14/07/2006
NEWS STORY
Super Nova International - Jose Maria Lopez Pole Fairuz Fauzy 23rd
Returning after a month long break from racing, the GP2 Series prepared in hot conditions at Circuit Nevers Magny-Cours for the seventh round. Fresh from a successful two-day test in Paul Ricard, where Jose was quickest driver, the Super Nova team were optimistic! Free practice this morning went well, followed by an even better qualifying session for the 23 year old Argentinean driver Jose Maria Lopez, who set a time of 1:23.911 on his first lap, and remained quickest for the entire 30 minutes. For this he claimed 2 points & qualified pole for Saturdays race.
Team mate Fairuz Fauzy tried several set up's and ran a total of 12 laps but unfortunately experienced some difficulties with the brakes & could not make a fast lap to improve on his 23rd qualifying position. Timo Glock was 0.120sconds off Super Nova's No. 5 car qualifying 2nd with Giorgio Pantano in 3rd position on the grid for tomorrows 4pm race.
Team Principal - David Sears: "Jose Maria Lopez continued to impress everyone with his stunning pole position in qualifying here in Magny Cours. Full of confidence after being quickest in the recent two-day test in France Jose has overcome the problems that he had in the past couple of races.
Fairuz Fauzy ended up in 23rd position 2 seconds slower than his team mate, complaining that he had a long brake pedal, and not happy with the car balance. However Fairuz race performance is usually far better than his qualifying, & Super Nova team hope that he can get a reasonable result in the race tomorrow."
Jose Maria Lopez: "I came here positive after a great testing session in Paul Ricard, and I'm really, really pleased with today's qualifying result! It's just the beginning as we have the race to complete but I think it will be an exciting one, and a podium win which is my aim, would be fantastic!"
Fairuz Fauzy: "I'm obviously disappointed with my grid position, especially because the car was good except for some braking problems I had very early in the session. I could never get a fast lap together as I kept locking or losing my brakes. I'm sure the team will fix this for tomorrows race. I'm looking forward to a strong start with the aim to finish in the top 10 for Sunday's race."
Piquet Sports- Nelson Piquet Jr 5th
Nelson Piquet Jr narrowly missed out on pole position today in the qualifying session for the French GP2 feature race at Magny Cours. He did however provide some interesting viewing for the spectators in an otherwise event-free session, when his car flew through the air after he lifted off from a kerb while pushing hard on his last lap. He will now line up on the third row of the grid for tomorrow's race after finishing up fifth
fastest.
The 20-year-old Brazilian continued the good form he left in mid-season testing when he finished third quickest in this morning's free practice session. His performance continued well in the qualifying session, with him sitting in fourth position and just a few minutes remaining. On his final fast lap, he got off to a fantastic start, setting a storming first sector and very fast second sector. On another stormer in the final sector, heading for a sure pole position, he rode one of the kerbs, which saw all four wheels of the car lift off the ground, and Nelson landing back on the track where he continued his lap. It was great for the spectators, but unfortunately lost Nelson vital tenths, which meant he did not improve on his position. In the dying seconds, Lewis Hamilton managed to improve on his place in the lower half of the top ten, just pipping Nelson to fourth place.
It was an extremely competitive session, with the top five drivers separated by just two tenths of a second, and the grid line-up looks set to provide some exciting racing in tomorrow's 41-lap race.
Nelson Piquet Jr: Ah! I'm so frustrated, that should have been pole. I was pushing so hard so I'm a little annoyed with myself, but so far this weekend our car has been good. We know we got the set-up right today for practice and qualifying, and now we have to make sure we get it right for the race tomorrow. It looks like a good grid, and with me and Lewis next to each other at the start again, I'm sure it's going to be another fun race.
Racing Engineering - Adam Carroll 6th Javier Villa 22nd
Adam Carroll proved that all of the hard work put in by the Racing Engineering mechanics and engineers at the recent test in Paul Ricard had paid off by claiming the fastest time in this morning's free practice session, but unfortunately traffic on his first flying lap in qualifying probably cost the team a front row start for tomorrow's race one at Magny Cours.
With conditions at their best on the opening laps of the session because of the Formula One rubber on track, Adam pushed hard in the scorching conditions to maximise his opportunities, but a wayward Clivio Piccione ran off track before returning just in front of the Ulsterman, who lost more than two tenths trying to avoid him.
Further back Javier Villa was in the unusual position of having raced at the track before the weekend, and put his experience to good use in free practice. Unfortunately he made a mistake at the second chicane in qualifying on his first lap, jumping the kerb and losing a lot of time in the process. Despite the problems Adam lines up in sixth place tomorrow, a little over three tenths behind poleman Jose Maria Lopez, while Javi will start from 22nd.
Team principal Alfonso de Orleans Borbon was phlegmatic after the session, stating: Qualifying was not bad, but we probably expected a bit better; maybe pole for Adam. Unfortunately all the traffic he had probably had something to do with that, but Adam said the car felt good, so he should be okay for tomorrow's race. Javi probably didn't feel totally comfortable with the car, because it's completely different to what he is used to, but we'll start the race tomorrow and see how it goes. The boys did a fantastic job, as usual, and I'm sure the cars will be good for the race."
Adam Carroll was calm after his torrid session, noting: Qualifying was actually pretty good, because my first lap was much better than where I ended up: Piccione came off through the second chicane and then came back further down, stayed in middle of the track, and I lost a bit more than two tenths because I had to take him on the inside. It wouldn't have been quite pole, but it would have been better than sixth: probably second or third. I think another podium would be good for tomorrow; I just hope to get a good start and stay up there."
Javier Villa was sanguine after his problems, saying: The qualifying I think showed we had a better car than before, because I came out on the first set and was one tenth in the first sector and then four tenths behind pole position in the second sector, but then on the entry to the second chicane I jumped the kerb and went ‘oooops!' That first lap is good because there is more grip from the Formula One cars, and the track goes away after that but I kept pushing. It will be a little difficult in the race because after six laps the car was a bit nervous, so after forty laps it will be a lot worse! But at least I can push, because I know the car and the circuit."
DAMS - Franck Perera 9th Ferdinando Monfardini 14th
The DAMS drivers were a bit disappointed by their qualifying today at Magny-Cours as both of them missed opportunities to set better times. Finally Perera will start from 9th place for tomorrow's long race and Monfardini from 14th place.
Franck Perera: I think the best moment to make a good time today was with the first set of tyres early in the session. In my first quick lap the car was fast, I was on a very good lap. We were together with Caroll, I was catching him, then Piccione went out in front of us, we had yellow flags and the lap was lost. Today there was no chance to make a quick lap on the second lap of the set of tires, so I went in the pits with 11th place. With my second set I improved my time but the first attempt was the best, that's a shame but we have the potential for good points tomorrow.
Ferdinando Monfardini: I set my lap with my first set of tyres, the track was quickest in the beginning of the session, but I lost a bit due to a slower car in the hairpin of Adelaide. Then we did some changes on my car, which were going in the right direction, and, even with a slower track I was improving my time with my second set. I was pushing hard and I lost the rear in Imola chicane, I managed to recover but the lap time was over. The car is good and I am quite confident for the race.
Trident Racing - Gimmi Bruni 12th Andreas Zuber 16th
Heavy traffic, 36 degrees air temperature and an engine problem. Trident Racing afternoon has been conditioned by these elements, consequently Gimmi Bruni took P12 and Andreas Zuber P16. When the time was right they both had to abort their fast laps because of the traffic and then, because of the heat, they could not properly exploit the anyway very good Bridgestone tyres. On top of this Gimmi had a problem with his engine.
Gimmi Bruni: "This morning everything went well, I was sixth, so we were confident for a good grid position. But during qualifying things went wrong so in the end I just took the sixth row. Now the engineers are taking a very close look to my engine, which was not performing well, I hope they will fix the problem. For tomorrow I hope things will go a bit better than today".
Andreas Zuber: "I could not have a good run on new tyres because Carroll spun in front of me while I was in my flying lap. So we tried to change something in the car trying to recover some positions but with these hot weather we could not do that much. For tomorrow we have to study very well the strategy, I hope to be able to recover the gap as I already did other times this season".