[alfa] Alfa Romeo Takes The 2003 European Touring Car Title

[Sonny <maxid@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Here's the whole story:

In a nail-biting finish to one of the closest fought seasons ever, Alfa Romeo
has snatched victory from BMW in the 2003 European Touring Car Championship,
with Alfa's Gabriele Tarquini taking victory in the drivers' championship by
one point in the final round of the season at Italy's historic Monza racetrack
on Sunday (19 October 2003).

Although Gabriele Tarquini and his BMW rival Jvrg M|ller entered the final two
races on the same points, Alfa was clearly the underdog, with Jvrg M|ller on
pole position. But by the end of the day, after some of the most exciting
racing of the season, the Italians emerged as top dogs, giving Alfa Romeo
its seventh ETCC championship title on the trot, bringing its total ETCC title
account to 12 championship wins.

In front of a 30,000 crowd, Alfa Romeo reversed its poor qualifying
performance, despite a massive first lap smash that took out eight cars, and
Alfa's Roberto Colciago was first to cross the line. He was later excluded for
having punted Dirk M|ller off the track, but Alfa didn't lose the win, with
James Thompson inheriting the chequered flag, from Andy Priaulx and Tom
Coronel, first of the independents. Tarquini obtained a precious fourth place,
while Jvrg M|ller lost an almost sure third position with only one lap to go,
due to a puncture.

These results gave Tarquini a provisional 101-point lead, ahead of Priaulx
with 97 and Jvrg M|ller third on 96.

The second race featured a tense and close fight between Jvrg M|ller, Coronel
and Tarquini, who finished in that order after no less than four lead changes.

"This is the seventh consecutive title in Touring Cars for us. I am not just
very pleased for the drivers, but also for my people in the factory, because
they worked hard through the night after our poor qualifying, and this victory
is as important for them as it is for the drivers," said Mauro Sipsz, Alfa
Romeo Nord Technology Chairman at the end of the race.
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