Bulletin MOSCOW

SUNDAY

SATURDAY August 23

ITALY'S ROGGIERO TAKES POLE IN MOSCOW!
GILLMAN'S POLE STREAK STOPS AT FIVE!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-Moscow,Russia - "The Streak" has finally ended. Italian driver Massimo Roggiero of the John Player Gold Leaf race learn has ended the dominance of American Scott Gillman in qualifying this season, as he rocketed his way. to a fastest 42.19 second lap for an average lime of 161. 9kph and will lead the pack away for tomorrow's Grand Prix of Russia, the 6th slop of the UIM Formula 1 World Championship tour.

Roggiero, who had the pole in last season's Grand Prix of Greece, ended his 9 race drought and now has his best chance for victory with a field of 23 drivers battling for World Championship points on the Moscow river. The driver from Varese, Italy is currently mired down in 11th place in the World Championship this season with his best finish coming in St Petersburg where he finished 3rd. Massimo, who staled in the top2 starting Spots in four of last season's races, seems to have his confidence back with a new boat and engine combination and will be looking for his first Fl career win.

World championship points leader, Scott Gillman, of Basalt, Colorado, missed his 6th straight pole of the season, by just .11 of a second and will start 2nd off the dock looking for his 5th straight victory in 1997. GilIman, who did a 42,3 was the only other driver to qualify above the 160kph mark at 160.8kph and continues to lead in the Pole Position Championship with 115 points.

Finnish driver, Pertti Leppala, of the DAC Europe Team, reached the top 3 for the first time this season in qualifying and is looking to cut into Gillman's 17 point lead in the World Championship points race. Leppala, who is looking for his first. ever F1 win in his 2nd season in the series, did a 42.63 second lap and a. time of 159. 6kph.

Four-time defending World Champion Guido Cappellini, will start 4th in his DAC Racing DAC hull with a time of 43.39 for a clocking of 159.4kpm. Cappellini, who won 8 of 9 events last season is still looking for his first victory of the season and sits in 3rd place in the title chase with 45 points.