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Formula 3 Euro Series

Formula 3 Euro Series, 3rd and 4th rounds, Mugello (Italy) May 3-4 2008

On the podium already!

SG Formula won its first ever F3 Euro Series podium place in style in Mugello when Yann Clairay came 2nd in race 2 from the same position on the grid.
"I take my hat off to you, Monsieur Clairay!" was SG team boss Stéphane Guérin's reaction after a fine drive took the French driver into second place on the rostrum. After qualifying 13th, Yann Clairay laid the foundations for this great result on the Saturday by getting up to 7th in race 1, which earned him a front line start in Sunday's race in which the eight fastest drivers started in reverse order.
Eventual race winner Mika Mäki, who had the benefit a set of new tyres, got past Yann at the start of race 2 but the SG Formula driver drove a fine race to finish 2nd with a 5 seconds margin over the chasing pack led by Edoardo Mortara.
"I know we had the advantage of the reverse grid but the size of the lead over the 3rd placed man shows that we didn't steal this result," enthused Stéphane Guérin. "The hardest part of the job is done now. The first two meetings were run on what was unknown territory for us. We picked up some points in Hockenheim and won our first podium place in Mugello. This only serves to heighten our expectations for the first street race and comforts our hopes of making an impact during the second half of the season.”
Dutchman Henki Waldschmidt drove two good races. He was 11th during qualifying but started in 16th place in Saturday's race because of the penalty he had picked up in Hockenheim for running into a stationary car on the grid. He came 13th in race 1 and was lying 4th in the Rookie Cup. He put in a sound performance on the Sunday with some excellent lap times but was bugged by a technical problem which put him out of the race close to the end. Remember that this is Henki's first genuine blooding in Formula 3 because he had to drop out of the race in Hockenheim without completing a single lap.
Tom Dillmann had a very rough time this weekend. After starting race 1 in 18th position he had to be content with 16th at the finish. Then, with the finishing line in view in race 2, he suffered a battery failure. He can't wait for the next Grand Prix in Pau, a track on which he proved to be very quick in Formula Renault 2.0 two years ago.
SG Formula will also be hoping to repeat in the F3 Euro Series the success with which the team met in the lower grade. For instance, Guillaume Moreau's victory in 2004 and those of Romain Grosjean in 2005. Rendezvous next May 31/June 1 in the streets of Pau. 

 1st and 2nd rounds, Hockenheim April 12-13 2008

 Formula 3 newbies start well 

SG Formula were able to celebrate their first good result in the opening event of the 2008 Formula 3 Euro Series. Although Tom Dillmann and Henki Waldschmidt came away empty-handed, Yann Clairay put in a workmanlike performance throughout the meeting, the highlight being an excellent 5^th spot in race 2. 

The team from La Rochelle knew that their debut in the Euro Series was not going to be easy. This is a class which has a reputation for being hotly contested and even more so this season. Some top-rated teams have joined the paddock as engine specialist VW-Spiess attempts to wrestle supremacy from Mercedes-HWA. For the drivers it's the same story, the cream of international motor racing's up and coming talent is taking part. The weather conditions conspired to make the task even more complicated. “We arrived in Hockenheim not knowing what to expect, never having raced here in Formula Renault 2.0,” said team-manager Stéphane Guérin. “On the other hand, for our rivals this was home territory, because they have been coming here twice a year since the championship was inaugurated. The weather wasn't on our side either; we only managed to get in a couple of laps of practice in the dry!” 

Although the spectators in the stands were to enjoy the sun during Saturday and Sunday's racing, Friday's qualifying practice had to be abandoned due to torrential rain. The next morning the track still had some damp patches. Dutchman Henki Waldschmidt got his Dallara-Mercedes up to 13^th position, while team-mates Français Yann Clairay and Tom Dillmann, who were having braking problems, qualified in 16^th and 25^th place respectively. 

Poor Henki Waldschmidt won the weekend's bad luck prize in Hockenheim! In neither race was he able to avoid stalled cars on the grid and had to drop out within the first hundred yards. Tom Dillmann, from Alsace, had a frustrating week-end too, with constant braking problems. He had to make a long pitstop in race 1 but climbed impressively through the field on the Sunday from 25^th to 15^th place. It was to Yann Clairay that fell the pleasure of bagging SG Formula’s two maiden championship points. Yann, who hails from Laval, also had problems with his brakes during qualifying and at the start of race 1 but a flying start enabled him to climb from 16^th to 11^th place on the Saturday. After heroically overtaking three rivals in Sunday's race it looked as though he was heading for 7^th place when two cars collided in front of him, leaving the way clear for him to finish 5^th in the race. 

“This was our very first outing and after all the hard work the whole team had put during this winter we were very pleased to come away with the two points. Yann is completely fired up. He gets on very well with everyone in the team and always gets involved as much as he can. He drove a near perfect race. He used his experience, drove aggressively and took his chances when they came. Henki had just enough time to show that he was one of the fastest rookies in the field. It was a shame he couldn't drive in the race because obviously he needs to get miles under his belt. But I am not worried. He's a very talented guy and his attitude is positive. We had a lot of problems with Tom's car, leading to his failing to shine during qualifying and race 1. But we all know he is capable of winning races.” 

Formula 3 will be off to Mugello in Italy for the next meeting, which will take place in three week's time (May 3-4). It is going to be a busy weekend for SG Formula, because the team will also competing that weekend in the first round of Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup in Spa-Francorchamps!

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