Felipe Massa’s Desafio Internacional das Estrelas, took place at the Beto Carrero World kart track over the weekend with qualifying, and two races. The grid for the first race was decided by a top 10 run-off of qualifiers and the grid for the second featured the top eight finishers of the first race in reverse order.
In the first qualifying Tonio Liuzzi set the fastest time, but in the top 10 run-off he was knocked back to second place by Jules Bianchi. The Frenchman went on to win the first race while Lucas di Grassi charged through the field to finish second with Liuzzi third. Fernando Alonso qualified 13th with Felipe Massa 15th. On the first lap Alonso went off and ended up classified 21st after retiring with a throttle problem after a second off. Massa finished 10th.
The second race featured local truck racer Beto Monteiro on pole, with Nelson Piquet Jr second and GP2 driver Felipe Nasr third. Nasr battled his way to the front to win from Piquet and Monteiro, while Bianchi charged through to fourth ahead of Liuzzi. With points awarded in both races, Bianchi emerged as the winner from Nasr with di Grassi third. Piquet was fourth with Liuzzi fifth. Massa was eighth and Alonso raced from 21st to 18th but failed to score and so did not figure in the final classification.
Sounded great — is there a video of it anywhere?
Nothing very relevant I’m affraid. But there are plenty of full races from previous years on YouTube. Just search for “desafio internacional das estrelas”.
This, and race of Champions – it’s always the ones you’d bet against that do well. Makes you pine for a spec-car race featuring an entire F1 field at the end of the season, no?
Its a shame this event isn’t televised like the Race of Champions.
It is televised, but only in Brasil. Although I believe that Eurosport used to broadcast it in Europe a few years ago.
Does this mean we’ll now be hearing Beto Monteiro to replace Alonso rumours in the Italian press?
kind of suggestive the livery of Julien Bianchi`s kart in the Desafio das Estrelas in Florianópolis,Brazil – @ http://flaviogomes.warmup.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/bianchinokart.jpeg
He is already a Force India driver.
Is this confirmed by the team? I have not read anything official but perhaps you know better than most? It would be a good move I reckon. Sutil doesn’t seem to bring “good Karma” into an Indian-owned team (for now!)
Are people, other drivers etc actually talking to Piquet Jnr then?
Some people think that in the end he did the right thing.
I certainly do. I applaude Piquet Jr but it is a shame he only did this when he was going to lose / lost his drive. Meaning he’d maybe not have said anything if Briatore kept him on. But still took guts and got rid of a pig of the sport.
Speaking of “the right thing” one of the better people in this world just died. RIP Aaron Swartz. The US govt. can’t chase you anymore. Simply a man trying to liberate information to make the world better, and for no personal gain.
What a waste of exceptional human talent, very, very sad to see a family devastated by such a needless act.
as opposed to stonewalling him?
or even stickitinthewallfor him ?
piquet jr did the right thing alright and got rid of flabio flavio, there are no room for cheats in this sport, good on you piquet jr….
Exactly.