11 drivers have registered for the BOSS GP FORMULA class at the “Peroni Race Weekend” in Imola (ITA) and went on track for first action on Friday morning. Season races 13 and 14 will take place at the circuit in the north-east of Italy on Saturday and Sunday. The first free practice was scheduled on Friday morning (29th of September) at 10:20 a.m. It was a smooth practice session under great conditions.
Both BOSS GP classes – OPEN and FORMULA class – went on track together for the practice session. Weather conditions in Imola are great: 17°, sunny and dry.
With the exception of one red flag phase, due to a spun off the track by Walter Steding (Inter Europol Competition), practice turned out well and ran smoothly. Mahaveer Raghunathan (PS Racing by Coloni Motorsport) showed the fastest performance of the FORMULA class at the first practice session on the 4,909 km long track with a lap time of 1:31,968 min in his Lola Auto GP.
Salvatore De Plano (l.) on track in Imola 2017, followed by Florian Schnitzenbaumer.
Raghunathan, staying twelve laps on track, was followed sharply, with a enormous close gap of just 0,018 sec, by Salvatore De Plano (MM International Motorsport) with a best lap time in 1:31,986 min. The Italian showed a good performance in his Dallara GP2. Highly ambitious, the local hero racing in Imola wants to “push, push, push”. It was Johann Ledermair (Ledermair Motorsport), who completed the trio on top of the grid. With 1:32,702 min he showed the third fastest time of the FORMULA class during first free practice in his Dallara GP2.
Johann Ledermair on track in Imola 2017.
Florian Schnitzenbaumer (Top Speed), Walter Steding (Inter Europol Competition), Armando Mangini (MM International Motorsport), Karl-Heinz Becker (Becker Motorsport), Martin Kindler (Jenzer Motorsport), ‘PETER’ (Ray-Ban) and Nicolas Matile (PS Racing by Coloni Motorsport) completed the grid. René Kouwenberg had some issues with the time transponder, but went on track for practice session as well.
Results of first free practice of FORMULA class at “Peroni Race Weekend”:
| Position | No. | Name | Nat. | Team | Car | Fastest lap (min) | Gap (s) | Laps | km/h |
| 1 | 115 | Mahaveer Raghunathan | IND | PS Racing by Coloni Motorsport | Dallara Lola | 1:31,968 | 12 | 277,4 | |
| 2 | 999 | Salvatore De Plano | ITA | MM International Motorsport | Dallara GP2 | 1:31,986 | 0,018 | 9 | 290,8 |
| 3 | 444 | Johann Ledermair | AUT | Ledermair Motorsport | Dallara GP2 | 1:32,702 | 0,734 | 8 | 290,0 |
| 4 | 888 | Florian Schnitzenbaumer | GER | Top Speed | Dallara GP2 | 1:35,580 | 3,612 | 11 | 281,7 |
| 5 | 505 | Walter Steding | GER | Inter Europol Competition | Dallara GP2 | 1:38,290 | 6,322 | 8 | 289,3 |
| 6 | 323 | Armando Mangini | ITA | MM International Motorsport | Dallara GP2 | 1:38,571 | 6,603 | 8 | 268,4 |
| 7 | 411 | Karl-Heinz Becker | GER | Becker Motorsport | Super Nissan World Series | 1:42,048 | 10,080 | 10 | 273,2 |
| 8 | 430 | Martin Kindler | SUI | Jenzer Motorsport | Nissan World Series | 1:42,477 | 11,037 | 8 | 261,3 |
| 9 | 111 | ‘PETER’ | FRA | Ray-Ban | World Series by Renault | 1:48,848 | 17,408 | 9 | 246,4 |
| 11 | 116 | Nicolas Matile | SUI | PS Racing by Coloni Motorsport | Lola Auto GP | 1:51,368 | 19,400 | 11 | 260,7 |
| 12 | 139 | René Kouwenberg | NED | De Boer Manx | Dallara GP2 |
MORE:
Picture gallery of Imola 2017: bossgp.com/gallery/imola-boss-gp-superprix
Schedule Imola 2017: bossgp.com/timetable-for-the-peroni-race-weekend-in-imola-ita
OPEN class: First free practice in Imola 2017: bossgp.com/open-class-gerstl-set-the-speed-at-first-free-training
FORMULA class: Start list Imola 2017: bossgp.com/formula-class-start-list-for-boss-gp-superprix-in-imola-ita-is-set
OPEN class: Start list Imola 2017: bossgp.com/open-class-start-list-for-boss-gp-superprix-in-imola-ita-is-set
Standings of season 2017: bossgp.com/standings
29/09/2017
