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The Grid.co.uk the national & club motor racing website - est1998 |
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The Grid.co.uk the national & club motor racing website - est1998 |
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World Series by Renault 2009 Bertrand Baguette concludes with a double victory! Crowned Formula Renault 3.5 champion following the penultimate meeting at the Nurburgring, in no way did Baguette take on the final round held at Motorland Aragon, in Alcaniz, lightly. Even though the drivers title had been clinched by the Belgian, driving for the Draco International team, the team title was still to be awarded. Although the Morini clan were heading up the classification, Carlin Motorsport were to be a real threat right through to the end ... On a track which everyone still had to discover, which Bertrand had been able to appraise, in a virtual manner, the 2009 champion started off the weekend at full strength, dominating testing on Friday, before finding himself on the top step of the podium, twice! " It really is an interesting circuit, where one can attack the rumble strips without any problem, Baguette explained. Both with new as also worn tyres our single-seater is handling well. In fact the team hasn't reduced the pressure notwithstanding the title already won. They are determined to clinch the teams' title, that's for sure ... " On Saturday morning Bertrand gained his spot for the Superpole, the final session to determine the order on the two starting grids, eventually setting 4th best time for Sunday’s race and fifth for the Saturday afternoon. Right from the start of Race 1 the Draco driver moved into 4th in the wake of Turvey, Move and Leo, whilst Lancaster was already following on behind. After an initial fruitless overtaking attempt, Bertrand finally managed to get the better of Federico Leo, before going on to attack Daniil Move on the straight in the 10th lap, climbing up into 2nd place. What followed was a dream come true, with Baguette proving why he has dominated the Formula Renault 3.5 this season, by coming back on the leader Oliver Turvey of Carlin Motorsport, producing the final do-or-die move in the braking zone of the long straight. It all paid off and for the fourth time this season Bertrand was able to raise his clenched fists in victory as he took the chequered flag ... " Seeing the driver's title was in the bag, I decided to go out and attack for the pure pleasure, the driver told us the day after. This new victory brings Draco closer to the title reserved for the teams, and seeing the car was running really well I'm pretty confident for tomorrow. Even though the Carlin drivers performed well overall...but behind me! " On Sunday setting off from 4th place on the grid, Baguette with the same determination ... even though he found himself boxed in at the start. What followed during this second heat was perfect and similar to the day before. Bertrand produced a brilliant climb up through the ranks to find himself in 2nd place, some 4 seconds down on the Malaysian Fairuz Fauzy. As the leader called into the pit lane, Baguette went into overdrive, clocking up fast lap times before he in turn called in for his pit-stop ...to re-appear as race leader! No commentary was necessary for the final part of the event, with Baguette maintaining a 6 seconds lead, prior to lifting off in the final moments and scoring his fifth win of the season ... and offering the team title to Draco! Another mission accomplished. The following and final stage of Bertrand Baguette's fantastic 209 season: the test behind the wheel of the Renault F1, which will take place at the Jerez de la Frontera circuit, with a date still to be fixed ...
Nürburgring Champion!
Notwithstanding a perfect day on the Friday for the young Belgian of the Draco International team, with a second best overall time, the qualifying sessions were somewhat more complicated for Bertrand : ‘ Since these last few races the single-seater has been reacting strangely in the cold, which has penalised us somewhat », the Verviers based driver explained. « However I still managed to grab a place for the Super Pole, and during that specific moment everything improved. I clocked up 7th best time, but more importantly I would be in second spot on the grid for the first race of the weekend. Perfect way to start building up that points gap … ‘ During the first start on Saturday afternoon Baguette found himself somewhat boxed in, initially back in 3rd place before climbing back up into 2nd place. From the title point of view everyone thought that Bertrand would satisfy himself with the silver medal. But far from it … ‘ Together with the team we had decided not to take any risks this weekend. I can confirm in all honesty that this attack on the leader, Daniil Move, I had really planned it down to the finest detail. Once in the lead, I managed the race perfectly in order to clinch another victory and a 42 points advantage over the second driver in the championship, none other than the F1 driver Jaime Alguersuari ! And it looked as though everything was going to plan …
A crown which quite obviously delighted the Morini family, who head up the Draco International team, and who had been longing to clinch this title for several years … ‘ I’m really proud to be able to offer them this title ‘, Baguette continued. ‘They spent the entire weekend checking and double checking the single-seater just to make sure that nothing could go seriously wrong. Mission accomplished … and in perfect style … ‘ By winning the Formula Renault 3.5 title Bertrand Baguette has also won a test drive in a Renault F1. The date for this test run has not as yet been set, but one thing is for sure namely that fact that the next Belgian to compete in Formula 1 is now known … Champagne !
Hungaroring Another podium for Bertrand Baguette, joint-leader in the championship! Following his great results at Barcelona and Francorchamps, and a rewarding top 5 in the streets of Monaco, Bertrand Baguette was 2nd in the standings of the World Series by Renault 2009 prior to the race held at the Hungaroring this weekend. An even more interesting placing seeing that the competition's leader after this Magyar race would have the opportunity of getting behind the wheel of a Renault... F1 no less, as part of an exhibition programme during the World Series by Renault in Silverstone, at the beginning of July. And the least one can say is that the weekend started off on a high for Bertrand, who finished the collective practice sessions on Friday with the absolute best time ... even though some of the drivers were not able to fit their new tyres, as the result of a red flag. "All the same, the lap time was good, and we knew how we needed to sort out the set-up", Baguette explained, rather optimistic for the remainder of the weekend.. "But then we were highly disillusioned following the Superpole, where we weren't at our best. I did manage to save the day registering the 5th best time ... " On Saturday afternoon, the young Belgian boasting the Draco colours took an excellent start, one of his specialities, getting the better of Brendon Hartley. Up in 3rd place, for the rest of the race he stayed behind his team-mate Marco Barba, without really in a position to attack him. The outcome was that Baguette was back up on the podium once again. "But what is more important is that my nearest rivals in the Championship finished behind me. I couldn't have wished for more, seeing the car was suffering from an amazing amount of understeer .." And this Sunday the Belgian wearing the colours of the RACB National Team took off from his 5th spot on the grid. And once more his start was superb, getting the better of Charles Pic and James Walker. "So I was up in 3rd, and as the Safety Car came on to the track Marcos Martinez broke down, which wasn't all bad news. So I slotted up into 2nd place. And after the restart I managed to overtake Miguel Molina, the leader!" Lap after lap Baguette built up a small lead over the rest of the pack. Victory on the horizon? A second appearance of the Safety Car was to the advantage of all those who had called into the pits earlier. Unfortunately a group which did not include Bertrand... "I was quite clearly the fastest on the track, as proven by my best lap time in the race! And yet I only rejoined the track in 6th place, which I retained until the chequered flag! It's really a great pity, because all the drivers finishing high up in the ranking aren't really the flying arrows! Finishing 6th I obviously scored valuable points, all the more seeing Walker retired. So with my 56 points I'm up top of the leader board....just like Martinez! Unfortunately his various wins at the beginning of the season have made all the difference, and he is the one who will be carrying out the tests with the Renault F1 at Silverstone... " Notwithstanding all that, when looking at the race for the title, Bertrand has come out of this rather frustrating weekend with a joint-leadership in the championship. So all in all a good omen, even though we have the impression that in Formula Renault 3.5, each race appears to bring about its share of unexpected developments!
Spa/Francorchamps Bertrand Baguette takes double silver medal in front of 78,000 spectators gone wild!
Following on from his podium place in Catalonia, Bertrand Baguette had every intention of going flat out on home soil, and as from the collective test sessions on Friday, the Draco driver grabbed the top honours in the rankings. Baguette then repeated this performance during the qualifying sessions, finding himself amongst the group of drivers out to contend for the Superpole. The final assignment against the clock resulted in Bertrand in pole position." I’m truly pleased, Bertrand commented. During the first part of the session I couldn’t really achieve a clean run, and I only just qualified for the Superpole. However during the final session I managed to have three laps without anyone around, allowing me to clinch pole spot. Brilliant! " Saturday afternoon, under a bright sun the FR 3.5 pack went off, Bertrand taking on the attack from 8th place on the starting grid; the top 8 of the Superpole being reversed. The Belgian driver very quickly won a few places to find himself in 4th place in the wake of Martinez, Move, his team-mate Marco Barba and Charles Pic. Opponents Bertrand managed to pick off over the ensuing laps, finding himself now in 2nd place just behind Marcos Martinez. The Spaniard managed to hold on to the chequered flag, and Baguette clinched his second silver medal of the season. "It’s been a great day for us. I took a good start and I had luck on my side at Combes. I wasn’t on the right trajectory but this was finally to my advantage. On the other hand it was difficult to gain on Marcos in the final rounds, as I had really worked my tyres hard in order to overtake the other competitors." This Sunday, Bertrand was hoping to take full profit of his Superpole, leading off the pack, with the British driver James Walker next to him. During the first two laps the driver bearing the RACB National Team colours managed to get the better start and built up a small lead,until the Safety Car put in an appearance, reducing his lead to nothing. "Right from the restart, I managed to find a perfect rhythm, but I knew that I had to change my rear tyres during the compulsory pit stop. The consequences of a flat during qualifying with the set having to serve for the second part of the race, as the result of a brake balance worry. I must have lost at least one second on Walker during that stop, and when I got back on to the track the British driver was ahead of me. I very quickly realised that it would be difficult to catch him." For the second time during the weekend Baguette took the chequered flag in 2nd place, delighted with the outcome regarding the championship rankings… but disappointed not to have truly imposed himself in front of his home crowd. "I obviously had wished for more. I would have loved to have won the race in front of all my supporters, but let’s not turn our nose up to the fact that by grabbing 27 points out of the 33 on offer here I have done a good deal in the championship. Before Monaco I find myself 8 points down on Marcos Martinez, but the Spaniard is not the most dangerous of my opponents. Walker, Molina and Pic are behind me, and that is far more important." Everyone is now heading on down to the Monegasque Principality on the weekend of the 24th May, for the continuation – and it goes without saying prestigious – Formula Renault 3.5 competition. With a Bertrand Baguette fully determined to continue where he left off!
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As
he arrived at the German Nürburgring circuit, only a few kilometres from
the Belgium border, Bertrand Baguette only had one objective in mind:
keeping his closest rival in the race some 33 points at arms length in
order to clinch the Formula Renault 3.5 championship title before the
final Spanish round. 
This
Sunday Baguette, starting from he 7th place on the grid, drove the race
everyone expected of him. Back in 9th place at the first braking point,
he concentrated on working his way up through the pack, getting passed
three of his rivals to find himself in 6th place. The retirement of Jon
Lancaster brought him up into the top 5… and the chance to celebrate the
title ! ‘Alguersuari did in fact finish in 6th place ! ‘, Baguette
shouted as he climbed out of his single seater. ‘This time we’ve done
it! I feel rather strange in grabbing the title before the final round
in Spain. It will be taking a great load off our shoulders when we
travel on down to there! For the moment it still hasn’t really sunk in
what has happened but one thing is for sure, this weekend worked out
exactly to plan … ‘ 
A
mere two weeks after the kick-off of the World Series by Renault at the
Barcelona circuit, the large caravan sporting the diamond-shaped logo
set up their camp at Spa-Francorchamps this weekend, drawing a crowd
estimated at some 78,000 persons! It should be said that the programme
on offer was quite exceptional, with amongst others the 3rd and 4th
races of the Formula Renault 3.5 competition.