wsr/fr3.5 silverstone

[bella]

muhahaha!

compared to snetterton, there's one less entry - ed jones, who iirc is doing the intersteps series this year anyway.

[jondownunder]

Though curiously he is doing the Eurocup races this weekend.

[jondownunder]

And here is the Megane Trophy entry, updated based on testing:

EUROCUP MÉGANE TROPHY

1 Jeroen Schothorst NED TDS Racing
2 David Dermont BEL TDS Racing
3 Bas Schothorst NED TDS Racing
4 Wim Beelen NED TDS Racing
6 Bettera / Navajo ITA Oregon Team
8 Niccolo Nalio ITA Oregon Team
10 Jochen Habets NED Boutsen Energy Racing
11 Fabien Thuner SUI Boutsen Energy Racing
12 Gregory Guilvert FRA Team Lompech Sport
14 Jean-Charles Miginiac FRA Team Lompech Sport
15 Richard Kressner SWE Equipe Verschuur
17 Jelle Beelen NED Equipe Verschuur
18 Rafael Unzurrunzaga ESP Blue Jumeirah Team
22 Toni Forne ESP Pujola Racing
23 Oliver Freymuth GER AKF Motorsport
24 Michael Munemann GBR Algarve Pro Racing Team
25 Stefano Comini SUI Oregon Team
27 Michele Faccin ITA Boutsen Energy Racing
73 Angelo Baiguera ITA Brixia Horse Power

[chunterer]

Well done so far Yelloly!

Korjus and Wickens a long way off? Plenty of time to get on the pace though.

I'm going tomorrow too, Saturday as usual, i'm another who has a nasty allergic reaction to too many 'people' at race tracks...

Don't know where i'll end up but I suspect I will stay on the outside of the circuit somewhere between s-f and the bank between Stowe and Vale (as long as it's dry!)

Maybe see some bods tomorrow.

[bella]

i didn't make it to the circuit this afternoon (seriously, what the hell is wrong with the road network today), but apparently the paddock is split between the two pitlanes like it was at the grand prix... awkward.

[dank]

Originally Posted by bella

i didn't make it to the circuit this afternoon (seriously, what the hell is wrong with the road network today), but apparently the paddock is split between the two pitlanes like it was at the grand prix... awkward.

I was there today and everything is housed in the 'old' paddock.

[bella]

really? what a complete waste of time :/ what did they think we were going to do, put muddy footprints all over the carpets?!

[dank]

Easier for the spectators though. Ferrying thousands of people from paddock-to-paddock would be a logistical nightmare I imagine.

[jondownunder]

Ah, good to know in advance where the paddock is anyway. Going to be spending some time tomorrow just getting my bearings and figuring out how to get around the place and rush between the paddock and the new track... haven't been to Silverstone since 2009. Hope you all enjoy the weekend, I'm off in a minute (a 4 hour drive tomorrow morning? Forget it!)

Here's the Clio entries gathered from the Dutch Clio site and edited based on the session going on now:

Dutch Renault Clio Cup / Cross Channel Challenge 2011

4	Ronald Morien	        Equipe Verschuur		Nederland
5	Sheila Verschuur	Equipe Verschuur		Nederland
6	Robert van den Berg	Harder's Plaza Racing		Nederland
7	Melvin de Groot		Team Bleekemolen		Nederland
8	Sebastiaan Bleekemolen	Team Bleekemolen		Nederland
9	René Steenmetz		Team Bleekemolen		Nederland
10	Niels Langeveld		Certainty Racing Team		Nederland
11	Marcel Duits		Certainty Racing Team		Nederland
12	Simon Belcher		Handy Motorsport with Karcher
30	Wim de Pundert		HTP Racing			Nederland
31	Reynier de Pundert	HTP Racing			Nederland
32	Ruud Steenmetz		Team Bleekemolen		Nederland
33	Marcel Dekker		Dekker Racing			Nederland
34	Jan Muys		Muys Racing			Nederland
35	Dennis de Borst		Team Bleekemolen		Nederland
36	Wilbert van den Burg	Visual Art & Design		Nederland
37	Max Braams		Equipe Verschuur		Nederland
38	Marcel Timmer		Intermobiel Racing		Nederland
39	Alexander Keijzers	Team Bleekemolen		Nederland
40	Aristotelis VarvaroussisHTP Racing			Duitsland
41	Luke Wright		Scuderia Vittoria		Great Britain
42	Marco Ditzel		HTP Racing			Nederland
44	Niels Kool		Team Bleekemolen		Nederland
46	Jeff Smith		Team Pyro		        Great Britain

I noticed James Dixon wasn't on the live timing, then checked his twitter where he confirms he's not doing it... so as a result I guess Nicolas Hamilton may not be there either (he said he'd be there supporting Dixon).

[jondownunder]

A question for future reference: are spectators allowed in on the testing day (today?). In future I'd make it a 3-day thing if that was the case. TIA.

[bella]

they are if you don't say you are one.

[chunterer]

Well got there today just after 9, straight in but directed to the outer fields to park, walked over from the fields and parked my backside in the stand on the outside of Club.

Left about halfway through Eurocup race as couldn't be bothered to find out how busy it would be towards the end of the day....

Very good FR 3.5 race, Wickens taught Rossi a lesson in managing a race I think, and I guess Ricciardo as well...

It looked like he was holding the 2 up, but when Dan had a pop at Rossi, Rob used that to put his foot down and cleared off!!

Costa and the hugely impressive Yelloly got snarled up behind Berthon, the race for the top 3 position might have been very different if they had managed to get by I thought.

JEV had a shocker.... what happened to his car at the start? He still put on a show of superb controller driving to come up through the field, ut now he's dropped behind Wickens in the standings.

Elsewhere I think poor Hartley displayed why we won't see him in competitive single seaters next season. Qualified well enough in 5th, I think it was, but his time was disallowed and was sent to the back, he only made up a few places in the early going and then went off (I presume when Vergne came up on him - anyone?) and then I think he got moving well again taking a few places before going off again!

Overall though having seen this year's field trackside for the first time, we've all discussed the calibre this year already but it is clear that there are an awful lot of good drivers in it!

Battles throughout the field, some intelligent driving (and some not so...)

Shame I won't get to see the new car tomorrow.

When I left the Eurocup was turning into wacky races...

What happened in the end?

[dank]

Nick Yelloly's sixth has been taken away for stopping on the warm down lap through lack of fuel.

Shame, because he's been bloody brilliant all weekend.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by dank

Nick Yelloly's sixth has been taken away for stopping on the warm down lap through lack of fuel.

Shame, because he's been bloody brilliant all weekend.

Oh god you're kidding???

I thought I overheard the commentator mutter something about him crawling across the line for some reason, that must've been it?

Such a shame for him, he put his more experienced (and presumablt much higher rated) teammate to the sword.

I can't remember a debut in the series that was as impressive for a long time?

[dank]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Oh god you're kidding???

I thought I overheard the commentator mutter something about him crawling across the line for some reason, that must've been it?

Such a shame for him, he put his more experienced (and presumablt much higher rated) teammate to the sword.

I can't remember a debut in the series that was as impressive for a long time?

He coasted over the finishing line and came to a halt on the inside of Copse.

[Jacques Rabbit]

Attaboy Robert Wickens! Love to see him winning and back on top of the standings. Followed him for years since his start in North America, and while I still don't know if he's got the stuff for F1, I'd love to see him get there and find out. Just an all-around good guy.

One guy I've also been following since his start in North America, Alex Rossi, well, he's still not done anything since the first round to impress me. Which is pretty similar to last year in GP3. All of America's F1 hopes were turned down by Red Bull on the basis they were "too good for a five-year program," or chose to be in NASCAR from the very start. I suspect the next one's not in anything outside of karts because Rossi, it ain't you.

[bella]

can't wait to see the new car on track today, it looks fantastic when it's sat still, let alone going fast. and the drs seems to be a very elegant solution compared to the slightly neanderthal way it's executed in f1.

not sure what happened to hartley - he seemed to spend a lap or two in the pits? wickens did a superb job and it was great to see ricciardo back to speed again. there were some cracking battles further down the field too.

[pauln]

Yelloly disqualified for not having enough fuel left to give a sample is what we heard on the marshals' post at Copse. Four of the Meganes then promptly decided not to risk the same at the end of their race and we had a bit of a car park to deal with.

FR 2.0 UK looking very sparse in comparison to the Eurocup I'm afraid - although we were playing "four wheels off bingo" with both them and the Clios on the exit of Copse. It's noticeable that the top-running folks don't do that.

[chunterer]

Pons wouldn't have deliberately undefulled the car would they???

I know thery're having a miserable time of it results wise and could do with a shot in the arm but....

I'd rather see it as a stunning drive from Nick and an oversight from the team!

Bella could they do that?

[pauln]

Autosport report is that they had a faulty readout on their fuelling machine, telling them they'd put a few more kilos in the car than they actually had.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/93854

[chunterer]

Thanks Paul!

Wickens poleman again today ahead of JEV, Berthon, Ricciardo, Costa, Rossi, Hartley, Korjus, Rozensweig, Ramos.

Yelloly 15th, Panciatici a disappointing 21st and Artur Pic 23rd... he's not having a great weekend is he?

Canamasas last, he's normally a fair deal quicker than that.

Ohh lovely, just seen the new car circulating on Eurosport behind the F1 car. See what Bella means, it is simply stunning and sounds mega as well!!

[dank]

Blimey, race two was hardly a thrill ride was it?

[chunterer]

Another dominant drive from Wickens....

JEV got snarled up behind Wickens early on (although Robert was probably doing exactly the same as last year!!) and then the pit stop didn't go too well did it?

Rossi made the most of stopping early, I actually thought JEV should've come in lap after that?

[Last2LiftOff]

Way to go boys!

Originally Posted by Jacques Rabbit

One guy I've also been following since his start in North America, Alex Rossi, well, he's still not done anything since the first round to impress me. Which is pretty similar to last year in GP3.

Other than running with a very fast crowd all year you mean Jacques?

[skells22]

once again we have a DQ or in this case 2 DQ and this time the issue is the Fortec drivers Rossi and Ramos. this time the post race issue is the wheel nuts and Fortec are appealing this call so no offical result until this appeal is heard. (team saying due to snetterton test the team did 60 pit stop practises therefore fast pit stops!)