Beijing Guoan took a major step towards wrapping up the first Superleague Formula title with a win and a fifth place at the football-themed series’ Italian race weekend.
Liverpool started the first of the two races at Vallelunga from pole, but could not capitalise and Adrian Valles finished ninth after suffering from a slow pit stop and fuel pressure problems.
Fourth place in the second race behind PSV Eindhoven helped the Reds keep up the pressure on the Dutch club – the pair are second and third in the championship, separated by three points.
Beijing’s lead is now 59 points with only the two Jerez races remaining.
Rangers had their best weekend of the season, Ryan Dalziel climbing through the field in the first race to claim fifth, then bringing his car home safely as the last of the seven finishers in the second.
Duncan Tappy, driving for Tottenham, lacked the Harry Redknapp magic as he could manage only 11th in the first race and was knocked out of the second with four laps to go in a three-car accident.
Anderlecht’s Craig Dolby, who looked on the verge of dominating the series a few races ago, managed a seventh and a sixth place.