Christian Merli 2nd overall at Tenerife

Behind the wheel of his Osella PA21 4C with a supercharged 1170 cm3 engine, Christian Merli finishes 2nd overall at the 21st Subida Arona – La Escalona in southern Tenerife, Canary Islands. The event started at Playa de las Américas and took place in one single day. Two practice runs in the morning and three race runs in the afternoon, with the two best times being retained. Overall victory goes to Simone Faggioli racing his customary Nova Proto NP01.

Christian, five runs in one day
“Definitely exhausting, with little time between runs to work on our Osella. A very tight race, and we’re really happy with our result. The car is very agile in mixed sections and on technical tracks. The organisation was excellent, Scuderia Zapatera managed to plan a race all in one day despite having 120 cars at the start. We were given a great welcome, and there were many spectators on the course. It was fantastic and we’re bringing home a great result.”

Practice and race all in one day
In the first practice session on Saturday morning Simone Faggioli is fastest in his 3-litre car, followed by the local hero, the Spaniard Eduardo Lauren García Estévez, with a similar car. Christian Merli in his Osella PA21 4C is third, 2”450 behind, finishing ahead of a number of 3-litre racing cars. The track is 4.400 km long. A winding track, which starts immediately with fast and wide third-gear hairpins with straights between them. Half way through, there is a series of equally fast double bends, then there are more straights and tight hairpins, followed by a final stretch with third-gear corners. In the second practice run García Estévez in his Nova Proto NP01 finishes first, 0”689 ahead of Christian, next are Caruso (Nova Proto NP01-2), Faggioli and Hin (Osella FA 30). The first race run takes place in the early afternoon. Merli pushes hard and is first. Faggioli is 0”862 behind, García Estévez 1”071. In the second race run, which follows soon after, García Estévez is fastest, 0”804 ahead of Faggioli and 1”464 ahead of Merli. The third race run starts at 6pm Spanish time. Faggioli finishes first, Merli is second, followed by Caruso. As per the regulations, each driver’s best two runs are retained. Thus Faggioli wins, followed by Merli and García Estévez.

Podium
1st Faggioli (Nova Proto NP01), 2nd Merli (Osella PA21 4C Turbo) 2”359 behind, 3rd García Estévez (Nova Proto NP01) 2”750 behind.

Translation by Ruth Scheithauer