Mugello is back on the Clio Cup calendar for the first time since 2020. Popular with motorsport fans, the venue is home to the Italian Moto GP Grand Prix and the Tuscan F1 Grand Prix. With its long straight, and beautiful natural elevation changes through its 15 corners and fast sections, Mugello promises a top-notch show with 45 Clio Cups in action !

Clio Cup Italia : can anyone stop Jelmini ?

The Clio Cup Italia contenders are determined to win on home soil. Unbeaten so far this season, points-leader Felice Jelmini (PMA Motorsport), who won at Mugello back in 2019, will be the odds-on favourite. Amongst his challengers Gabriele Torelli (Faro Racing), Giacomo Trebbi (MC Motortecnica), Cosimo Papi (Scuderia Costa Ovest) and Sandro Soubek (Mair Racing Osttirol) will use their knowledge of the circuit to make up ground before the second half of the season. 2020 Clio Cup champion, Massimiliano Danetti (PMA Motorsport) will also hope to be in the fight for victory in his first appearance of the year, as will Alessandro Brigatti (Progetto E20 Motorsport), who is becoming increasingly more competitive in Clio Cup Europe.

In the Challengers Cup, Giacomo Trebbi will defend his lead against Cosimo Papi and Cristian Ricciarini (Essecorse), who has won with several different generations of Clio at Mugello. Meanwhile, Alessio Alcidi (Tuder Motorsport) and Gianalberto Coldani (MC Motortecnica) have their sights set on their first success of the year in the class, as does Lorenzo Nicoli (Progetto E20 Motorsport) and Damiano Puccetti (PMA Motorsport). William Mezzetti (Progetto E20 Motorsport), who has been a consistent front-runner until now, hopes to raise his game and score his first podium, as do Jacopo Giuseppe Cimenes (Essecorse), Mattia Lancellotti (Faro Racing) and Sandro Cutini (Proteam Race).

Following his brace of victories at Misano, Quinto Stefana (Milan Compétition) will try to extend his lead in the Gentlemen Drivers Cup. However, he will have to keep an eye on Luciano Gioia (Essecorse), who won outright at Mugello in 2013. Meanwhile, veterans Daniele Pasquali (Tuder Motorsport), Due (Oregon Team), Andrea Cordini (Oregon Team) and Diego Cassarà (Faro Racing) hope to score their first victory while Francesco Cosentino (Scuderia Costa Ovest) and Pietro Blumetti (PMA Motorsport) aim to create a surprise.

Journalists Gian Luca Pellegrini and Alberto Sabbatini will complete the Italian contingent, as both are invited to drive the #333 Clio Cup in the Press League this weekend.

A turning point in Clio Cup France ?

The Clio Cup France drivers head to the turf of their Clio Cup Italia brethren to begin the second half of their season just before the summer break. With four wins and two second places, David Pouget (GPA Racing) has taken a narrow lead over Clio Cup Europe leader Nicolas Milan (Milan Compétition). The duel between the two men will continue in Italy, but their pursuers will take advantage of any slip-up they may make.

Third in the general classification, Léo Jousset (Milan Compétition) will try to take the lead of the Challengers Cup from Joran Leneutre (JSB Compétition), as will Alexandre Albouy (GPA Racing), Jerzy Spinkiewicz (Uniq Racing) and Alexandre Finkelstein (GPA Racing). Meanwhile, Aurélien Renet (JSB Compétition) and Guillaume Maio (GM Sport) will try to get back into contention before the final sprint.

In the Gentlemen Drivers Cup, Mathieu Rigoulet (Vic’Team) looks to extend his winning streak and widen the gap over his rivals before the summer holiday, but defending European and French Gentlemen Drivers champions Lionel Viguier (T2CM) and Laurent Dziadus (Team Lucas) hope to reverse the trend. The GPA Racing quartet of Cédric Delcroix, Pierre Monmaneix, Horn and Benjamin Cauvas are also keen to make up ground, as is Michel Faye (GM Sport) following his strong weekend in Hungary.

Three guest drivers will also be in the field. Clio Trophy France Asphalte front-runner Styve Juif will swap his Clio Rally5 for a Clio Cup in his debut with GM Sport. Lastly, Uniq Racing will field race-winner with the fifth generation Clio Cup this winter in the Middle East, Mexico’s Eduardo Miranda, as well as Taiwan’s Lin Chen Han, keen to gain more experience ahead of his upcoming Clio Cup Eastern Europe rounds.

From Friday, the 46 competitors present in Italy will be on track. Both races will be streamed live on the Renault Clio Series Facebook page and the Renault Clio Series YouTube channel.

TIMETABLE

Friday 15 July
11:10-11:40 am : Collective tests 1
2:35-3:05 pm : Collective tests 2

Saturday 16 July
11:40 am-12 pm : Qualifying 1
7:10-7:40 pm : Race 1 (25 minutes + 1 lap) | Facebook | YouTube

Sunday 17 July
11:50 am-12 : pm : Qualifying 2
3:20-3:50 pm : Race 2 (25 minutes + 1 lap) | Facebook | YouTube

Entry list