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The Hitech Junior
Team will return to International Formula Masters in two weeks time at
the Automotodrom Brno in the Czech Republic for rounds five and six. |
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Hitech
Junior IFM
MAIDEN
IFM VICTORY FOR HITECH JUNIOR
 Hitech
Junior Team’s Kasper Andersen took the team’s maiden International
Formula Masters victory in round four at Valencia at the weekend. The
Danish driver passed pole sitter Nicolas Maulini and his Hitech
team-mate Alexander Rossi at the start and led all the way to the flag
for his third IFM race victory.
After a superb
fourth place in the last round in Pau, 17-year-old Rossi had hoped to
build on the performance and was holding third place but was
unfortunately taken out of a potential podium spot after a collision
with Pal Varhaug. The reigning Formula BMW World Final Winner and
Formula BMW Americas Champion recovered to finish 12th, matching the
times of the lead cars.
The second event of the IFM season kicked off with qualifying on
Saturday and netted the fourth and sixth time for the two drivers, with
Andersen leading the way for the Silverstone-based team.
In the weekend’s opening race, Andersen underlined his potential running
as high as third before dropping back through the order and crossing the
line sixth just ahead of Rossi. With a reverse grid for the top eight
for Sunday’s race, this result ensured they would line up second and
third on the grid.
At the lights Andersen made a great start to leap ahead of Maulini and
Rossi at the lights to take the lead into the first corner and was
thereafter never headed as he went on to a six second advantage at the
flag.
"It's great for the team and for me” said Kasper. “I've always done well
here in Valencia but this win really means a lot to me as I had no
testing at all with the team and went straight into the car in Pau after
six months away from racing in the series. We worked hard and now we
have a victory as a result. I had a great start, but I think we can
still improve a lot, so we have to keep working and then we're going for
it!"
Team Manager David Hayle was delighted with the team’s result in only
its second International Formula Masters race and quick to praise the
performance of both drivers. “It was a great result for Kasper, he drove
superbly in race two and once he’d got the lead was able to dominate the
race from the front and build a healthy gap to second.
"Alexander could have secured a second podium finish for the team in
third place had he not been taken out, as his lap times over the race
were matching those of the lead cars so it’s unfortunate for him that he
was unable to join Kasper on the podium. The team worked hard over the
course of the weekend and it’s a great achievement to get a win in our
first year in the series and only the second race weekend. Both drivers
have shown great potential already and I’m sure they will continue this
form into the next rounds.”
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