Every year before the beginning of the sporting season we tell our readers about the rules of the racing series in which Tsunami RT Centro Porsche Padova will participate. And it is always up-to-the-minute, because the Porsche Cup format may change from season to season, sometimes out of all recognition.

That is what has happened to Porsche Carrera Cup Italia this year. We had hardly accustomed to three races in a weekend, change of drivers, timed pit stops, sprints and endurance races, and – up-a-daisy! Everything has changed again. We mean, forget everything you have known about the last season in PCCI. Let's start from scratch. So.

 

 

 

Racing weekend format

- free practices: 45 minutes without break, 1
- qualifications: 25 minutes for all the participants and 15 more minutes for 8 drivers who demonstrated the best time in the first segment
- 2 races with the start from rest that last (it is our preferable, inexplainable but traditional number) 28 minutes + 1 lap.

 

 

 

Starting order

In the first race the cars on the starting grid are located as follows. The first 8 places – according to the results of the second qualification. From 9th position and further – according to the results of the first qualification (those who did not pass to the second segment).

In the second race the starting order is defined by the results of the race No. 1, but at this 6 best drivers are lined up in the reverse order on the starting grid (we do not mean hind-foremost, but that the holder of the 6th place is located on the pole position, followed by the competitor who finished the 5th, etc.).

We should also note that if a car fades on the start, a driver will have no right to push it or to ask somebody to push it. These situations are not rare on the track, and it was the answer to a frequently asked question: "Why this person is just sitting in the car doing nothing to make it move?"

And to close the issue about operating failure, let us note that according to the rules one driver can use only one car during the weekend. So it is absolutely useless to bring a reserve car with you in case anything goes wrong. Weren't you going to do that? That's great!

 

 

Classifications

As always, all the drivers lined up on the start compete for the points in the absolute classification. Besides, there are:

- Michelin Cup classification – for non-professional drivers
- PCCI Scholarship Program – this is for professionals, but under 26
- female classification – anyway, it is announced, but we wonder if there will be any participants. It would be great!

 

Now let us talk about pleasant things. Qualification points

There are things impossible to repeat. Even if you won 20 points during the first race of the weekend, you will not be able to do this in the second one. Why is it so? Because you can get maximum of 16 points for the second race.

The schemes of points assignment:

Race 1
20-15-12-10-8-6-4-3-2-1

Race 2
16-12-10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1

Plus 2 points can be obtained for the pole-position in the race 1 (do not confuse: the pole position in the race 2 means only that you became the sixth in the first race of the weekend) and 1 point for the best lap in the each of the two races.

 

Technical nuances

Firstly, the use of the ABS system enters in Porsche Carrera Cup Italia this year.

Secondly, a few words about tires. You can use only used tires during free practices, and you have 8 brand-new slicks for the two qualifications and the two races. If it rains, everything will become much more simple: the number of rain tires is unlimited.

 

Where we are going

The season opens in anti-clockwise direction: in Imola, on April 28-30.
	Autodromo Internazionale "Enzo e Dino Ferrari", Imola Opened: 1953 Last rebuild: 1994 Lap length: 4.909 km Direction: anti-clockwise Turns: 17 Best lap time: 1:20.411 (Michael Schumacher, Ferrari, 2004)
At the beginning of June, on 2-4, we go to Misano.
	Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli Designed: 1969 Opened: 1972 Last rebuild: 2006 Lap length: 4.064 km Direction: clockwise Turns: 16 Best lap time: 1:33.918 (Casey Stoner, Ducati, 2007)
On June 23-25 the circuit of the capital, Vallelunga, will be waiting for us.
	Autodromo Vallelunga Piero Taruffi Designed: 1959 Last rebuild: 2004 Lap length: 4.085 km Direction: clockwise Turns: 10 Best lap time: 1:12.80 (Anthony Davidson, Honda RA 106-02 F1, 2006)
As always, Mugello is scheduled in the middle of summer: on July 14-16.
	Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello Designed: 1973 Opened: 1974 Lap length: 5.245 km Direction: clockwise Turns: 15 Best lap time: 1:34.316 (Gary Hauser, Dallara Renault, 2014)
And Imola again, on September 8-10.
The Porsche Festival takes place in Mugello on September 30 – October 1.
The final will be held in the inimitable Monza on October 20-22.
	Autodromo Nazionale di Monza Designed: 1922 Last rebuild: 2007 Lap length: 5.793 km Direction: clockwise Turns: 11 Best lap time: 1:21.046 (Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari, 2004)

 

 

Are you ready for the start? - Always ready! Please stay our fans, we always feel it!