10/11/11 - Gianmarco Raimondo Fastest in F3 Italia Test, ItaliaRacing.it(Italian)

Canadian F3 Italia pilot Gianmarco Raimondo was the fastest in today's testing session at Imola.

Si è conclusa la giornata di prove dedicate alle vetture di Formula 3 organizzata da Marzi Sport sul circuito di Imola. Il miglior tempo è stato fatto registrare da Gianmarco Raimondo, alfiere canadese del team Lucidi che ha fermato i cronometri su 1’42”037 al termine dei 68 giri percorsi, davanti al lombardo di casa BVM Target Giacomo Barri, distanziato di quattro decimi dalla vetta. Positiva prestazione per Raffaele Marciello, terzo a fine giornata, con la Dallara del team Prema,che dopo l’esperienza di Vallelunga col Supercorso Federale esordisce per la prima volta al volante di una Formula 3 in un contesto ufficiale. Nikolay Martsenko, con una vettura della serie tedesca, ha preceduto al quarto posto Andrea Roda, per la prima volta con Lucidi.

Sesto tempo per Hannes Van Asseldonk che continua l’apprendistato col Formula 3, e per la prima volta si è ritrovato a girare ad Imola con le difficili condizioni che hanno visto l’asfalto bagnato nella mattinata, andato lentamente ad asciugarsi nel pomeriggio. Settimo Victor Guerin, con l’unica Mygale presente in pista, mentre è ottavo il campione della Formula Abartrh Brandon Maisano, a precedere la coppia Ghinzani in chiusura di top-10 formata da Denislav Shishev e Leandro Florenzo. Chiude il gruppo Matteo Torta.

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10/11/02 - Gianmarco Raimondo F3 Italia Monza Report, Official Release

Gianmarco Raimondo, Canadian formula car racer, completed an amazing weekend of racing action at the world re-known Monza Circuit located near the town of Monza, Italy, home to the 2010 Formula One Italian Grand Prix. Raimondo had a stellar weekend that began with pre-event official testing the week before. The Italian Formula 3 series has become a hot bed of incredible racing featuring huge grids and amazing competition. The Lucidi Motors driver shook off two up and down weekends to post a fantastic run on the ultimate weekend of racing on the 2010 calendar. Official series pre-event testing for the final round went very well for Raimondo, his first trip to the legendary facility. Gmo would see the longer, faster track run much like the Circuit de Gilles Villineuve, in Montreal. The lower aero on the car makes it a lot more challenging and the drivers can really see the true mechanical grip of the F3 car, which is quite impressive.

"I have quickly learnt that drafting plays a big part on the time sheets at Monza. However for one to draft properly, you need to be extremely lucky because it has to be timed well with your pace and traffic ahead," comments Raimondo. "I am very excited to race here because I am able to pass at almost every corner and the draft gives us 10km/h more down the straights. I am also excited because it is the most famous circuit in Italy and one of the most famous tracks in F1. It was be a privilege to drive and race on this track."

Heading into the race weekend Raimondo looked to take the momentum from testing into the race weekend. In official weekend practice he would go 11th quickest in session one and then 12th quickest in session two. Following practice, the team prepped for qualifying, confident that Raimondo could better his practice times. In qualifying Gmo would step up to run quicker and secure a top ten in qualifying position with a tenth place result on the time sheets.

"I managed to obtain my best qualifying position of the year with a 10th, however was held up on one of my best laps in the last corner, the Parabolica," states Raimondo. "In the end it all comes down to the race and in Monza the grid will be a lot different from the beginning to the end."

And two great races would be in the works for the young driver. Looking to cap off a solid rookie campaign in European formula car racing, Raimondo completed race one in fantastic fashion making the most of every opportunity to close in on the lead group in the latter stages. In the first race Gmo went from 10th to 12th and finally to fifth for most of the race. On the last lap, Raimondo got caught up in between two other drivers in the last corner, the Parabolica. Gmo was then forced to give up one position to make the corner, however he still made contact with the driver on outside. It was a drag race to the line for 5th. At the line Gmo would cross in sixth place, his best finish of the season. Heading into race two with loads of confidence and new found experience Raimondo ran a great race to take a second top ten on the weekend and cross the stripe in 8th place.

"Monza was my best weekend of the season by far, top ten qualifying and finishing well in the points for both races and getting my 3rd place in the rookie championship as a result," smiles the St. Catharines native. "It was also a weekend where I had one of the best and hardest races of my life. The second race was a bit disappointing for me even though I placed well, as I had a lot of potential. I was losing too much straight-line speed due to excessive aero. Unfortunately we didn't anticipate the racing situation well enough to prevent it."

With 16 rounds of racing action completed over eight weekends at some of Italy’s most famous tracks, Raimondo would settle into 16th in the Overall Championship among nearly 30 runners. In the coveted Rookie Championship Raimondo would hit the top three taking third in the final tally.

"It's a shame the season was finishing right when I was starting to move up the grid," comments Raimondo. "This weekend will give me a lot of motivation towards next year and confidence knowing I can compete with the top group. It was an incredible learning year."

Plans for the 2011 season are currently underway as Raimondo looks to use this recent momentum to build his program for next season. Race fans can check out all final results of the Formula 3 Italia Series by visiting www.f3italia.it to view races online.

10/10/26 - Gianmarco Raimondo F3 Italia Mugello Report, Official Release

Gianmarco Raimondo, Canadian formula car racer, completed another up and down weekend of competition in the Italian Formula 3 series, which returned to the Mugello Circuit for a second time in the 2010 season. The Lucidi Motorsports driver entered the race very up beat after a very solid run in both timed practice sessions in the 28-car field. Raimondo went ninth quickest in the first session and was the fastest rookie on the sheets. In the second timed practice session Raimondo went 11th quick and was again the quickest rookie in the session. GMo carried that momentum into timed qualifying were he set the 12th fastest time for the race one grid and matching that for the race two grid.

"Practice in Mugello was very good," commented Raimondo after the Friday sessions. "I believe I am able to get up to speed in a short amount of time from driving Formula BMW where there was limited track time."

Race one was a tough start for the weekend for the talented teenager from Southern Ontario now living in Italy. A misstep on the start sent him backwards right from the lights going gree. The problem would see him sidelined before he could complete a single lap, not the race the rookie Formula 3 driver wanted to have in the final stages of the long and productive season.

"In Race 1 I made a mistake I did for the first and the last time. I stalled on the grid. I stalled because the way I perform my starts I almost have the clutch completely released and when I started to creep forward I lifted the gas very slightly and this was enough for the engine to just die," commented Raimondo. "With only 220hp and a lot of grip in the rear tires, it is very difficult to get the starts right. Also the way we have our brake configure, I couldn't have simply applied more brake to stop the creeping."

Bouncing back on the Sunday, Raimondo was focused on getting a good result and he did just that. Showing great character and incredible focus, Raimondo put the Saturday result behind him and looked to make the most of the Sunday event. From his 12th place starting spot, Raimondo had a great start and moved forward on lap one and quickly got into a solid groove as be raced wheel-to-wheel in the opening laps. At the stripe Raimondo would grab his second top ten result of the season and score more championship and rookie title chase.

"Race 2 was very good for us, top 10 and second in rookies," states Raimondo. "The car was a bit challenging in traffic, but once I was able to overcome the other cars ahead of me and drive in free air, I was executing similar times to my teammates. In the end I am constantly gaining experience with the car/tracks and also learning; unfortunately through mistakes."

Raimondo then went onto the famous circuit of Monza in preparation for the final round of the 2010 campaign. Drivers will take to the track starting on Friday for the eighth and final weekend being held at the Monza Circuit October 22nd for rounds 15 and 16 of the sixteen round series. Race fans can follow all the racing action of the Formula 3 Italia Series by visiting www.f3italia.it to view races online.

10/10/07 - Gianmarco Raimondo F3 Italia Mugello Preview, Official Release

Gianmarco Raimondo, Canadian formula car racer, completed a full day of official team testing at the Mugello Circuit located near the city of Firenza, Italy as a lead up to the second to last weekend of racing in the hotly contested Italian Formula 3 Series. The Lucidi Motorsports driver joined his teammates for the test as the series leading squad looks to finish off the season strong. Raimondo headed to the Mugello Circuit on the 28th of September with a plan in mind and ready to make the most of the closing stages of his freshman European campaign. Always looking forward and positive to the next event, keeping track on all the tasks at hand, the F3 rookie is looking to make a final push in the closing two rounds on the season.

"I believe we've established a good base set-up to work from," states Raimondo. "The team is working very hard to keep the cars in tip top shape for optimum performance. Every time I come to the shop the team is constantly working on the cars."

The test at Autodromo Internazionale Del Mugello was a good development test for Raimondo as he was able to narrow the gap to his teammates and could work more on a technical level with his team engineer. This extra session of seat time will prepare the rookie F3 driver very well for this next race and give Gmo some added confidence as he fights for the Rookie Championship title. Raimondo ran his fastest time in the first of the four on track sessions as the team worked on a number of set-up options during the full day of testing. With the test complete, thoughts now turn to the upcoming seventh weekend of racing.

"Once again, qualifying is the main goal for this track because come race time, passing is very limited," commented Raimondo. "However another thing to take into consideration is the tire conservation. With the track surface being so abrasive and the average speed reaching 180km/h; this track is incredibly demanding on tires and so as the driver I have to keep this in mind all the time."

With two four points scoring races left over the remaining two race weekends, Raimondo is focused on moving to the top of the rookie standings. The final round will take place at the historic Monza Circuit. Drivers will take to the track starting this Friday for the seventh weekend beginning on October 10th for rounds 13 and 14 of the sixteen round series. Race fans can follow all the racing action of the Formula 3 Italia Series by visiting www.f3italia.it to view races online.

10/10/01 - Gianmarco Raimondo F3 Italia Vallelunga Report, Official Release

Gianmarco Raimondo, Canadian formula car racer, completed an up and down weekend of competition in the Italian Formula 3 series. The race at Vallelunga marked the sixth event in the eight weekend series, which will return to the Mugello Circuit and then end the season at the famous Monza Circuit, home of the 2010 Italian Formula One Grand Prix. The Lucidi Motorsports driver is very up beat and well prepared to take the on tough battles as his rookie season comes to a close. Raimondo would run well in both timed practice sessions in the 26-car field setting the fourteenth quickest time followed by the fifthteenth quickest lap. In timed qualifying Raimondo would move up nicely setting the eleventh fastest time for the race one grid and matching that for the race two grid.

"Our qualifying strategy didn't go according to plan. The session started with the track somewhat wet, so we had to anticipate the weather," commented Raimondo. "Unfortunately we didn't properly time the track condition with when the tires were their best. We put our tires on too early because we thought it was going to rain at the end of the session, however instead it dried up and the last five laps were one second a lap faster."

In race one Raimondo would see contact early as the field stacked up heading through corner one with Raimondo sandwiched in between two other cars after the first corner and could do absolutely nothing to avoid the circumstance. The contact would force Raimondo to retire with suspension damage placing him in 23rd place in the final standings. Shaking off a tough race, Raimondo headed in Sundays race action ready to charge forward. Off the start Gmo was able to get through the ensuing traffic jam unscathed. He held his position as the mid pack field battled hard for position. At the line it Raimondo scoried his second top ten result of the season crossing in the tenth position and scoring championship points along with valuable Rookie points.

"The second race was much better and a lot more fun. It was a race where I really had to fight for my positions on the first lap and use all of my racing experience to overcome the situations I was in," continues Raimondo. "During the race I managed to score some fast laps and keep pressure on the experienced drivers ahead of me; bringing the car home in the points."

Raimondo will head to the Mugello Circuit as he prepares for the official test on the 28th of September. Always looking forward and positive to the next event, keeping track on all the tasks at hand the F3 rookie is looking to make a final push in the closing two rounds on the season.

"I believe this test will be one of my better tests at Mugello, having raced and tested here earlier this year will give me a better understanding of the track's characteristics," states the 19-year-old. "The race will be more or less the same as the last weekend, in that there won't be a whole lot of passing due to the lack of aerodynamics in behind another car."

With four points scoring races left over the remaining two race weekends, Raimondo is focused and understands his primary objectives.

"For the most part, the main objective for this next race weekend will be qualifying, so I'm sure we will be analyzing how the track behaves throughout the day to get somewhat of a good reading. I think the track surface and characteristics will be different in this race because the temperature is going to be much colder and the cars racing before us will have different rubber than last time," continues Gmo. "In the end my goals are to gain as many rookie points as possible and to learn as much as possible from everyone and everything."

Drivers will take to the track starting on Friday for the seventh weekend being held at the Mugello Circuit October 10th for rounds 13 and 14. Race fans can follow all the racing action of the Formula 3 Italia Series by visiting www.f3italia.it to view races online.

Gianmarco Raimondo completed two seasons as a Formula BMW Americas Junior Driver, winning the coveted Junior Scholarship in 2007 and taking the 2008 Formula BMW Americas Rookie Championship thus making him a double BMW scholarship winner. He also placed 3rd in the overall Championship both years in the BMW series. Gmo was born and raised in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada and is building a strong on track racing resume along with off track appearances and special event programs. For more information on Gianmarco Raimondo's racing career and sponsorship opportunities please visit www.gianmarcoraimondo.com or call 905-650-5623.

10/09/20 - Gianmarco Raimondo F3 Italia Vallelunga Preview, Official Release

Gianmarco Raimondo, Canadian formula car racer, heads back into racing action following two challenging rounds of the Italian Formula 3 Championship. Looking to close out a solid rookie campaign on Europe soil, the young St. Catherines native is looking forward to returning to familiar territory as he heads to the circuit at Vallelunga. This coming weekend at Vallelunga marks the sixth weekend in the eight weekend series, which will return to Mugello and then end the season at the famous circuit in Monza home to the recent Italian Formula One Grand Prix. The Lucidi Motorsports driver is very up beat and well prepared to take the on tough battles at the upcoming race.

"Vallelunga is the track that I have the most experience on in Italy. I participated in last years race weekend and have also tested there with my current team, Lucidi Motors," comments Raimondo. "Now having a lot more seat time and experience with the team, I know this weekend will be amazing for us."

The team has been working better and harder than ever this last half of the year. The solid effort on all fronts is pushing Raimondo to be even more focused and positive on the upcoming race weekend. Formula 3, usually abbreviated F3, is universally recognized as one of the most important on track racing series for emerging drivers. The Formula 3 program was christened by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) in 1950. The great success and the history of the series have allowed the direct passage of some drivers to Formula One.

"This facility has a combination of many different series of corners, camber, elevation and most importantly passing zones," continues Raimondo. "I am approaching this race with a lot of confidence and drive, especially coming from the last two weekends where things didn't go according to plan."

With the F3 Italia series past the halfway mark, the points championship is beginning to heat up in both the overall championship and the rookie title. On the line is a test with the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team. Drivers and teams recently completed a test at the track in preparation for the event. With six more rounds still score there is plenty of opportunity for drivers to make major moves in the standings.

"There is still a chance for me to attain the rookie title from my third place in these last three weekends of the season," smiles Raimondo from his home base in Italy. "I am planning to push as hard as possible to close the gap this next weekend where I don't have as much of a disadvantage."

Raimondo has also upped his online program as well. Gmo recently made a Fan Page on facebook that will link to his official website www.gianmarcoraimondo.com.

Drivers will take to the track starting on Friday for the sixth weekend being held at the Vallelunga Circuit, which will host the 11th and 12th rounds on September 26th and 27th. Race fans can follow all the racing action of the Formula 3 Italia Series by visiting www.f3italia.it to view races online.

Gianmarco Raimondo completed two seasons as a Formula BMW Americas Junior Driver, winning the coveted Junior Scholarship in 2007 and taking the 2008 Formula BMW Americas Rookie Championship thus making him a double BMW scholarship winner. He also placed 3rd in the overall Championship both years in the BMW series. Gmo was born and raised in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada and is building a strong on track racing resume along with off track appearances and special event programs. For more information on Gianmarco Raimondo’s racing career and sponsorship opportunities please visit www.gianmarcoraimondo.com or call 905-650-5623.

10/07/21 - Gianmarco Raimondo F3 Italia Mugello Preview, Official Release

Gianmarco Raimondo, Canadian formula car racer, is set for a return to racing action just three short weeks from his solid run at Imola were the rising open wheel star earned his first championship points with a fantastic top ten finish. The easy-going Ontario teenager has been living in Italy and has immersed himself in the European racing community. Working closely with the Team Lucidi engineering staff on a near daily basis, the young single seater transplant is excited to return to the Mugello track. Gmo sits in third spot in the rookie championship point standings after six rounds, just four points back of second place.

"Mugello is a very famous circuit in Italy. Holder of Moto GP races and being an official test track for the Ferrari F1 team, it will be a eventful race weekend for our series," commented Raimondo from his new home in San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy. "It's a very fast and challenging track. With blind and high-speed corners, Mugello forces drivers to use their maximum abilities at all times. This will provide an interesting two races."

The team has spent a lot of time testing at Mugello and Raimondo has run several sessions on the tricky circuit in preseason development giving him a solid footing heading into the pivotal mid point of the season. Drivers will contest rounds seven and eight of the 16 round, eight weekend series. Hitting the half way mark is a major milestone for many of the drivers as the pressure begins to build toward the final round in Monza in late October.

"Judging from preseason testing, our team is very strong at Mugello. Knowing this and the results we've achieved in Imola, I have full confidence going into this weekend," continues Raimondo, now working his third straight season of single seater racing. "My goal for this weekend is to have an exceptional qualifying. Focusing on this will settle me in the right position to gain better results and place my car well in the points."

Drivers will take to the track starting on Friday for the fourth weekend being held at the Mugello Circuit, which will host rounds seven and eight on July 25th and 26th. Race fans can follow all the racing action of the Formula 3 Italia Series by visiting www.f3italia.it to view races online.

10/07/07 - Gianmarco Raimondo F3 Italia Imola Report, Official Release

Gianmarco Raimondo, Canadian formula car racer, completed a fantastic weekend of racing at the exciting and historic Imola Circuit. Through six on track sessions Raimondo and the Team Lucidi crew worked hard to stay on top of the changing track conditions. While not yet halfway through the sixteen-race schedule, Raimondo is making his mark in the rookie title and now seeing himself on the championship charts.

In Friday free practice Gmo clocked through in session one in the 16th spot with a time of 1:44.199. The team made some nice changes and Raimondo went to seventh in the second session with a time of 1:43.294. The solid practice runs set the Raimondo up for a strong run in Saturday qualifying. As the time qualifying session progressed Raimondo didn't find the pace he was looking for and would settle for 16th putting him outside row eight for the standing start.

"Qualifying was not the best for me. Adjusting to the different rubber and grip level threw my limits off a bit, and by the time I finally re-established everything, it was too late unfortunately," commented Raimondo after the morning session. "The lap I did however, was somewhat consistent to my practice lap that put me in seventh, so I'd like to see it as something positive."

In race one it was a hard fought battle from the start as Raimondo looked to move forwarding heavy traffic and keep the car under him. Making steady progress was the order of the day and in the closing stages the 19-year-old driver had made his way up to 12th position. Running in tight formation looking for more spots before the checkerd flag, the car directly in front of Raimondo spun on the last corner causing Raimondo to check up and allowing the two drivers behind to pass on the straight away. At the flag it was Gmo crossing the line in 14th spot as completing all the scheduled laps.

"Race 1 was a bit unfortunate for me, even though I gained positions from where I started, the end of the race was unlucky," continued Raimondo. "The start was good, the pace was good, and I gained positions throughout the race. Out of all the situations I could control, the race was quite good."

Sunday round six competition would be one of best races this season for the rookie driver. The race would go very well from the start with Gmo grabbing spots early on as he worked traffic. Moving up 10 positions in the first 2 laps starting from 16th showed that the car was good and the team was on it's game. At the line it was Gmo finishing in eighth to crack the top ten and secure some championship points.

"Near the end of the race is when everything started to become difficult," commented Gmo. "The rear tires were starting to overheat a bit from the constant battling with other drivers, and the heat started to take effect."

Raimondo was able to collect some valuable points and now sits in 16th in the overall championship points standings and third in the Rookie Championship chase. Gmo has score rookie points in all six rounds of the Formula 3 Italia series.

"Finishing well in the points shows great foresight for the races to come. Mugello is next on the list and judging from our results this weekend, I have a feeling it's just going to get better."

Up next is the fourth weekend being held at the Mugello Circuit, which will host rounds seven and eight on July 25th and 26th. Race fans can follow all the racing action of the Formula 3 Italia Series by visiting www.f3italia.it to view races online.

10/06/30 - Gianmarco Raimondo F3 Italia Imola Preview, Official Release

Gianmarco Raimondo, Canadian formula car racer, is heading to the heart of Italian motor racing as he joins the field of competitors in the Formula 3 Italia Series taking place at Imola this weekend. Marking the third weekend of action, racers will compete in rounds five and six of the 16-race championship. With a test with the venerable Scuderia Ferrari F1 squad on the line for the series champion, the drivers will be on their game at the Mecca of Italian motorsport. For Gianmarco "Gmo" Raimondo, his Italian heritage and passion for racing will come together this weekend as he looks to move up in the rookie standings. Sitting in third spot, Raimondo is just three points back from second place. Raimondo will also look to score his first championship points this weekend at a track he knows well.

"We need to close the gap from third to the rookie title and gain some points for the overall championship," comments Raimondo from his new home in Italy. "I like the track and we have tested here already this season."

A favorite stop on the Formula 3 Italia Series calendar, the long history and great name that is Imola provides an air of energy and excitement for all the drivers. For Raimondo, who carries the colours of both Canada and Italy on his helmet, success this weekend is important for his season. Preseason testing with Team Lucidi will give Gmo some valuable knowledge and confidence heading into the weekend.

"With such a high passing and challenging track, I believe the races in Imola will be very interesting," continues Raimondo. "The testing experience and the work done with driver coaches and engineers has properly prepared me for this race weekend."

Coming off two solid runs through the field in Hockenheim, Gmo will look to improve in qualifying and put himself at the sharp end of the grid to score maximum points. As the 29-car field looks to make up ground on series leaders, every lap will be key as drivers face two tough rounds of racing at the demanding high speed circuit.

"The physical preparation I've done at Formula Medicine the past week has also given me the confidence needed to come out of this weekend with good results," states Raimondo on enroute to Imola. "A demanding track like Imola requires the driver to be in top physical and mental condition."

Race fans can follow all the racing action of the Formula 3 Italia Series by visiting www.f3italia.it to view races online.

Gianmarco Raimondo completed two seasons as a Formula BMW Americas Junior Driver, winning the coveted Junior Scholarship in 2007 and taking the 2008 Formula BMW Americas Rookie Championship thus making him a double BMW scholarship winner. He also placed 3rd in the overall Championship both years in the BMW series. Gmo was born and raised in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada and is building a strong on track racing resume along with off track appearances and special event programs. For more information on Gianmarco Raimondo’s racing career and sponsorship opportunities please visit www.gianmarcoraimondo.com or call 905-650-5623.

10/06/16 - Gianmarco Raimondo F3 Italia Hockenheim Report, Official Release

Gianmarco Raimondo, Canadian formula car racer continues to improve and impress in the Formula 3 Italia Series. Working closely with Team Lucidi mechanics and engineers, the 19-year-old St. Catharines native is gaining confidence in the closely contested F3 grid. The team headed to Hockenheim, Germany for second weekend of racing that saw 29 drivers take part in rounds three and four of the 16 round junior formula car series. Coming off a solid weekend at Misano Adriatico in the season opener of the Italian Formula 3 2010 Championship, Raimondo looked to complete the race schedule and take home some more valuable points. In the opening weekend at Misano, Raimondo was able to qualify in seventeeth in the wet and move forward in race one up to sixteenth also in the wet. Race two was held under sunny dry conditions and Raimondo was able to charge forward to eleventh spot at the stripe. This past weekend at Hockenheim would prove more challenging and the rising start would stand up to the elements and score well.

"Friday was the first time the car has been driven since it had been fixed from my massive testing crash in Imola a few weeks earlier," commented Raimondo from his new home in San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy. "In the first session I was already having problems with an oil leak from the engine, spraying a bit of oil on my rear tires and brakes. The team worked like animals all through the night taking apart every piece trying to find the issue."

Saturday qualifying started with heavy rains that diminished in intensity as minutes went by forcing many teams and drivers to gamble on set-up as the track was getting drier and drier. The changing conditions caught Raimondo off guard and a spin kept him from taking advantage of the drying track conditions with fast laps coming late in the session. Raimondo was only able qualify in twenty-sixth with a time of 1:59.371.

"In the rain for qualifying, everything seemed in order," continued Raimondo. "It was unfortunate that I didn't get a chance to better my times as I had to retire early from the session, having to start from 26th in both races."

third3rd lap Raimondo had rocketed up to fourteetn position. On the last lap Gianmarco was able to simultaneously advance on the two drivers battling in front of him, finishing twelfth at the checkered. All three Team Lucidi drivers were able to salvage solid results with Raimondo able to recover up to the twelfth final place, second of the rookies.

"Knowing that the condition and the set-up of my car was podium quality and that I've had success in pre-season testing there, I had confidence entering the race," commented Raimondo on his race one charge forward. "Moving up 14 spots is really good on that track."

Race two, held the following day under sunny skies, would see Raimondo make another amazing charge forward through the field. The talented teenager left nothing on the track as he attacked from the drop of the green to mount an assault on the field. At the flag Raimondo had moved up 15 positions to take eleventh in the final tally. Raimondo is currently third in the rookies' classification at 41 points and has an 18 points gap to the lead.

"Entering the second race, I had even more confidence from the first. Even though my start wasn't as successful as the previous one and the change in rubber from other cars changed driving style a bit, I was still able to get in the right positions to pass and finish eleventh," continued Raimondo. "Overall the weekend for me was incredibly difficult, but on a positive note I learned a lot of race craft and built an even better relationship with my team. Let's hope Imola will be better knowing that we have the pace."

While the team was not able to grab all the points they had hoped for, Raimondo's performance was one of note for the Team Lucidi squad.

"Raimondo has been the only one of the team to finish the two races," commented Team Principal Gabriele Lucidi. "He (Raimondo) is growing and his third place in the rookies classification is certainly encouraging."

The Italian Formula 3 Championship will be back on track next 4 July at Imola. Raimondo will compete in the full Formula 3 Italia Series, which consists of 16 races run over 8 race weekends. The races take place in:

Misano, Italy on 25/04/2010
Hockenheim, Germany on 13/06/2010
Imola, Italy on 04/07/2010
Varano, Italy on 29/08/2010
Vallelunga, Italy on 26/09/2010
Mugello, Italy on 10/10/2010
Monza, Italy on 24/10/2010

Race fans can follow all the racing action of the Formula 3 Italia Series by visiting www.f3italia.it to view races online.

Gianmarco Raimondo completed two seasons as a Formula BMW Americas Junior Driver, winning the coveted Junior Scholarship in 2007 and taking the 2008 Formula BMW Americas Rookie Championship thus making him a double BMW scholarship winner. He also placed 3rd in the overall Championship both years in the BMW series. Gmo was born and raised in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada and is building a strong on track racing resume along with off track appearances and special event programs. For more information on Gianmarco Raimondo’s racing career and sponsorship opportunities please visit www.gianmarcoraimondo.com or call 905-650-5623.

10/04/27 - Lucidi Motors Race #1 Report, lucidi.com

First success for Team Lucidi Motors at Misano Adriatico in the season opener of the Italian Formula 3 2010 Championship.

Bad weather had a crucial role on Saturday, with rain wetting the circuit since qualifying: in these precarious grip conditions Richelmi set the eighth fastest time (1'55.516), a performance that guaranteed by rule race two's pole position. More troubled was the session of Campana thirteenth (1'56.461) and Raimondo, seventeenth (1'57.218).

Race one, held in the late afternoon on Saturday under the rain, witnessed a good recovery from Richelmi who finished fifth and therefore into points . Campana and Raimondo finished at the chequered flag respectively in fourteenth and sixteenth position.

Very different was the outcome of race two instead: Richelmi kept the lead from the first to the last lap on the dry, obtaining in this way his first victory in the Italian Formula 3 Championship. Eleventh place instead for Gianmarco Raimondo, second of the rookies, while Sergio Campana was forced to the retirement due to a contact with an opponent.

In the absolute classification Richelmi is now fourth with 21 points, seven points adrift the leader. Raimondo is third in the rookies classification at 23 points, ten shy of the top.

Gabriele Lucidi (Lucidi Motors, Team Principal):
"Richelmi obtained important points for the classification with the victory of race two after the fifth place in race one. Qualifying unavoidably conditioned Campana's weekend, that unfortunately finished early due to a contact in race two, while Raimondo finished both races with a good level performance for a rookie driver".

The Italian Formula 3 will be back on track next 13 June at Hockenheim, Germany.

10/03/01 - Raimondo sets his sights on F1, Wheels.ca

St. Catharines teen to race in Italian F3 series this season, aims for test with Ferrari F1 team


By Norris McDonald, Toronto Star Wheels

Most Canadian parents are used to seeing their children leave home for any number of the usual reasons: summer camp, school trips, university and so on.

Some parents send their children off for longer periods, whether it's to boarding school (for their education) or - in the case of teenage boys - to some small Canadian community for the start of what everybody in the family hopes will be a successful professional hocky career.

And then there is the Raimondo family of St. Catharines, father Emilio and mother Anna Maria, who in the last 10 days have sent their 19-year-old son Gianmarco to Italy where he'll soon take the first step in a journey that he - and they - hope takes him to the summit of motor racing, the Formula One Grand Prix circuit.

Click here for the full story.

10/02/24 - GMO Posts third quickest time in pre-season testing, italiaracing.net

Third in fact concluded the Canadian Gianmarco Raimondo with a time of 1'32 "890. David has also shot with Michelin tires. Lucidi explains: "The French tires more grip so I have preferred him to travel several miles with this kind of rubber, to become familiar better driving the car. Then we switched to the Kumho and was even faster than a tenth. Richelmi is a very skilled pilot, but we are down to earth. It is only a test, others have tried in different conditions of rubber and certainly not thrilled at this result."

Click here for the full story.

10/02/04 - Gianmarco Raimondo 2010 season preview, Official Release

Gianmarco Raimondo, the 2008 Formula BMW Americas Rookie Champion, continued to impress in 2009 and now takes another step in the formula car racing ladder system as he heads to Europe to take on the very challenging Formula 3 Italia Series. The series offers competitive racing every weekend at some of Europe’s best tracks and provides one of the most coveted prizes in all of formula car racing. The top three drivers in the championship receive an official test day with the Ferrari F1 team at the end of the season. The series has been operating since 1964 and has had such drivers as Giancarlo Fisichella as series champion in 1994.

"Last year was a great year for me. Even though the year didn't go as well as I planned, I still have no regrets and have learned from all of my results," comments Raimondo. "Winning in Mosport on home turf ended the season on a high note and is also a plus to my motivation for the following year. Formula BMW was a great learning and competitive series from which I have gained a lot of experience."

Click here for the full story (PDF).

10/01/13 - Gianmarco Raimondo with Lucidi Motors in Italian Formula 3, Lucidi Motors

Team Lucidi Motors reached an agreement with the driver Gianmarco Raimondo for the 2010 season of the Italian Formula 3 Championship.

Raimondo, Canadian class 1990, after several successes in karting, won the rookies title in Formula BMW Americas in 2008 championship that saw him protagonist in 2009 too, season ended with the victory in the concluded round at Mosport.

Gabriele Lucidi (Team Principal):
"Raimondo is a promising young driver: he acquired a good technical preparation during the two years in Formula BMW Americas and this will allow him to face in the best possible way a competitive championship like Italian Formula 3. The work during pre-season tests will be very important but I am confident Gianmarco will do good things since the beginning".

10/01/01 - Canadian Raimondo to race in Italian F3 in 2010, Wheels.ca

Here's a quick follow-up on my item regarding the 2010 racing plans of talented St. Catharines teenager Alex Ellis.

Ellis had a teammate at Toronto's Team Autotecnica, Gianmarco Raimondo, who finished third in the 2009 Formula BMW Americas championship and who also hails from St. Catharines. Raimondo and Ellis, besides racing on the same team, also attended the same high school in St. Kitts.

Raimondo is in Italy as we speak, signing a contract to race in the Italian Formula 3 series this season with the Lucidi Motors team, whose driver, Mirko Bortolotti, won the '09 championship.

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