a fastest time of 2’02”948; behind him, Andrea Mantovani (Aprilia), and Tuscan rider Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Aprilia – O.R. by 2B Corse-Zack M, who crashed in the final stages but was unhurt). Rome’s Mazzola and Frenchman Arciero completed the top five.

Provisional pole in the Moto3 class went to young Andrea Locatelli, making his CIV debut on the Honda with the San Carlo Junior team (his best time was a 2’04”437). Second and third place went to his two team-mates, or rather Mugello’s race winner Matteo Ferrari, and Michael Coletti. Imperiali Racing’s duo, Santoro and Valtulini, closed in fourth and fifth place respectively.

Another impressive result today for Riccardo Russo (Yamaha – Team Italia FMI) who, after having taken the win in the European championship at Imola just one week ago, clocked today’s fastest time in the national Stock 600 category. His best, a 1’54”510, was a few tenths better than the times set by Franco Morbidelli (Yamaha – RCGM Team) and Nicola J. Morrentino (Yamaha – Elle 2 Ciatti), who finished second and third ahead of Vitali and Cocco. Team Barni and Ducati secured both first and second in the Stock 1000 class. First place at the end of today’s session went to Simone Saltarelli who, thanks to a time of 1’51”619, put his 1198 in front of the 1199 Panigale ridden by his team-mate, Ivan Goi. Third and fourth for the protagonists of the opening Mugello round, Alessio Velini (BMW – 2R Antonellini by Bargy) and Alessio Corradi, while Perotti closed fifth. In Supersport it was Roberto Tamburini (Honda) who set the fastest time in the final minutes (1’52”622) to finish ahead of Russian rider Vladimir Leonov (Yamaha – Yakhninh MS), and Massimo Roccoli with the Yamaha of Team Bike Service – WTR Ten 10. Dionisi, the current leader in the standings, was fourth, ahead of Gregorini. Danish rider Robbin Harms (Bimota by Edo Racing) recorded a 1’54”289 to assure himself of first place in the Moto2 category, in front of Bolognese rider Ferruccio Lamborghini (Team Quarantaquattro Racing) and reigning champion Alessandro Andreozzi (Andreozzi Reparto Corse).

LIVE TV AND INTERNET COVERAGE – On Sunday live coverage will began at 11.30am on Nuvolari (ch. 144 Sky and Digital Terrestrial) with the Stock 600 and Stock 1000 races while on Sportitalia 2 (ch. 226 Sky and Digital Terrestrial) the Superbike, 125 Gp/Moto3 and Supersport/Moto2 races will kick off from 1.50pm. The Mugello round will also have good coverage abroad thanks to Motors TV (coverage of the event across Europe) and with TenSports, Indian television that will broadcast the 125/Moto3 category. The racing is also broadcast on the Internet, in live streaming on the CIV website in collaboration with Sportube.tv.

USEFUL INFO – The second free practices begin tomorrow at 9.55am while official qualifying will start at 2.50pm, at the end of which the race grid will be established. Racing will get underway on Sunday morning, with the Stock 600 at 11.45, followed by the other categories. Tomorrow you can come and watch qualifying at a price of 10 euros for a field ticket that includes paddock entry (5 euros for FMI card-holders) while on Sunday tickets cost 15 euros (10 for concessions).  A two-day ticket costs 20 euros (15 for concessions).