World Series By Renault At Donington/Event Thread

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Martin Haven

Julio Geordio's brothers...

Erm I haven't seen the Harry Enfield shows for ages...

Now come on, what's the heads up, is Maldonado struggling and is Milos really that quick?!

[strider]

Originally Posted by Martin Haven

(from Patrick Pilet) "It's good to be back behind the wheel, but I wasn't exactly lucky with all the stoppages today. It's difficult to get things done under such conditions, but I think the potential is there."

Sounds like the hooligan element remains, despite the musical chairs!

[bella]

forza hooligans

a dry weekend? i'll believe it when i see it...

[chunterer]

Well forecats this morning keeps banging on about clear skies for most of the country today and tomorrow and temps between 21-25c.

Excellent!

[rsxy]

Can anyone tell me where the live timing link is?

[Francis Albert]

It should be here

http://www.worldseriesbyrenault.com/donington/uk/

But it is not on at the moment...

[Martin Haven]

Mid-way through quali for 3.5 and it's scorcgio here at Donners...

Rammed with fans too, whio were all given a little Renault radio to listen to the radio commentary as they came in - nice little touch I thought...

Queues this morning and the police obviously expect a lot for tomorrow, as they will one-way all approach roads and local papers warned people going to the airport to leave extra time...

I shall be doing the same...

Leave early, get bacon buttie at the track!

Still in two minds anyone???

[Martin Haven]

Mid-way through quali for 3.5 and it's scorchio here at Donners...

Rammed with fans too, who were all given a little Renault radio to listen to the radio commentary as they came in - nice little touch I thought...

Queues this morning and the police obviously expect a lot for tomorrow, as they will one-way all approach roads and local papers warned people going to the airport to leave extra time...

I shall be doing the same...

Leave early, get bacon buttie at the track!

Still in two minds anyone???

[Obizzz]

How did Alx Danielsson perform in the qualifying?

Go Alx!

[Martin Haven]

Will post result as soon as...

[Obizzz]

http://www.italiaracing.net/news.asp...world%20series

found it there..

WOOHOOOO!!!

[Martin Haven]

Zaugg up to speed
After only starting out in World Series Formula Renault 3.5 at the Nürburgring, Adrian Zaugg (Carlin Motorsport) has already taken his first pole position here in Donington. The South African will start this afternoon alongside Alx Danielsson (Comtec Racing), meaning the front row will be monopolized by the British teams!

Group A

Alx Danielsson (Comtec Racing) set the fastest time in the opening minutes ahead of James Rossiter (Pons Racing). Just before the mid-point in the session, the yellow flag had to be shown after Miguel Molina (GD Racing) went off the course.

Seven minutes from the chequered flag, Marco Martinez (Eurointernational) was the next to spin, but the session was not disrupted. Then, to widespread surprise, it was Ryo Fukuda (Tech 1 Racing) who took the fastest time ahead of Andy Soucek (Interwetten.com).

Danielsson hit straight back by going close to the 1’20’’ barrier. From there, he kept on pushing and improved his time three times in succession to set a fastest lap in 1’19’’030.

In the closing seconds, Andy Soucek sneaked into second place ahead of Borja Garcia (RC Motorsport), Mikhail Aleshin (Carlin Motorsport) and James Rossiter (Pons Racing), who suffered a mechanical failure on his last lap.

Group B

Just after the mid-point in the session, Danielsson's fastest time was beaten by Adrian Zaugg (Carlin Motorsport), who put in a lap in 1’18’’873! The South African was faster than both Pastor Maldonado (Draco Multiracing USA) and Sean McIntosh (KTR), who had set the fastest time in free practice.

With six minutes to go, Maldonado then managed to get the upper hand by 44/1000ths. But Zaugg hit back with a lap in 1’18’’283! Sean McIntosh then got the better of Maldonado, but crashed out on the following lap! With his car in a dangerous position, the red flag was shown and the session was brought to a close. In accordance with the regulations, the Canadian driver thereby forfeits all his times and shall start from the back of the grid.

The result: Adrian Zaugg takes his first pole position in only his third race in World Series Formula Renault 3.5.

Adrian Zaugg: "This time, our set-up was excellent for qualifying and I was looking for a place in the top five. But I didn't think I was in with a chance of pole! When the team informed me of the situation over the radio, I asked them to repeat the news as I thought I'd misheard them."

Alx Danielsson: "The session was disrupted by all the yellow flags. I made a slight error in the second sector of the track and I could have gone quicker. But I think the second series would have been quicker anyway."

[Martin Haven]

Qualifying 1 (2x20’)
Fine conditions, dry track
Start grid
Zaugg - Danielsson
Maldonado - Soucek
Pavlovic - Garcia
Salignon - Aleshin
Parente - Rossiter

Tried to copy and post results from Renault site but it won't work and I don't have time to fiddle... sorry...

[Martin Haven]

Maldonado and Soucek pretty up, as you can imagine... Alvaro looked rather down-in-the-mouth...

Knows he's got a lot of work at the Esses and Melbourne Hairpin to get back on terms... worried about being in the pack, as well.

Weather, on the plus-side for all, is warm and sunny - just perfect, in fact

[Obizzz]

Hoping for a 1st win for Danielsson today

thanks for reporting Martin

[Obizzz]

Finally.. the moment I've been waiting for all season!

congratulations Alx you're really worth this one!!

Now why isn't there a swedish flag in the smiley section

[rustyfan]

Congratulations Alx!!

[Bezzen]

I'm in on the flag waving! (we don't get to do that too often in motorsports)

[Rockmunky]

Excellent, can't wait 'til tomorrow, Danielsson did very well there!

[chunterer]

Yep just got back and my thoughts are the following:

Alx drove super race lights to flag, dealing with Zaugg on opening lap somewhere around Redgate?

He then took advantage of Zaugg holding up first Maldonado who then had an off at the Old Hairpin mid race and then Pavlovic. Both Draco cars looked to be the quickest out there but Zaugg did a great job of defending.

Super battle later on from 4th-9th between Soucek, Garcia, McIntosh, Aleshin, Pastor and Fukuda. Fukuda lost it on exit of MaCleans which dropped im out of it.

Soucek got past Sean (i think) and Garcia and Sean got Garcia himself.

Pastor was all over Aleshin for the last few laps but couldn't find a way by.

Parente btw also made good progress in early laps but had some off or other after 5 odd laps dropping him way down the order.

Rossiter started last after some 'problems' and didn't come round after lap one so i guess he got involved with one of the tail enders.

The Brits didn't fare very well to be honest, Kerr and Kane qualified poorly but moved forwards in tjhe race and Hanley didn't seem to have a good one either?

Martin will post a more accurate blow by blow account later i'm sure.

I can also say that it was fairly busy today so god knows what it'll be like tomorrow. Certainly going to be packed I can tell you.

I am going to folllow his advice and get there early doors and I suggest fellow Ten-Tenthers do the same

One other note, Gate 6 (between Old Hairpin and Starkeys) was shut today and I have no idea if it will be open tomorrow.

Perhaps someone's got a definite line on this?

Please advise, thanks...

[bella]

i can't work out what the penalties actually were for rossiter. what they said over the radio before the race is completely different to (for example) italiaracing says. the renaultsport site is as usual, completely rubbish.

zaugg's really good. it just goes to show how... badly colin fleming was underperforming.

ps. the weather has been lovely. more of the same please!

[nev]

[QUOTE=bella]i can't work out what the penalties actually were for rossiter. QUOTE]

He had a ten place penalty for his driving from the last race and he had an incident under a yellow in qualifying. Sean caused the red flag in Qualifying and thats why he had to drop his fastest lap and ended up seventh. Also rossiter forgot to brake hard enough at redgate and bust his front wing or the person infront broke to hard !! outside of the old hairpin was the best place to see all the racing after watching the start from redgate.

[Mr Jinxx]

Strange championship it's been. You'd have thought Robbie Kerr, Ben Hanley, James Rossiter, from the British supporters, would have been on the money, yet they all seem to have disappointed. So where next for them?

I guess, as Robbie has been funded this year in WS by A1GP folk, he'll be racing again for the A1GP British team through the winter, else you'd have to think he'd be finished in single seaters? That should keep his profile up, as long as the team are good. In my view, Robbie is a good aggressive racer (maybe just crossing the line from time to time?) but not intrinsically quick enough - he seems to like a car setup that doesn't suit this sort of category ... looks like he drives like he needs a car where you carry corner speed. He'd make a fortune in BTCC or Nascar! Outclassed this year by young Sean Macintosh. I'll be honest, I can't see why he's persisting here.

Ben Hanley? Disappointing, but early days for him, as long as he has enough money to see him through a year or two. Another good racer, but difficult to know how he is with a car, feedback, development, etc. Is quick on his own, I think, but it all seems to fall apart come race weekend. If he has the money to continue and build his experience and confidence in a quick car, he may do well. I think he'd suit a car he can hustle round, not a car which requires finessing ... think Zanardi ... think Champ Car ...

James Rossiter? Perennially disappointing for me. I think he is a quick driver - probably the most naturally quick driver of the three I mentioned, but flawed mentally. A crasher, and I don't understand why, from a guy who seems chilled and pretty laid back ... he should use that on the track, and think. He must be in danger of fading away?

Oh, I didn't mention Stephen Kane, did I?

[Martin Haven]

Here's the Official report...

some questions answered...

Danielsson, at last!

After performing consistently well since the start of the season, Alx Danielsson finally claimed his first win of the season here today. He shares the success with his Comtec Racing team, for which it is also their first win in the discipline. After starting from pole, Adrian Zaugg (Carlin Motorsport) confirmed his fine form with a good second place, defended well under pressure from Milos Pavlovic (Draco Multiracing USA).

Several drivers were penalized as a result of incidents in qualifying: Sean McIntosh, Miguel Molina (accidents causing the session to be interrupted), as well as Pasquale di Sabatino, Grégory Franchi, Christian Montanari and Patrick Pilet (non-compliance with parc fermé rules) all had their best times disallowed. James Rossiter also had to start from the back of the grid for a technical non-conformity (quantity of fuel).

Zaugg and Danielsson lined up on the front row of the grid. When the red lights went out, the South African managed to hold off the Swede on the brakes into the opening bend. But it didn't take Alx long to gain control. At the end of lap one, Celso Miguez (Comtec Racing) and Pasquale di Sabatino (Cram Compétition) were involved in a collision.

Danielsson and Zaugg were followed by Maldonado, Pavlovic, Soucek, Garcia, McIntosh, Parente, Aleshin and Fukuda. After four laps, Maldonado was putting Zaugg under more and more pressure, but the Venezuelan ended up making an error which sent him right off onto the grass and put him back into eighth place between Aleshin and Fukuda.

But Zaugg wasn't out of trouble yet: it was then down to Pavlovic to press him. And that was just what Danielsson was looking for to enable him to open a gap, which would continue to build right to the finish.

With eight laps to go to the chequered flag, one of the highlights of the race was the battle for tenth between Bruce Jouanny (RC Motorsport), Christian Montanari (Prema Power Team) and Ben Hanley (Cram Compétition).

On lap seventeen of twenty one, Sean McIntosh moved up to 5th place, ahead of Borja Garcia. The Canadian then moved up to Andy Soucek. With two laps to go, Ryo Fukuda threw away a fine performance thus far by spinning out of control, letting Hanley back into the top ten.

Alx Danielsson: "We've been waiting for this moment for such a long time. This season we've often performed well but then missed out on success. I must admit I was wondering where our next stroke of bad luck was going to come from over the closing laps. But it never came."

Adrian Zaugg: "After my surprise pole position, I just remained focussed on the race. I knew that our set-ups were good from free practice. The race was physically tough, especially in the fast bends."

Milos Pavlovic: "I'm very proud to be working with the Draco team and it is extremely satisfying to earn a podium place in my first race for them. I am going to continue to attack hard tomorrow for more of the same!"

[Martin Haven]

It seemed that Rossiter got tagged from behind on the opening lap at the chicane... he came in for a new nose, the boys took one look at the right front corner and told him to get out of the car... suspension bent, I'd guess...

Steven Kane had tyre temp trouble... in testing (track temp 35) they were in 1m18s and looking good... in qual (track temp 23) it took 7 of the 8 laps he was fuelled for - from a max of 12 allowable - for any heat to build up, then he went 2 secs quicker on his last lap...

Remember that these cars raced in cold wet / damp conditions last year... looks like the hot afternoon on Friday threw them a curve ball on set-up...

Steven is hoping to change set-up so the car will lean on the tyres a little more and heat them properly.

Incidentally, very foggy this morning - so fog tyres for first sessions!!

He's brought yesterday's papers back in with him, as he didn't read them yesterday (part-Scot there, perhaps???? ) - let's hope he doesn't have TOO much time to read them...

Damon Hill was here yesterday to offer support but again it seems the solution will be an engineerring one not a "head" fix.