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| June 06, 2012 |
| Renault 2.0 Euro: Tech 1 Racing Getting Back on Track |
 | Paul-Loup Chatin extended his points scoring streak to four during the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 doubleheader at Spa
(Photo: Renault) |
BELGIUM (JUne 5, 2012) - After Motorland Aragon in the Eurocup and Monza, Pau and Imola in Alps, Tech 1 Racing and its four drivers in the Formula 2.0 Eurocup continued their European Tour at Spa-Francorchamps. The season had got off to a good start with a podium in Eurocup for Oscar Tunjo and a win in Alps for Paul-Loup Chatin in the streets of Pau, but the Belgian weekend was less successful. The team’s fightback will be all the stronger.
The Formula 2.0 season is in full swing and between the Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup and the Formula Renault 2.0 Alps, and Paul-Loup Chatin, Oscar Tunjo, Matthieu Vaxivičre, Roman Mavlanov, and the whole Tech 1 Racing team face a string of weekends at the track.
More than 40 cars did battle in the Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup on the very selective Spa-Francorchamps circuit. The four Tech 1 Racing drivers did not have a great collective practice session.
“On this difficult circuit where nobody tested this winter, free practice is very important as it sets the tempo for the weekend,” explained Sarah Abadie, the Tech 1 Racing Director. “We had difficult working conditions with the rain and a lot of traffic on the track. The result was that our drivers were never really on the pace: they didn’t get to grips with the track and they were chasing the time lost all weekend. But the speed was there as they proved from time to time.”
The first qualifying session was a big disappointment as the highest-placed Tech 1 Racing driver was Chatin in 18th place.
“Paul Loup, Oscar, Matthieu and Roman had a difficult session. They lost time in the traffic and the odd tenth here and there. In such a closely-fought championship you pay cash. Go slightly off line and you slip from first to 20th.”
By qualifying so far back finishing high up was a big challenge. Even so Chatin put on a great display and fought his way up to sixth place. Tunjo’s 12th position put him just outside the points, while Vaxivičre finished 20th and Mavlanov 32nd.
It was raining on Sunday. The Tech 1 Racing drivers all improved, with Chatin ninth just in front of Vaxivičre in 10th. The latter was hamstrung with a sensor problem on the throttle linkage. Tunjo was involved in a start line accident, so the team’s hopes were pinned in Chatin and Mavlanov. The Frenchman scored points for the fourth time in four races by finishing fifth. The Russian was stuck in the mid-field and finished 28th gaining precious experience.
“We know that we can all do much better. Paul-Loup scored points in both races. Matthieu qualified well in the rain and that’s what we have to remember,” said Abadie. “I was pleased with the way our drivers reacted between Saturday and Sunday. They all put too much pressure on themselves and they made a few beginners’ mistakes. On Saturday evening they learned a lot of things during the debrief and they applied what we asked them to do on Sunday. So I think that the Spa-Francorchamps weekend is going to have positive effects for the rest of the season. That’s what learning is all about!”
The Tech 1 Racing squad will be back at Spa for the Alps event. The next round of the Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup will take place at the Nürburgring at the end of June. |
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