In the VRL Summer Trophy, Robin Verdegaal entered the last race at Monza with a 14 pts lead over Martin de Graaf. Starting from pole position, gaining extra championship points, his chances were strong even before the flag dropped. In a five-way battle with Vanhee, de Graaf, Király and surprisingly strong Nissan Skyline driver Kristof Engelen in the first laps, Verdegaal lost several positions.

The championship was quickly decided when Király lost his car under braking for the Parabolica and took de Graaf along with him on a trip into the gravel trap. Both drivers went on to finish the race, but de Graaf had fallen back too far to be a threat to Verdegaal’s championship aspirations. Especially when track errors by Vanhee and Engelen put him in the lead. With ten laps to go, his pitstop strategy had put him in a safe lead. Such a safe lead that it allowed him to shortshift through the last stages, in order to avoid running empty before the finish.

Verdegaal admitted worrying about a splash’n’dash in the last laps, and de Graaf’s track position. “Right up to the last three laps I wasn’t sure if I would make it to the line, while my laptimes suffered severely from having to drive as economically as I could.” Winning the last race, Verdegaal took the VRL championship in style, while de Graaf doesn’t go home empty handed, taking the Rookie Of The Year award. Winner in the Rookie & Gentleman Cup is Wilco Hendriks who had a difficult race in the Maserati, but took home enough points to secure the title.