World Series By Renault At Donington/Event Thread

[Obizzz]

will the weekend end with total domination from Danielsson?

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

WOOOHOOO!!!

He's back and with some bang eh?

[Obizzz]

Go Sweden Go Alx!

The F1 commentators delivered the fantastic news about Alx winning the second race as well

Best motorsport weekend for Sweden in a long time!

[Martin Haven]

Danielsson makes it two

Alx Danielsson (Comtec Racing) has taken his second victory here at Donington Park. The Swedish driver and his team fully controlled the race. In a rerun of yesterday, Adrian Zaugg (Carlin Motorsport) was again second on the podium, this time joined by Borja Garcia (RC Motorsport).

After qualifying, Sean McIntosh (KTR) was pushed back from the second to the back row of the grid for a technical non-conformity (quantity of fuel).

Though Alx Danielsson got off to a good, clean start, things were a little more heated behind him between Pastor Maldonado (Draco) and Borja Garcia. Milos Pavlovic (Draco) needed no further asking to steal into third place! Christian Montanari (Prema) went off into the gravel trap on the very first lap. The resulting four front-runners were followed by Ryo Fukuda (Tech 1), Adrian Zaugg (Carlin), Andy Soucek (Interwetten.com), Ben Hanley (Cram), Alvaro Parente (Victory) and Davide Valsecchi (Epsilon Euskadi).

Robbie Kerr (KTR) was the first to go in for tyres on lap five. Maldonado followed suit a lap later, but the Draco team gave away a lot of time. After seven laps, Fukuda, Parente and several others also opted for an early stop strategy. Pavlovic was the next to come into the pit lane and came back out of it ahead of his teammate Maldonado.

Meanwhile, Danielsson was pressing on: he already had a six second lead over Garcia with nine laps gone. Garcia was followed by Zaugg, Soucek and Salignon. Pavlovic, the best-placed of the drivers already to have stopped, was thirty seconds back. The race leader then made his stop on lap ten. The Comtec team completed the tyre change 5''7 and Alx came back out with an eight second lead over Pavlovic. Impressive stuff!

After Zaugg stopped on lap eleven, Borja Garcia and Andy Soucek were the only two favourites still out there. Andy came into the pits on lap twelve and came back out ahead of Fukuda in corrected sixth position. Garcia came in for tyres with fourteen laps gone. Despite some sterling work from his team, the RC driver only made it back out in third behind Danielsson and Zaugg.

On lap sixteen, Alvaro Parente and Milos Pavlovic collided, but only the Portuguese driver had to abandon. Aleshin was the last driver to come in for tyres. As expected, this handed the lead back to Danielsson ahead of Zaugg, Garcia, Fukuda, Soucek, Maldonado, Hanley, Valsecchi, Pavlovic and Salignon.

The battle between Fukuda, Soucek and Maldonado was the main point of interest in the closing stages of the race, especially when Hanley joined the fray. With five laps to go, Maldonado made a mistake which allowed Hanley and Valsecchi to pull right up on his tail. The Venezuelan went off into the gravel trap and out of the race soon afterwards.

Alx Danielsson: "I think we have had things under control all weekend. This morning, the car was so quick in qualifying that I knew we were unbeatable. I have to thank the team for all their excellent work. It's superb to take both wins in front of such a crowd."

Adrian Zaugg: "I think we've worked well here today. I was making progress all weekend long, without making any mistakes. These two podium finishes are a great reward, especially after my difficult season in Formula Renault 2.0."

Borja Garcia: "I feel confident about the four last races in the Championship. The team can take an equal share in this podium finish. It was really down to them as they made such a good tyre change."

[Obizzz]

Does anyone know how many spectators there were for today's event?

I'm just really enjoying this.. must be awesome for Alx who's had an enormous ammount of bad luck this season to go out and just totally dominate like he did this weekend.. He can still make the championship, only 13pts up to Andy Soucek

[Martin Haven]

To further muddy the waters...

"The Royal Automobile Club of Belgium's sports tribunal [Tribunal Sportif du RACB Sport] met on July 25, 2006 to examine the appeal lodged by Draco Multiracing USA and Eurointernational competitors after the WSR meeting in Zolder held on April 29-30, 2006.

At the current time, only the Eurointernational team has been informed of the results of this hearing by a fax received on September 8.

The Sports Tribunal has invalidated all the results of race one, which may therefore no longer be counted towards the final overall standings of the World Series Formula Renault 3.5.

Under Article 180 of the International Sporting Code, the RACB Sport Sports Tribunal is an instance whose decisions are open to appeal before the FIA International Court of Appeal within the timeframes stipulated by the ICA's regulations."

Current points:
1 Soucek 79
2 Garcia 77
3 Maldonado 76
4 Parente 73
5 Danielsson 59

after removing Zolder:
1 Soucek 79
2= Maldonado 73
2= Parente 73
4 Garcia 67
5 Danielsson 51

34 points remain for Le Mans and the same for Barcelona... that's 68 for two wins from two poles with 2 fastest laps!

Oh yes... and then there's the appeal regarding Garcia's non-compliant front wing bolts...

so it goes on and on...

[Obizzz]

Yeah I read that too but for what reason? Am I dumb or does it say?

[Martin Haven]

I understand that it started with Eurointernational trying to get a place further up in the result and ended with the whole race being cancelled...

Who knows...

The Stewards' office needed a revolving door here this weekend... drivers being summoned to explain silly incidents and racing ones alike...

I heard that 61,000 plus was today's figure, with more than 90,000 for the weekend...

That's 60,000 lobsters blocking the M1 this evening after a day in the sun!! If they can get out of the car parks, that is...

[Obizzz]

Originally Posted by Martin Haven

That's 60,000 lobsters blocking the M1 this evening after a day in the sun!! If they can get out of the car parks, that is...

LOL!

You and Alx have something in common btw.. can you figure out what?

[Sheila M]

Originally Posted by Martin Haven

The Stewards' office needed a revolving door here this weekend... drivers being summoned to explain silly incidents and racing ones alike...

It certainly did! At one point one of the stewards was outside the door on traffic duty!

Originally Posted by Martin Haven

That's 60,000 lobsters blocking the M1 this evening after a day in the sun!! If they can get out of the car parks, that is...

Yes, it seems that the one-way system isn't very efficient! It took us 1/2 an hour to get from the paddock to the market turn-off, where we headed off down the old Melbourne Loop, turned right and found NO traffic!

You still in the bar Martin? Or have you decided to camp out in the Press Office?

[Martin Haven]

All police traffic efforts were centred on the Steward's office and the major queue there... and let the spectators take their chances! It was free after all... what did they expect!

And most of them probably don't live in Leicestershire, so it's not their council tax paying the local police!

As for the bar... I haven't seen the inside of Redgate Lodge in many years, sadly... still renting bum space in the press office, as the points and positions change more often than a set of traffic lights...

I know the connection between myself and Alx...

my arm reaches his mouth, when holding a microphone...

[Obizzz]

Originally Posted by Martin Haven

I know the connection between myself and Alx...

my arm reaches his mouth, when holding a microphone...

Haha while that might also be true I was thinking you have both done work for the same company.. where I happen to work.

You did the voiceover for our game trailer

[maximus]

Just got back, what a great race and a great day! Well done to Renault, they put on a great show.

Just a shame the car parks were so poorly organised, but I managed to sneak out of a barely used entrance, along with several other cars!

[thebullet]

yep I thought the same i thought it was a joke when we went into a farms field. Great Day ye congrats Renualt

[Rockmunky]

Just got back now, gotta love those M1 queues!

Thoroughly enjoyed the day, the Clio's were good to watch, but the noise of those WSR cars were incredible... A great day out, well worth it.

The formula Renault euro series race was rather interesting, what with all the offs at the old hairpin.

[maximus]

Yes that was a great race too, we left during the second one, they seemed to be behaving themselves by that point.

[Gaz]

Right, just got back and here are my thoughts!

WSR - Fantastic cars to look at, wonderful sounds, some good drivers, crap racing! If I was a newcomer not really knowing what to expect and the main race advertised was as boring as that I wouldn't bother coming back again! The excitement of hearing/seeing them were's off after a while. It frustrates me - Renault have got it right with GP2 but at Donington there was no overtaking and barely anything at all to write home about - it was the same last year but I suppose people pay £140 every year to watch the same deal at the British GP. Well done to Comtec all the same - nice to see a British team winning at home.

Support package - Clio's/Megane's were good fun and produced the best racing of the day, unsuprisingly. Was good to here some of the old single seater names in the Megane's and their race might have saved the days for the newcomers as it was exciting/lots of action/passing. The Formula Renault's were boring, I've really become disillusioned with some of these single seater categories this year - again I look at GP2 and see that single seater racing CAN be exciting but bar the free for all on the starting line at the beginning of this mornings race, these races were dull. Everyone following each other round with the odd car spinning off doesn't make a good spectacle!

Organisation - The actual day at the circuit was excellent. Lots going on off track, the displays were interesting and the F1 car circulating was definately appealing, certainly to the newcomers. As for the car parks - be ashamed, very ashamed Donington! I thought you said you could deal with big crowds!

I sat in a cue that must have contained all 57,000 people in it without moving an inch for 45 minutes. Bless the little ruffian that opened a random gate which luckily I spotted pretty quickly and made an escape and was out pretty quickly from there. The cue of people cottoning on behind me was rapidly forming as I escaped so I wouldn't be surpised to hear people are still sat in the car park now! They had children in charge who couldn't cope - the poor lad on the gate probably couldn't read which side said stop and which said go! It seriously has me debating whether to go next year which is a shame as even though some of the racing was poor it was a good atmosphere. Unfortunately judging by some of the comments I heard whilst sat in the cues I'm sure many others will wonder whether its worth the hastle next year. I realise I was never going to get off the car park in 5 mins but not moving an inch for 45 minutes is a joke!

So on the whole - a great atmosphere, some interesting tin top racing, sore ear drums but poor single seater "racing" and appalling car park organisation. I await to get shot down........

[rdjones]

It took use nearly 2 hours to clear the car parks and then nearly another 45 mins to get to the M1, only to hit that a dead holt with people stood in the carageway.

But on the whole a very good day.

[Sheila M]

Originally Posted by Gaz

Support package - Clio's/Megane's were good fun and produced the best racing of the day, unsuprisingly.

Organisation - The actual day at the circuit was excellent. Lots going on off track, the displays were interesting and the F1 car circulating was definately appealing, certainly to the newcomers. As for the car parks - be ashamed, very ashamed Donington! I thought you said you could deal with big crowds!

I sat in a cue that must have contained all 57,000 people in it without moving an inch for 45 minutes. I realise I was never going to get off the car park in 5 mins but not moving an inch for 45 minutes is a joke!

So on the whole - a great atmosphere, some interesting tin top racing, sore ear drums but poor single seater "racing" and appalling car park organisation. I await to get shot down........

Gaz, in my book tin tops always provide more interesting racing than single seaters but then again I could be biased!

Ok, you had a problem getting out - we were parked in the paddock and it took us 1/2 an hour to get to the gate at Paddock 3 because of the one way system and the traffic lights at the exit. Knowing the circuit well (my husband has been marshalling there for 18 years and I've done the past 15), we decided to turn right towards the market and go out that way - I have no idea why more people didn't follow us.

Donington CAN cope with large crowds - they get far more spectators for the MotoGP than were there today. My husband marshalled at that meeting and was home in less than the time it took to get out of the paddock today. But, remember that the majority of spectators for the MotoGP are on bikes and also the large numbers leaving tend not to stay to the very end of the day.

Today was a bit different in that a large number of spectators stayed until the end of the day and then all tried to leave at the same time.

Still, it was a good atmosphere and hopefully more people will be attracted to live racing in future, instead of watching on the telly!

[Rockmunky]

We didn't have too much trouble getting out, it took us longer to find our car!
But I'd say that we were sitting for about 15 minutes, before my old man spotted a gap, and went for it, then another 10minutes or so and we were on the M1.


Me and my friend Jon ended up legging it from the coppice tunnel down to the old hairpin to try and get there for the start of the Clio's. alas, we made it as far as McLean's before they Clio's ploughed through there, managed to catch a glimpse of a few overtaking moves too there.

Clio's rock, didn't catch much of the Megan's, was having a wander around the paddock at that time. Which was also a great part of the day.

[maximus]

Originally Posted by Gaz

The Formula Renault's were boring, I've really become disillusioned with some of these single seater categories this year - again I look at GP2 and see that single seater racing CAN be exciting but bar the free for all on the starting line at the beginning of this mornings race, these races were dull. Everyone following each other round with the odd car spinning off doesn't make a good spectacle!

I disagree there, the second Euroseries race was fantastic, action all down the field and the championship leader having an immense recovery drive made it all very exciting.

[Gaz]

There was a little excitement in the fact that Clos was doing a bit of overtaking which made it more intrigueing than the other 3 snores over the weekend.

The guy was fighting for 11th place though - surely a good motor race should be fought out towards the front? If Clos had been in 5th or 6th spot I doubt he'd have been pulling the moves he was on some of the slower guys in the midfield.

[midgetman]

So we were lucky on Sunday then? Arrived about 11:20. Back at the car about 4:40 after the last race, straight out onto the road, short queue to the first side road then through the lanes to J22 and back in Wiltshire by 8:00pm :-)

Thought the racing bit boring, managed to get a snooze during the WSR which was welcome, enjoyed the Meganes, Clios were OK and as for F Renault, well, like watching paint dry. And why so few races scheduled? Or am I just spoilt being brought up on Combe's 10 race programmes?

[Russfeld]

What's DP's capacity? From the photos I saw of the crowds of WSR, it was far far more empty than say Saturday MotoGP quals which I attended in person.

[Gaz]

Not sure of the capacity but the official figures were 34,000 there Saturday and 57,000 there Sunday according to Mr Addison from what I remember which he said was a joint record with the Moto GP event of 2004. Perhaps Renault were joking with that statement like they were with the F1 fix 'gag' though

I was parked on the field opposite the Dunlop Bridge and left after the final race. I'm not sure how people made it out so quickly although if you were parked near either entrance and headed down towards Melbourne and round the backroads rather than towards the M1 or A50 then I reckon you might have been able to move quicker. The fact was I was told to park where I did and there was no option but to join the cues which were made even worse by fools who were trying to cut across the grass and push in at the front.

[runshaw]

Originally Posted by Russfeld

What's DP's capacity? From the photos I saw of the crowds of WSR, it was far far more empty than say Saturday MotoGP quals which I attended in person.

You should have attended this event in person, not sure where you got your photos from, but it was packed eveywhere. I have been to Donny many a time and have never seen it anyhwhere near as full as it was on Sunday. They said it held a joint record with the MotoGP attendance on the Sunday. I would also like to know DP's capacity, it must have nearly been reached on Sunday, but the traffic congestion after the last race was incredibly poor!