Having overcome the disappointment of his well-known disqualification for a technical irregularity on May 9th at Mugello, Manto made up for it with interest a month later.
RACE1: Starting from fifth on the grid, he made up position after position, finding a way to launch an attack for the lead midway through the first heat. From that moment on, he set a frenetic pace, certified by the fastest lap of 1’52″085, from that moment Andrea became uncatchable for his opponents, crossing the finish line at the end of the race with a lead of 2.714 seconds over the second-placed rider.
SUPERPOLE RACE: Ten laps maintaining a qualifying pace, so Andrea also took the victory in the Superpole Race after having already won Race 1 on Saturday. The Scuderia D’Ettorre driver immediately put himself in front of everyone, imposing an unsustainable pace for his opponents, thus taking his second victory of the season with a four-second advantage over his closest pursuer. In the end, Manto returned with a photocopy podium of Race1.
RACE2: Insatiable Manto makes it three out of three! Same podium as the first two races of the weekend also in Race 2. Mantovani, despite a complicated start and a couple of mistakes during Race 2, managed to climb back and take the lead in the second race as well. He also set the fastest race lap of 1’52.612 and finished the race 2.407 seconds ahead. With this weekend’s results, Mantovani now leads the championship with a 12-point advantage in the overall standings.
This is Mantovani’s fifth win in the category, his third aboard the Scuderia D’Ettorre Ducati Panigale V2, following his one-two at Misano last season.
ANDREA MANTOVANI:
Racing at Imola always feels special, and if you then achieve a hat-trick like this weekend’s, everything becomes fantastic!!! We didn’t get off to a great start; we had a series of problems that recurred both during practice and in the race. With our heads down and the harmony we created with all the guys on the team, we tackled one problem at a time and came out on top, so what can I say: it was a thoroughly deserved hat-trick! I’m very happy not only for the three victories but especially for the unity and atmosphere that reigned within the garage as we faced some difficult situations. For me, this meant a lot and allowed me to give 120% while I was on the track. Now we deserve some rest to best prepare for the key event of the year, the Racing Night in Misano, a spectacular race that always offers an incredible show. So I’ll see you in Misano on July 25th and 26th.
I thank all my sponsors and Team D’Ettorre for their work, which made this incredible weekend possible.
