|
 Very
difficult track conditions and hard work for the drivers as well
as engineers to adapt the race cars characterized both qualifying
sessions of the last round of the Spanish Formula 3 Championship
held this weekend at the Barcelona circuit. Borja Garcia increased
his advantage in the championship standings to nine points my marking
the fastest lap time in the first session. In the second race Borja
will start sixth as a crash between Giao and Hernandez cost him
the opportunity to improve his lap time.
Racing Engineering’s Steven Kane will start from fifth position
in both races.
Qualifying
1:
For Racing Engineering’s Borja Garcia the first qualifying
session couldn’t have been more exciting. From yesterday to
today the Barcelona circuit changed a lot and drivers reported a
switch from understeering to oversteering. Borja decided to start
the qualifying session on a new set of tyres and come in halfway
through the session to pick up another new set. Borja’s championship
rival Giao, who during the season so far has always waited until
half the session passed until he joined the qualifyings, this time
tried to mark lap times from the very beginning. And quickly it
was apparent that both drivers had the same strategy to get into
pole position. Giao also started with new tyres and used a second
new set in this session. Together with Villa they were fighting
for the fastest lap time, which in the end was recorded by Borja
Garcia at 1’38.116.
At his first official outing at the Barcelona track, Steven Kane
started the first qualifying on used tyres. When Steven came into
the pits halfway through the session, the Racing Engineering crew
put new tyres on his car and Steven marked his fastest time at 1’38.585.
He will start tomorrow’s first race from fifth position on
the grid.
Maria de Villota had an official medical check this morning due
to her injury suffered during the race of Valencia. Having received
the permission to race, Maria nevertheless is having a pain in her
left hand and therefore could not give her best. She will start
from nineteenth position.
Qualifying
2:
Borja Garcia, fighting for the championship title and already looking
back onto the pole position for the first race, didn’t want
to risk too much on the Barcelona track, that turned out to be exceptionally
difficult to drive on today. Borja was in sixth position, when shortly
before the end of the second qualifying Giao collided with Hernandez
at the end of the pitlane. This incident finished the session for
the Portuguese, who will start the race from tenth place. Borja
was on a fast lap with new tyres, when red flags due to Giao’s
accident interrupted the session. At the restart the performance
of his tyres decreased and it was impossible to mark a better lap
time. Borja will start the race from sixth position.
Steven Kane was luckier than his teammate Borja, as he had not yet
mounted a new set of tyres on his car, when the session was red
flagged. Steven could improve his lap time and repeated his results
from the first qualifying and will start from the fifth position
on the starting grid of tomorrow’s race two.
Maria de Villota will start eighteenth.
At the end of the second qualifying Alfonso de Orleáns, Racing
Engineering’s president, said, “This was a difficult day
with mixed feelings. The first qualifying went well and we already
know that between Borja and Giao there will be good racing tomorrow.
As for the second qualifying, it is a pity what has happened to
Giao. The championship should not be decided like this and it is
not in our interest that Giao was taken the chance to fight for
the title against Borja. Steven on the other hand had a tough day
for his first time racing in Barcelona. The track was permanently
changing and made it impossible for all the drivers to find a perfect
set up. Nevertheless I am sure Steven will push in both races and
the podium is definitely within reach.”
Qualifying 1:
1. Borja García (Racing Engineering), 1’38.116
2. Manuel Giao (GTA Motor Competición), 1’38.229
3. Jose Maria Perez Aicart (Eca Racing), 1’38.437
4. Javier Villa (JV Racing –Elide), 1’38.486
5. Steven Kane (Racing Engineering), 1’38.585
6. Celso Miguez (Meycom), 1’38.675
7. Alejandro Nuñez (Meycom), 1’38.735
8. Ricardo Risatti (Igi Tec Auto), 1’38.877
9. Alvaro Barba (ACM), 1’38.929
10. Andy Soucek (GTA Motor Competición), 1’39.121
19. Maria de Villota (Racing Engineering), 1’41.109
Qualifying
2:
1. Celso Miguez (Meycom), 1’38.596
2. Juan Maria Perez Aicart (Eca Racing), 1’38.760
3. Andy Soucek (GTA Motor Competitción), 1’38.799
4. Alejandro Nuñez (Meycom), 1’38.862
5. Steven Kane (Racing Engineering), 1’38.874
6. Borja Garcia (Racing Engineering), 1’39.097
7. Juan Caceres (Igi Tec Auto), 1’39.3263
8. Matías Milla (BCN F-3 Junior Team), 1’39.326
9. Manuel Saez Merino (Eca Racing), 1’39.483
10. Manuel Giao (GTA Motor Competición), 1’39.492
18. Maria de Villota (Racing Engineering), 1’41.114
|
