Renault World Series 2009 (Off season/General thread)

[jondownunder]

Good to see Interwetten are at least testing. Strange that it's with Hegewald, as he's doing F2.

[META4]

Originally Posted by jondownunder

Good to see Interwetten are at least testing. Strange that it's with Hegewald, as he's doing F2.

Maybe a good trainy for the first Formula2 race at Valencia

[jondownunder]

Ah yes, forgot F2 starts at Valencia Still, would have thought the team would be out with prospective drivers... but I guess there just aren't enough around right now... seems we're back with the situation from 2003-2004, with far too many series and some of them (WSbR, IFM, British F3, FPA) apparently struggling for numbers. And next year we get GP3 as well...

[WSR Fan]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Yeah looks like we're a few short doesn't it?

I'm also glad Van Der Drift's been out in a car. If he doesn't sign for this then that's it for him again for another year at this level isn' it?

The guy's way to good to be sitting around, but as always it's down to money I guess.

Well, it looks like the World Series is his main aim for the season, according to this Autosport article

"Until now I didn't have (a drive) organised," said van der Drift, "but my manager is here and I hope we are pretty close to doing the deal. Epsilon Euskadi have been great, although we've still not agreed everything, and it is not 100 per cent that we will be testing in Barcelona".

Edoardo Piscopo says that he is also close to a deal with Prema, but still has to finalise the last details of the required budget.

Here are the times from the afternoon session:

1 - Charles Pic - Tech 1 - 1'22"712 - 30 giri
2 - Oliver Turvey - Carlin - 1'22"859 - 41
3 - Marco Barba - Draco - 1'22"862 - 16
4 - Jaime Alguersuari - Carlin - 1'22"968 - 47
5 - Miguel Molina - Ultimate/Signature - 1'22"975 - 46
6 - Greg Mansell - Ultimate/Signature - 1'22"978 - 29
7 - Chris Van der Drift - Epsilon - 1'23"097 - 43
8 - Bertrand Baguette - Draco - 1'23"284 - 28
9 - Marcos Martinez - Pons - 1'23"324 - 25
10 - Edoardo Piscopo - Prema - 1'23"500 - 41
11 - Sten Pentus - Fortec - 1'23"549 - 38
12 - Adrian Valles - Epsilon - 1'23"750 - 23
13 - James Walker - P1 - 1'23"839 - 25
14 - Alexandre Marsoin - Comtec - 1'23"842 - 35
15 - Julian Leal - Prema - 1'24"064 - 56
16 - Fairuz Fauzy - Fortec - 1'24"152 - 42
17 - Tobias Hegewald - Interwetten - 1'24"358 - 38
18 - Federico Leo - Pons - 1'24"525 - 37
19 - Anton Nebiltiskiy - Comtec - 1'24"682 - 42
20 - Frankie Provenzano - Tech 1 - 1'24"878 - 45

[Sev]

It's amusing the way the Carlin boys have been getting steadily faster each test. Started the first test mid-table, and are now knocking around near the top.

Walkers a real surprise for me in testing. His racing CV is uhh...well, dull to say the least. But P1 is an awesome team, so that may well explain it.

Molina is very promising though. I'd love to see a close fought title between him, Pic, Turvey and Alguersuari.

[JVD]

Why isn't RC Motorsport testing, and what's wrong with Ultimate??

[JVD]

Originally Posted by jondownunder

Good to see Interwetten are at least testing. Strange that it's with Hegewald, as he's doing F2.

Hegewald won the test after his top three finish in de NEC Formule Renault... and learning the track aswell

[META4]

Originally Posted by JVD

Why isn't RC Motorsport testing, and what's wrong with Ultimate??

No driver= No Money= No Testing

Hegewald was already testing at Valencia in November so i guess he already used his prize from NEC

[Go_For_Pole]

Actually I have heard that RC will be out on the next test.

[Rf1 Fan]

Confirmation of Eurosport for WSBR coverage:

[Go_For_Pole]

So RC is indeed going to test at Barcelona with Di Sabatino

[META4]

Russian driver Daniil Move is the second driver of Tech1 for 2009

[OJB]

A couple of interesting faces have turned up for the latest test.

Riki Christodoulou is driving the Comtec car in place of Marsoin
Franck Perera is driving the Interwetten car, along with Hegewald again
Pasquale di Sabatino is in the RC car
Valles and Van der Drift are in the Epsilon cars again
Frankie Provenzano is testing for Prema this time

Still 4 cars missing though - one from P1, RC and both KTR cars

[bluelite]

KTR will not race in 2009 according to Mollekens. Talks with two Portugese drivers were negative...

[OJB]

Where did you see that?

[wannab-aracer]

Testing times from Barcelona taken from Italiaracing.net

AM

1 - James Walker - P1 - 1'32"510 - 45 giri
2 - Miguel Molina - Ultimate/Signature - 1'32"515 - 38
3 - Adrian Valles - Epsilon Euskadi - 1'32"784 - 41
4 - Charles Pic - Tech 1 - 1'32"838 - 29
5 - Marcos Martinez - Pons - 1'33"002 - 41
6 - Marco Barba - Draco - 1'33"105 - 43
7 - Fairuz Fauzy - Fortec - 1'33"233 - 40
8 - Oliver Turvey - Carlin - 1'33"293 - 46
9 - Jaime Alguersuari - Carlin - 1'33"298 - 51
10 - Bertrand Baguette - Draco - 1'33"309 - 33
11 - Franck Perera - Interwetten - 1'33"456 - 34
12 - Riki Christodoulou - Fortec - 1'33"457 - 53
13 - Greg Mansell - Ultimate/Signature - 1'33"506 - 56
14 - Anton Nebilitskiy - Comtec - 1'33"649 - 46
15 - Chris Van der Drift - Epsilon Euskadi - 1'33"953 - 38
16 - Tobias Hegewald - Interwetten - 1'34"109 - 36
17 - Julian Leal - Prema - 1'34"162 - 41
18 - Federico Leo - Pons - 1'34"349 - 32
19 - Frankie Provenzano - Prema - 1'34"360 - 50
20 - Daniil Move - Tech 1 - 1'34"521 - 44
21 - Pasquale Di Sabatino - RC - 1'35"003 - 32
22 - Sten Pentus - Fortec - 1'35"394 - 26


PM
1 - Charles Pic - Tech 1 - 1'32"085 - 38
2 - Marco Barba - Draco - 1'32"502 - 32
3 - Marcos Martinez - Pons - 1'32"619 - 33
4 - Oliver Turvey - Carlin - 1'32"619 - 31
5 - Bertrand Baguette - Draco - 1'32"833 - 43
6 - Adrian Valles - Epsilon - 1'32"871 - 40
7 - Jaime Alguersuari - Carlin - 1'33"004 - 31
8 - Riki Christodoulou - Comtec - 1'33"084 - 41
9 - Miguel Molina - Ultimate/Signature - 1'33"164 - 53
10 - Franck Perera - Interwetten - 1'33"170 - 35
11 - Fairuz Fauzy - Fortec - 1'33"237 - 33
12 - Pasquale Di Sabatino - RC - 1'33"264 - 28
13 - Chris Van der Drift - Epsilon - 1'33"556 - 28
14 - James Walker - P1 - 1'33"655 - 30
15 - Federico Leo - Pons - 1'33"757 - 43
16 - Sten Pentus - Fortec - 1'33"874 - 36
17 - Frankie Provenzano - Prema - 1'33"924 - 37
18 - Greg Mansell - Ultimate/Signature - 1'33"955 - 32
19 - Julian Leal - Prema - 1'34"416 - 31
20 - Anton Nebilitskiy - Comtec - 1'34"622 - 30
21 - Daniil Move - Tech 1 - 1'34"625 - 25
22 - Tobias Hegewald - Interwetten - 1'36"111 - 19

[Alex K]

Don't get that Riki appearance. He cried out loud he didn't have money for BF3, in FR3.5 he needs more-less same money to compete, unless got discounted seat. Have a feeling BF3 is down to 18 cars.

[kerrmanningjarv]

Looks like Riki drove for Fortec AM and Comtec PM unless Italiaracing made a mistake... laso the official WSR press release says that Marinescu shared the Interwetten car with Hegewald but looks like he didn't.

[Francis Albert]

Maybe Marinescu is driving today?

[cort]

Italiaracing made mistake; Fortec run Pentus and Fauzy only. And ktr is gone and the staff looks for new jobs.

[chunterer]

Good to see Riki C out and and CVDD still out there. Fingers crossed both sign up as both are exciting prospects in my book.

[kerrmanningjarv]

So did Riki run instead of Marsoin all day then, cort?

Also did Marinescu run at all?

[wannab-aracer]

For those interested live timing link

http://intranetwsr.alkamelsystems.com/live.html

[WSR Fan]

Originally Posted by kerrmanningjarv

So did Riki run instead of Marsoin all day then, cort?

Also did Marinescu run at all?

I believe he did, KMJ. Marinescu didn't run on Monday, but as Francis Albert said, he will be driving for Interwetten today.

Although it hasn't been officially announced, I think we can safely assume now that KTR won't be on the grid this year. Not ideal news going into a new season, but hardly surprising given the current economic climate. Providing P1 and RC have second drivers out for the start of the season, 24 cars is still a healthy-looking grid.

Walker was fastest in the morning session today, setting a best time of 1:32.428s, more than half a second clear of Fairuz Fauzy with Epsilon duo Valles and Van Der Drift in third and fourth respectively. Charles Pic must have had some sort of drama as he failed to complete a lap.

The afternoon session must be a wet one because the fastest lap time so far is a 1:56.405 by Miguel Molina.

[cort]

Ktr is out of it. They have closed the workshop and the staff looks for jobs. Its on belgian autosport site too.