Renault World Series 2009 (Off season/General thread)

[WSR Fan]

Times from a very wet afternoon session:

1 - Jaime Alguersuari - Carlin - 1'56"404 - 36 giri
2 - Miguel Molina - Ultimate/Signature - 1'56"405 - 25
3 - Marcos Martinez - Pons - 1'56"511 - 21
4 - James Walker - P1 - 1'56"591 - 43
5 - Oliver Turvey - Carlin - 1'56"682 - 30
6 - Bertrand Baguette - Draco - 1'56"699 - 41
7 - Fairuz Fauzy - Fortec - 1'56"934 - 25
8 - Adrian Valles - Epsilon - 1'57"216 - 45
9 - Marco Barba - Draco - 1'57"455 - 32
10 - Greg Mansell - Ultimate/Signature - 1'57"489 - 20
11 - Riki Christodoulou - Comtec - 1'58"007 - 41
12 - Mihai Marinescu - Interwetten - 1'58"380 - 16
13 - Chris Van der Drift - Epsilon - 1'58"428 - 39
14 - Frankie Provenzano - Prema - 1'58"679 - 52
15 - Julian Leal - Prema - 1'59"149 - 33
16 - Pasquale Di Sabatino - RC - 1'59"241 - 31
17 - Franck Perera - Interwetten - 1'59"311 - 29
18 - Anton Nebilitskiy - Comtec - 1'59"510 - 33
19 - Charles Pic - Tech 1 - 2'01"676 - 7
20 - Daniil Move - Tech 1 - 2'01"733 - 33
21 - Federico Leo - Pons - 2'01"777 - 23

Pentus and Hegewald didn't set a time in the session.

[kerrmanningjarv]

^ That's because Marinescu took over Hegewald's car as we expected.

Well done Renault-Sport for not issuing a press release for day 2, or official times for either day .

[WSR Fan]

It's now official: KTR pulls out of the World Series..

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/74121

As I said in a previous post, not the ideal news going into a new season, but at the same time not surprising either given the way things are at the moment financially.

[OJB]

Judging by Perera's comments, looks like he has signed up with Interwetten for the season:

"It's six months since I last drove! I needed to get myself back on the pace. I'm familiar with the old FR3.5. This new version is different and feels more purposeful. I'm getting the measure of it little by little. I'm hoping I'm quickly going to have some good results in the season to come."

[Rf1 Fan]

Tv time for FR3.5 at Barcelona for Eurosport 1:

saturday:13:45 cet first race Live
Sunday:17h45 cet second race delayed.

[kerrmanningjarv]

Still no word yet which UK channel will show it - the Setanta people were talking at Barcelona last year (the finale) as if they would show it in 2009 too... maybe not.

[WSR Fan]

http://www.italiaracing.net/notizia.asp?id=22779&cat=5

As widely expected, Pasquale di Sabatino joins RC Motorsport for the 2009 season. On the Italian version of the page, I think it mentions that RC will run just a single car at the season opener in Barcelona.

So, with nine days to go until practice begins in Barcelona, there are still seven seats to be officially confirmed: Both at Interwetten.com and Epsilon Euskadi, and one each at P1, Prema and RC Motorsport.

As for potential drivers, Franck Perera looks like he's on his way to Interwetten.com, with Mihai Marinescu or possibly Salvador Duran as his team-mate. The second Prema seat looks like a straight fight between Italian's Edoardo Piscopo and Frankie Provenzano, while Adrian Valles and Chris van der Drift look like getting the two Epsilon seats after testing for them extensively during the winter. At this stage though, I've got no real idea as to who might get the vacant seats at P1 and RC.

[Channel Super]

Hamad AlFardan look like getting P1 seat

[Go_For_Pole]

... and Frankie Provenzano tested for Prema in Adria so it looks like Prema are in for a very tough year.

[sauber11]

http://www.auto-sport.ru/news/656/45920/
Daniil Move confirmed with P1.

[OJB]

Really? He only signed with Tech 1 two weeks ago - what's that all about!?

[sauber11]

Originally Posted by OJB

Really? He only signed with Tech 1 two weeks ago - what's that all about!?

Right after he was announced with tech1 he gave interview, thats nothing is already signed and he is in talk with 2 teams - top team and the second even better(01.04.09 interview). So now everything got clear, tech1 just hurried a little bit with announcement.
In interview he said that P1 always looked like having best package and he still has no aim, because almost didnt test with P1.

[Rf1 Fan]

Tonight:

There will be at 11:10 pm cet a season preview on eurosport.

[F3 Rocks]

"As for potential drivers, Franck Perera looks like he's on his way to Interwetten.com, with Mihai Marinescu or possibly Salvador Duran"

.

Looks like Adrian Zaugg A1 South Africa's driver will partner Salvador Duran at Interwetten for the season opener in Barcelona

[Spudy]

Heard an interesting rumour, WSR is going to finish at the end of this season. Anyone else heard this?

[jondownunder]

Not heard that rumour but it wouldn't surprise me, as rumours at italiaracing.net suggest that GP3 will have Renault engines and be at a similar level to WSbR... so I'd guess WSbR will evolve into GP3.

[ivanalesi]

May be because of this rumour they sent an interview with Deconinck about Renault's commitment and to reinforce that everything is going as it is. Only the changes in chassis... I doubt Renault would give up so easily on their weekend concept!

[sauber11]

http://www.crash.net/Renault+WS/Inte...cing_-_qa.html
http://www.crash.net/Renault+WS/News...lt_ladder.html
"And then, in 2011, we will launch the new World Series car - with ever better performance levels!"

So no intention to close WSR, its just a second and cheaper route to F1.
1)f-bmw,gp3,gp2,F1 2)renault 2.0 ,f3,WSR,gp2,f1.

[Rf1 Fan]

Brendon Hartley will be the team mate of Charles Pic at Tech 1 racing:
http://www.autohebdo.fr/monoplaces/w....5-avec-tech-1

[OJB]

...for 3 races anyway. A very impressive late signing for Tech 1 in my opinion. Shame some of his Euro F3 rounds clash towards the end of the year.

[WSR Fan]

Ditto what OJB said.

I think it's quite ironic that at the end of last year Simon Abadie was complaining about the reluctance of Red Bull, Renault etc. to give him their development drivers and now he has one from each camp (for the time being at least).

He's clearly a talented driver and although it will be a big step up from an F3 car, I think he'll adapt to it well and who knows, a podium might not be out of the question.

Just one thing to remember though Brendon - don't take out Turvey or Alguersuari whatever you do

[Sev]

Wow. Pic/Hartley vs Turvey/Alguesuari. The team championships going to be interesting.

Nice to see the three of them racing together again though. I wouldn't be surprised if Hartley's season in WSR is going better than his F3 season for him to switch over though. A three race contract is a nice way to secure it.

[kerrmanningjarv]

Zaugg and Duran at Interwetten? Would be an awesome team but don't forget neither have tested - Hegewald, Marinescu and Perera have.

[OJB]

It's Zaugg and Marinescu at Interwetten. Brings the grid up to 23, on the assumption that Move is at P1.

However, I notice Marsoin isn't on the entry list anymore. Wonder if Comtec and RC will have to run just a single car this weekend now.

[Alex K]

Thought about Marsoin commitment to the series when he was replaced during official test day, you usually don't do it when you signed up full time (with so limited test days in the series). Maybe Telmex will step up and place Duran somewhere?