Baldan lodges appeal and Kouřil is stripped of Imola podium

The results of today’s TCR Italy’s Race 2 at Imola remain suspended, as Nicola Baldan has lodged an appeal against the 5-second penalty that dropped him from second to eighth. The penalty was meant for the cut at the Tamburello bend after the start, when the former Italian champion went wide after making contact with another car and rejoined in fourth position.
Actually, Baldan’s eighth place became seventh, as Dušan Kouřil was handed a 25-second penalty for the incident that occurred at the Variante Alta during lap 8 and ended with Antti Buri crashing into the wall. 
This stripped the young Czech driver of his first podium result in the championship, as he had been promoted to third following Baldan’s penalty.
The man who benefitted the most from these decisions was the reigning champion Salvatore Tavano, fifth under the chequered flag, who has now been promoted to third. His leading margin in the standings is still of eight points over Baldan, but Buri and race winner Kevin Ceccon are now 12 and 13 points adrift.

Imola – Race 2 amended
1. Kevin Ceccon (Aggressive Team Italia, Hyundai i30 N), 15 laps
2. Mattias Vahtel (ALM Motorsport, Honda Civic Type R), 0.685
3. Salvatore Tavano (Scuderia del Girasole, CUPRA Leon Competición), 2.371
4. Eric Brigliadori (BF Motorsport, Hyundai i30 N), 3.156
5. Igor Stefanovski (AKK Stefanovski, Hyundai i30 N), 3.523

Championship points
1. S. Tavano 298 pts; 2. N. Baldan 290; 3. A. Buri 286 

Picture: ACI Sport