Rangoni Corse, which had already won the Clio Cup Series and Clio Cup France with Gabriele Torelli, Clio Cup España with Damiano Puccetti and Clio Cup Mid-Europe with Lorenzo van Riet, completed its grand slam by winning the Clio Cup Italia with Anthony Jurado. While David Pouget (GPA Racing) and Nicolas Milan (Milan Compétition) won by the narrowest of margins, Damiano Puccetti, Guillaume Maio (GM Sport), Mickaël Carrée (T2CM), Alex Lancellotti (GPA Racing) and Cristian Ricciarini (Essecorse) claimed the last remaining titles at the season finale at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza.
21 October 2024
Competitors headed to the iconic “Temple of Speed” for the last meeting of the 2024 season with six crowns still to be awarded. On Friday, Alex Lancellotti was the fastest in the rain during the first free practice session before Anthony Jurado took over in milder conditions in the afternoon.
Race 1: Pouget’s experience sees him to the win
On Saturday, Nikola Miljkovic (Tempo Racing) claimed pole position ahead of Anthony Jurado and Lorenzo van Riet. Conditions changed for the race, which started on a damp track. The poleman kept the lead over Anthony Jurado, but the order was reshuffled further back following a hectic first corner. From tenth on the grid, Jack Byrne (GPA Racing) moved up to third place while Gabriele Torelli’s race was over after he was run into by Mauro Polderman (AST Competition).
Anthony Jurado and Nikola Miljkovic exchanged the lead on lap four in a battle that cost them a five-second penalty each for track limits. The battle escalated as the Serbian driver fought back in the Variante Ascari, but their pursuers took advantage to make it a seven-car confrontation for the win. Among them, Nicolas Milan and David Pouget used all their experience to slot between the two leaders.
David Pouget kept pushing to take first place, but Nikola Miljkovic and Nicolas Milan made the most of the slipstream to surprise him at the start of the last lap. However, the Frenchman took advantage of the fierce duel between his two rivals in the second Lesmo to regain the upper hand. His teammate Alex Lancellotti followed suit, finishing just 0.017s behind his team leader at the chequered flag.
Nicolas Milan finished third, ahead of junior Jack Byrne. Fifth at the line, Nikola Miljkovic was among the drivers penalised for track limits. Also penalised, Anthony Jurado was nevertheless promoted to fifth ahead of Leonardo Arduini (MC Motortecnica), Guillaume Maio, and Damiano Puccetti, who were inseparable throughout the race. Ludovico Longoni (MC Motortecnica), Lorenzo van Riet and Gentleman Nava (MC Motortecnica) followed in that order.
Race 2: Monza to Milan in 0.002s
In the rain on Sunday, Nicolas Milan stole the last pole position of the year from the Lancellotti cousins in his last effort. Behind them, David Pouget and Jack Byrne made it four GPA Racing’s Clio Cups in the top five.
The sun returned for the final race of the season. Nicolas Milan controlled the start, while Mattia Lancellotti got the better of Alex Lancellotti before the safety car intervened following the first corner incidents. Nicolas Milan and Mattia Lancellotti remained at the front on the restart, but Nikola Miljkovic snatched third place from Alex Lancellotti after a push earned him a drive-through penalty. The action allowed the leaders to pull away and reshuffled the pack in a lively chasing group. Ninth on the grid, Anthony Jurado moved up in the top five before the neutralisation caused by Roland Bordacchini (Rangoni Corse).
When the safety car disappeared, Nikola Miljkovic between Nicolas Milan and Mattia Lancellotti in a three-wide battle at the entrance to the Variante del Rettifilo before moving in between his two rivals. Anthony Jurado and Gabriele Torelli joined the three men as the final sprint approached, and the Serbian was handed another penalty for failing to respect the limits of the track.
Although he held on to the lead ahead of Anthony Jurado in the Parabolica, Nikola Miljkovic fell to 32nd place following the enforcement of his penalties. Huddled in the slipstream of the fallen leader on the final straight, Nicolas Milan snatched victory from Anthony Jurado by just 0.002s. Gabriele Torelli completed the podium ahead of David Pouget and Challengers Lorenzo van Riet and Alex Lancellotti following Mattia Lancellotti’s penalty. Giacomo Trebbi (MC Motortecnica), Junior Damiano Puccetti and Gentleman Cristian Ricciarini rounded off the top ten.
CLIO CUP SERIES
Crowned at Circuit Paul Ricard, Gabriele Torelli experienced his only retirement of the season. Second on Saturday and winner on Sunday, Nicolas Milan retained second place overall ahead of race one winner David Pouget and Anthony Jurado. Jack Byrne and Damiano Puccetti shared the spoils in the Junior category, with the Italian winning by just one point from Leonardo Arduini. Guillaume Maio won the Challengers’ first encounter and managed his pace to secure the title on Sunday. Mickaël Carrée, already the best Gentleman in Clio Cup France, also won the class on the European scene on Saturday before rounding off his campaign with a victory.
CLIO CUP ITALIA
Of the five remaining contenders for the Clio Cup Italia title, Alex Lancellotti edged out Anthony Jurado on Saturday to set the scene for a thrilling final duel. The Frenchman emerged victorious on Sunday to give Rangoni Corse a grand slam for the first time since Milan Compétition in 2021. Alex Lancellotti consoled himself with a double class win securing him the Challengers title. Leonardo Arduini, already crowned in the Juniors category, scored another brace of wins. Lastly, Cristian Ricciarini won the Gentlemen class, dominating both races to seal the title ahead of Stephan Polderman (AST Competition).
The Clio Cup Series now focuses on the 2025 season, which will kick off at the Circuit Paul Armagnac in Nogaro (France) from 18 to 21 April.
Clio Cup Series – 2024 Hall of Fame
Clio Cup Series
• Overall: Gabriele Torelli (ITA, Rangoni Corse)
• Juniors: Damiano Puccetti (ITA, Rangoni Corse)
• Challengers: Guillaume Maio (FRA, GM Sport)
• Gentlemen: Mickaël Carrée (FRA, T2CM)
• Teams: Rangoni Corse (ITA)
Clio Cup España
• Overall: Damiano Puccetti (ITA, Rangoni Corse)
• Gentlemen: Samuel Chaligne (FRA, T2CM)
Clio Cup France
• Overall: Gabriele Torelli (ITA, Rangoni Corse)
• Juniors: Florian Venturi (FRA, GM Sport)
• Challengers: Calvin Comte (FRA, Comte Racing)
• Gentlemen: Mickaël Carrée (FRA, T2CM)
Clio Cup Italia
• Overall: Anthony Jurado (FRA, Rangoni Corse)
• Juniors: Leonardo Arduini (ITA, MC Motortecnica)
• Challengers: Alex Lancellotti (ITA, GPA Racing)
• Gentlemen: Cristian Ricciarini (ITA, Essecorse)
Clio Cup Mid-Europe
• Overall: Lorenzo van Riet (NED, Rangoni Corse)
• Juniors: Mauro Polderman (NED, AST Competition)
• Challengers: Lorenzo van Riet (NED, Rangoni Corse)
Clio Cup Series – 2025 provisional calendar
18-21 April: Nogaro (France)
9-11 May: Dijon (France)
30 May-1st – June: Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium)
4-6 July: Imola (Italy)
18-20 July: Misano (Italy)
1er-3 August: Magny-Cours (France)
19-21 September: Valencia (Spain)
3-5 October: Le Castellet (France)
17-19 October: Monza (Italy)
Clio Cup Series
