Augusto Farfus said goodbye to Alfa Romeo on high note, winning the Bomb Boogie Eurotouring Trophy at the Bologna Motor Show. The rapid Brazilian youngster – who just a week ago signed up to race next year's FIA World Touring Car Championship with BMW – drove his N.technology run Alfa Romeo 156 racing car to a slender victory after a number of very close pursuit races in front of packed grandstands.

In the qualifying tournament Farfus emerged as the winner of the Yellow Group ahead of another former Alfa Romeo factory touring car driver and the freshly crowned Italian Superturismo champion, Roberto Colciago, at the wheel of a SEAT León; while another ex-official Alfa Romeo pilot Gabriele Tarquini, also driving a SEAT León, and the former Indycar champion Alessandro Zanardi (BMW 320si) were eliminated. Moto GP ace rider Marco Melandri caused quite a surprise as he won the Green Group at the wheel of a DB Motorsport prepared Alfa Romeo 156 "SuperTouring" racer; while Nicola Larini and his Chevrolet Lacetti qualified second to proceed to the semi-finals. Meanwhile Melandri's fellow Moto GP rider Luca Capirossi (SEAT León) and regulr WTCC driver Jörg Müller (BMW 320si) both remained out of the final phase. In the first semi-final Larini prevailed over Farfus in the first run, but the Brazilian won the second and the access to the final as the sum of his times was only 0.02 seconds faster than his rivals.
 

It was the same story in the second semi-final: Melandri and Colciago won one run apiece, but the SEAT driver qualified for the final with a 1.18 seconds margin. Colciago won the first final run, beating Farfus by 0.67 seconds, but the Alfa Romeo man got his revenge in the second run by 1.83 and prevailed in the final classification by 1.16. Melandri beat Larini in the final for third place.

Meanwhile Alfa Romeo brand CEO Antonio Baravalle briefly alluded during the official press conference to their touring car plans for next year which is expected to see them wrap up their three year obligation to the FIA World Touring Car Championship using the same Alfa 156s which steering Farfus so close to the drivers' title this year, the cars again being prepared by N.technology. While the highly rated former F3000 Champion Farfus has recently jumped ship to BMW for 2007 there is no word on the drivers for next year, although Autosport magazine this week reckons that former Alfa Romeo factory driver James Thompson, who is now out of contract with the SEAT Sport team, is currently talking to N.technology about the possibility of a drive.