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With limited track time on race weekends, we decided to try a different front spring compared to our normal setup to try and improve the car for new tyres. It didn't help us as we hoped and I found myself struggling, especially while braking. I ended the session in p20, quite far off the pace. But was confident of improving for the next and final practice session.
With the spring changed back, I went into the second practice feeling confident. But to be safe, we put new tyres on almost straight away to give us time to make changes afterwards. I set my time which instantly put me p1, for most of the 40 minute session. Others improved as the session went on, and I ended up 3 tenths off in p9, it was incredibly close, but I was feeling confident, especially after the first session!
Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 - Barcelona - Collective testing report
Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 has the honour of getting the ball rolling at the Barcelona circuit, for the first World Series by Renault meeting of the season. The day's programme included two 40-minute collective testing sessions. Last-minute changes to the list of competitors saw Oliver Webb and James Calado join the ranks at Fortec Motorsport. The Pole Services team was also present in Spain, with a car for Benjamin Lariche.
The first session of collective testing got under way with exciting action from Motopark Academy's Adrian Quaife-Hobbs, Antonio Felix da Costa and Kevin Magnussen. The Briton took control of the session after a quarter of an hour, with a lap of 1'45"609. At home, Albert Costa lost no time in heading the still entirely provisional timesheet. By the mid-point of the session, he was leading things with a time of 1'44"878, ahead of Quaife-Hobbs, Antonio Felix da Costa and Magnussen.
Albert Costa improved the reference time over several laps, while Antonio Felix da Costa took second place. Jean-Eric Vergne also stepped up the pace to claim third ahead of Adrian Quaife-Hobbs. Iquick Valencia's Patrick Kronenberger and Fortec Motorsport's James Calado got themselves noticed, when they claimed 5th and 6th place respectively. The situation did change slightly in the closing minutes. Costa remained the clear leader ahead of Antonio Felix da Costa. However, Muller took third place on the line, followed by Epsilon Euskadi's Nathaniël Berthon and Fortec Motorsport's James Calado.
In the afternoon, the sun shone on Barcelona and the track temperature was much higher. The start of the session was dedicated to race set-ups. Epsilon Sport's Luciano Bacheta took the lead followed by Carlos Munoz for Epsilon Euskadi and Fabien Thuner for Jenzer Motorsport.
Motopark Academy's Marco Sorenson launched the first wave of improvements, immediately followed by Albert Costa, Kevin Magnussen and Nico Muller. The drivers were interrupted in their efforts when the red flag came out after Fabien Thuner ran into a gravel trap. The positions would not change and Nico Muller claimed the fastest time of the afternoon.
Posted: 18.04.2009