18.05.2003

Coloni Motorsport gives the first prestigious European victory to the all-new Lola-Dome F106 Mugen Honda on the “Enzo e Dino Ferrari” track in Imola

After Austria, in Imola too the red of Coloni Motorsport dominated, with the Italian squad protagonist of the fourth race of the Italian F.3 Championship, thanks to the wonderful victory of Marco Bonanomi and the third place of Christian Montanari.

Marco Bonanomi –second in starting grid- was the front runner with a perfect race: immediately after the start, the young Italian of Coloni was able to attack pole sitter Galeffi and he did pass him on the first corner, conquering the leadership. Starting from this point, nobody could put in danger the first place of Bonanomi, who took his first victory in a single-seater car, after only four Formula 3 races, giving to the all-new Lola-Dome F106 Mugen Honda the first victory in Europe.
The success has been completed by Christian Montanari, who took the third place with an excellent start that allowed him to earn two positions.

Today ended an unforgettable week end for Coloni Motorsport, which in two day obtained two victories, in F.3000 with Sperafico and in F.3 with Bonanomi, writing a glorious page in the history of the Italian team.

Tomorrow Christian Montanari will test at Rockingham (UK) the Minardi F1, thanks to the cooperation between Coloni Motorsport and Paul Stoddart.

Marco Bonanomi, driver: “It was a superb race and all is gone right. I started well and so I was able to place myself side by side to Galeffi and then to overtake him. After 3 or 4 laps I pulled away and therefore I had only to mange my first position. The car was very good, we did a good job in the whole week end and we know that we had the capability of obtaining very good results. I’m very satisfied with my first victory in a single-seater and in F.3 thanks to Coloni Motorsport”

Christian Montanari, driver: “I drove a good race, I achieved an excellent third place. Maybe I could obtain a better result, because, attempting to overtake Piccini, I ended in the gravel, I lose many seconds and so I took ‘only’ the third place. However I’m very happy because in race the car was perfect and our first and third place confirm it. This makes me very confident for the next race”.

Paolo Coloni, Team Principal: “We are really proud because we gave to Lola-Dome his first victory in Europe. The team, the car and the drivers are growing very quickly and this makes us satisfied and is the best reward for the efforts and the choices made. This victory is also important for our program tended to help the young drivers and to bring them in F.3000 first and in F.1 later. I want to thank all the people supporting us in our F.3 project”.