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Qualifying:
The grid is split up in 2 groups for qualifying, the top 12 in each group progress into SuperPole. The tyres took a while to come on at the start of the session and I was starting to worry, but then after 2 laps, I was able to set a time to comfortably put me in SuperPole.
SuperPole:
The toughest session of the weekend, with the 24 drivers fighting for their starting positions for the race. I got off to a good start, around the 6th place mark. However we didn't improve in times like everybody else seemed to. I qualified 14th for race one, and 10th for race two (2nd fastest SuperPole lap).
Group A Official Report
The thirty drivers competing in the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 are divided into two groups for qualifying. Odd-number drivers are in Group A and even-number drivers in Group B. The first twelve of each group qualify for SuperPole. Daniel de Jong (MP Motorsport) set the pace at the start of the session ahead of Federico Sconti (One Racing) and Oliver Webb (Fortec Motorsport), the favorites biding their time before taking to the track. With his first quick lap, Jean-Éric Vergne (SG Formula) took the top line on the time sheet in 1’45’’174. Keeping the pressure on, he confirmed his position with a lap time of 1’44’’754. Adrian Quaife-Hobbs (Motopark Academy) and Nico Müller took their turns to get in the thick of the action and move into second and third respectively. Nathanaël Berthon (Epsilon Euskadi) proceeded to shake up the order of the top three by grabbing second spot. In eleventh place, Fabien Thurner (Jenzer Motorsport) was the last driver to qualify for the SuperPole.
Group B Official Report
The first few minutes were quiet and we had to wait until mid-session to see the first significant lap time. Genis Olivé (Jenzer Motorsport) was first to go on the attack. Miki Monras (SG Formula), Arthur Pic (SG Formula), Nigel Melker (MP Motorsport), Albert Costa (Epsilon Euskadi) then Antonio Felix da Costa (Motopark Academy) all took to the tack, immediately shifting to the top of the leaderboard. Kevin Magnussen (Motopark Academy) was next to set the fastest time with a 1’44’’580 lap, but had little opportunity to taste his success as team mate Antonio Felix da Costa grabbed the leadership back with a 1’44’’554 lap. The Motopark Academy drivers ended this session in the top two positions. Arthur Pic, Carlos Munos and Daniel Mancinelli (One Racing) made up the other three top-5 spots. Adam Kout (Krenek Motorsport), Genis Olivé and Juan Jacobo (Motopark Academy) failed to qualify for the SuperPole.
SuperPole: Official Report
Adrian Quaife-Hobbs dominated the start of the SuperPole session, ahead of team mate Marco Sorensen, but by mid-session only six drivers had actually clocked times. The others preferred to hold out until the end of the session. With traffic thick and furious toward the close of the session, the pecking order changed with every lap. Nico Müller took a provisional pole but Antonio Felix da Costa then Adrian Quaife-Hobbs upped the stakes. Penalised by fuel pump trouble in the morning, Albert Costa was finally able to remedy the problem and quickly moved into pole position himself, with a fastest time of 1’44’’370. Immediately after, he set the second fastest time as well, putting himself firmly in the driving seat with pole position in both this weekend’s races. Nico Müller, clearly on form, finished second.
Posted: 18.04.2009