World Series - Round 1 - Monza

[WSR Fan]

Right, with collective testing at Monza already underway I thought I'd get this thread up and running.

Here is the timetable for the weekend:

Thursday 24th April
10:00 - 13:00 - Collective Testing
15:00 - 18:00 - Collective Testing

Friday 25th April
10:10 - 10:55 - Free Practice
17:40 - 18:00 - Qualifying (Group A)
18:10 - 18:30 - Qualifying (Group B)

Saturday 26th April
15:26 - 16:15 - Race 1 (24 laps)

Sunday 27th April
10:46 - 11:35 - Race 2 (24 laps)

It will be interesting to see just how fast the new car is in race trim. Several people, including Kurt Mollekens, have complained that the car has too much downforce, which is obviously not what you need at a track like Monza. Although saying that, several teams ran a special low-downforce rear wing during last years' event so that could well be a possibility again this weekend.

Any predictions for this first round then? After his consistent points scoring last year and good pre-season form, I think Giedo van der Garde could be the man to beat this weekend. He seems to have settled in extremley well at P1 Motorsport and with Roly Vincini by his side I think they are in for big things this year.

For an outside bet, I'm going for Fabio Carbone. Ultimate Signature may be a new team to the series but with Fabio's vast experience I think he might pick up a good result or two.

[WSR Fan]

And here's the entry list:

1. Julien Jousse (FRA) - Tech 1 Racing
2. Charles Pic (FRA) - Tech 1 Racing (R)
3. Bertrand Baguette (BEL) - International DracoRacing
4. Marco Barba (ESP) - International DracoRacing
5. Mikhail Aleshin (RUS) - Carlin Motorsport
6. Robert Wickens (CAN) - Carlin Motorsport
7. Mario Romancini (BRA) - Epsilon Euskadi (R)
8. Alexandre Marsoin (FRA) - Epsilon Euskadi (R)
9. Miguel Molina (ESP) - Prema Powerteam
10. Alvaro Barba (ESP) - Prema Powerteam
11. Aleix Alcaraz (ESP) - RC Motorsport (R)
12. Borja Garcia (ESP) - RC Motorsport
14. Maximo Cortes (ESP) - Pons Racing (R)
15. Marcos Martinez (ESP) - Pons Racing
16. Guillaume Moreau (FRA) - KTR
17. Daniil Move (RUS) - KTR
19. Salvador Duran (MEX) - Interwetten.com
20. Pablo Sanchez Lopez (MEX) - Interwetten.com (R)
21. Giedo van der Garde (NED) - P1 Motorsport
22. Pippa Mann (GBR) - P1 Motorsport
23. James Walker (GBR) - Fortec Motorsport
24. Julian Theobald (GER) - Fortec Motorsport
25. Marco Bonanomi (ITA) - Red Devil Team Comtec
26. Pasquale di Sabatino (ITA) - Red Devil Team Comtec
27. Fabio Carbone (BRA) - Ultimate Signature
28. Claudio Cantelli (BRA) - Ultimate Signature (R)

(R) = Series rookie

[pericu]

It's difficult to do a prediction, but I think that Prema has a lot of possibilities. They have two good drivers with experience. Molina has finished last year as the best with wins and podiums. And if Barba hasn't problems, he will be very fast.
Don't forget Aleshin, who won last year this race. For me, Carlin is hiding the cards.
Other drivers, as Jousse, GarcÃ*a, Baguette, Duran, Bonanomi, Moreau have experience, so anybody could win.
In the rookies, I see Pic as the best. He is very young (seems Molina last year) and already he is very fast. He could be the surprise. I think Maximo Cortés, who won f3 spanish, can go well also, but he hasn't a lot experience yet.
I would see the races, but I am going to be at Montmeló for f1 .

[wannab-aracer]

Hi

This will be my first season following WS, is there a site that provides live timing on the series ?

[pericu]

Testing 1
1 - Giedo Van der Garde - P1 - 1'36"484 - 47
2 - Mikhail Aleshin - Carlin - 1'36"687 - 35
3 - Fabio Carbone - Ultimate/Signature - 1'36"704 - 47
4 - Alvaro Barba - Prema - 1'36"765 - 22
5 - Miguel Molina - Prema - 1'36"875 - 39
6 - James Walker - Fortec - 1'36"921 - 50
7 - Marcos Martinez - Pons - 1'37"000 - 47
8 - Bertrand Baguette - Draco - 1'37"141 - 29
9 - Robert Wickens - Carlin - 1'37"157 - 20
10 - Guillaume Moreau - KTR - 1'37"172 - 55
11 - Marco Barba - Draco - 1'37"250 - 41
12 - Pasquale Di Sabatino - Comtec - 1'37"328 - 37
13 - Aleix Alcaraz - RC - 1'37"532 - 47
14 - Marco Bonanomi - Comtec - 1'37"625 - 22
15 - Julien Jousse - Tech 1 - 1'37"656 - 39
16 - Alexandre Marsoin - Epsilon - 1'37"703
17 - Borja Garcia - RC - 1'37"734 - 26
18 - Salvador Duran - Interwetten - 1'37"797 - 30
19 - Mario Romancini - Epsilon - 1'38"063 - 43
20 - Maximo Cortes - Pons - 1'38"141 - 41
21 - Pablo Sanchez - Interwetten - 1'38"453 - 15
22 - Charles Pic - Tech 1 - 1'38"610 - 29
23 - Julian Theobald - Fortec - 1'38"843 - 47
24 - Daniil Move - KTR - 1'38"843 - 13
25 - Pippa Mann - P1 - 1'38"984 - 31
26 - Claudio Cantelli - Ultimate/Signature - 1'38"984 - 27

Six hours of testing + free practise. Compared with GP2, which only has 30min, it's very good. With this form, the drivers get experience.

[WSR Fan]

Afternoon Testing Times:

1 - Giedo Van der Garde - P1 - 1'36"016 - 32
2 - Alvaro Barba - Prema - 1'36"125 - 39
3 - Bertrand Baguette - Draco - 1'36"203 - 36
4 - Julien Jousse - Tech 1 - 1'36"469 - 39
5 - Fabio Carbone - Ultimate/Signature - 1'36"547 - 33
6 - Marco Barba - Draco - 1'36"547 - 27
7 - Marco Bonanomi - Comtec - 1'36"578 - 40
8 - Pasquale Di Sabatino - Comtec - 1'36"656 - 33
9 - Marcos Martinez - Pons - 1'36"828 - 37
10 - Mikhail Aleshin - Carlin - 1'36"859 - 29
11 - James Walker - Fortec - 1'37"031 - 41
12 - Salvador Duran - Interwetten - 1'37"047 - 21
13 - Aleix Alcaraz - RC - 1'37"109 - 35
14 - Pablo Sanchez - Interwetten - 1'37"156 - 38
15 - Miguel Molina - Prema - 1'37"203 - 33
16 - Daniil Move - KTR - 1'37"219 - 40
17 - Borja Garcia - RC - 1'37"344 - 30
18 - Mario Romancini - Epsilon - 1'37"375 - 26
19 - Robert Wickens - Carlin - 1'37"453 - 29
20 - Alexandre Marsoin - Epsilon - 1'37"515 - 33
21 - Claudio Cantelli - Ultimate/Signature - 1'37"531 - 35
22 - Charles Pic - Tech 1 - 1'37"781 - 28
23 - Guillaume Moreau - KTR - 1'37"813 - 30
24 - Pippa Mann - P1 - 1'37"906 - 30
25 - Julian Theobald - Fortec - 1'38"000 - 34
26 - Maximo Cortes - Pons - 1'38"640 - 47

I know that this is 'only' testing, but my two predictions are doing rather well so far

Both Barba brothers seem to be on the pace also. Like pericu said, if Alvaro can avoid some of the bad luck he had last year then I don't see why he can't challenge for the title with Prema.

[OJB]

Spot the second year drivers! Only Carbone is really getting amongst them, discounting Wickens and Barba who have done races in the past. Have to say, P1 should really come good this year, so am not surprised to see VdG up there.

Have to say, that top ten is what I'd have predicted pre-season, but its far to difficult to predict the exact placings. I'm still thinking Molina for this year's title, but either from Prema, Carlin, Draco, VdG, Garcia, Moreau, Jousse, Duran and Bonanomi could win overall this year. Far too close to call. Should be a great year though!

My outsider? James Walker

[Last2LiftOff]

No live timing anywhere? Stunning. Maybe there'll be a live stream somewhere, there were several of them last year. Are the groups sorted for qualifying?

[kerrmanningjarv]

I didn't manage to find any live streams last year - where did you find them?

And, as you say, there doesn't appear to be live timing anywhere. http://intranetwsr.alkamelsystems.com provided live timing for the Barca tests at the start of the month, but not for the March Valencia tests or this weekend. Odd.

[wannab-aracer]

Bit confusing at the minute, but looks like this might work?
http://ris-timing.be/

[OJB]

I think, using that source, van der Garde is on pole with Wickens 2nd, Bonanomi 3rd, A Barba 4th, Carbone 5th, di Sabatino 6th, Baguette 7th, Pic 8th, Duran 9th and Garcia 10th.

Or is it reversed? I can't remember - either way, that's the top 10 on times anyway.

[Martin Haven]

Originally Posted by OJB

I think, using that source, van der Garde is on pole with Wickens 2nd, Bonanomi 3rd, A Barba 4th, Carbone 5th, di Sabatino 6th, Baguette 7th, Pic 8th, Duran 9th and Garcia 10th.

Or is it reversed? I can't remember - either way, that's the top 10 on times anyway.

race 1 grid is in qualifying order... race 2 grid sees top 6 (or was it 8, I forget?) reversed, then the rest, in the order they finished (or retired)

[WSR Fan]

The top 8 times (First 4 in each group) start Race 1 in reverse order. For Race 2 they line up in their original qualifying order - rest of the grid is decided by Race 1 finishing order.

So, if I've worked it out correctly, the Top 8 on the grid for Race 1 is:

1. Pic
2. di Sabatino
3. A Barba
4. Wickens
5. Baguette
6. Carbone
7. Bonanomi
8. van der Garde

I don't know for sure, but I'm assuming the other drivers start in time order for Race 1?

[OJB]

According to Italiaracing, Race 1 is top 8 reversed and the rest as normal. Sooo, Pic is on pole, with Baguette alongside. I think anyway!! Man, the first few races are going to be confusing!

[wannab-aracer]

This is all very confusing !

[WSR Fan]

Originally Posted by wannab-aracer

This is all very confusing !

Too right it is!

I was always under the impression that they took the Top 4 from each group, put them in time order (fastest to slowest) and then reversed them, but that's obviously not the case.

And apart from the Top 8, I don't know why ItaliaRacing has printed a whole grid for Race 2 because the majority of it will be based on Race 1 finishing positions

Cheers for the timing link btw.

[OJB]

Guess we won't know till the racing starts! Think it is a little too confusing all this, but I'm sure it'll work out in the long run.

[wannab-aracer]

To clear this up (or add to the confusion in my case!)

Report now avaliable in english
http://www.renault-sport.com/en/worl...ws=73794.html#

[Last2LiftOff]

KMJ, this from last year although not even sure it worked and I haven't seen P3 around much lately otherwise I'd ask. Try it in a few hrs. I guess, or maybe somebody else knows or has others.

Originally Posted by P3ndula

Live feed on RTS Serbia:
http://www.rts.co.yu/rts2uzivo.ram

Originally Posted by wannab-aracer

Bit confusing at the minute, but looks like this might work?
http://ris-timing.be/

Thank you Wannab. But when I call up that site, I don't see anything that looks like a live timing feed. Help! LOL.

Worst case I hope, are the delayed videos at italiaracing. Apparently, Renault's not in this for the publicity.

[OJB]

Originally Posted by Last2LiftOff

But when I call up that site, I don't see anything that looks like a live timing feed. Help! LOL.

Click on 1000kms of Monza at the top which brings up a big timetable of the action from that weekend. If you then click on World Series by Renault (in this case Race 1 when it happens), a live timing feed should come up. Its not the best live timing ever, but its not too bad and updates quite quickly. Hope that helps.

[Last2LiftOff]

Originally Posted by Inspector Clouseau

Ah, but of course.

Seems to me I'd tried that but there they are. Thanks OJ.

[kerrmanningjarv]

Originally Posted by Last2LiftOff

KMJ, this from last year although not even sure it worked and I haven't seen P3 around much lately otherwise I'd ask. Try it in a few hrs. I guess, or maybe somebody else knows or has others.

Doesn't work at the moment... but I'll check in about half an hour and hopefully it will.

[Emillian Stoyko]

Is there a TV channel that's actually broadcasting the series this year?

[Last2LiftOff]

Dunno, Emillian. I got nothin'.

[Martin Haven]

Originally Posted by Emillian Stoyko

Is there a TV channel that's actually broadcasting the series this year?

Not even sure if there's a World Feed - I have done the comms for that the past 2 years but last week they told me, that because of ever-tighter rebault budgets, I would not be needed...

Not sure whether that means they couldn't afford ANY commentary - or just couldn't afford ME !!