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Eurocup standings after
2 races out of 14:
1. D. Ricciardo (SG Formula) 23pts, 2. D. Zampieri (BVM Minardi Team)
18pts, 3. Cesar Ramos (BVM Minardi Team) 17pts, 4. Paul Meijer (MP
Motorsport) 15pts, 5. A. Caldarelli (SG Formula) 12pts… 15. J.-E. Vergne
(SG Formula) 1
Results
available at
www.renault-sport.com
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SG
Formula
SG
Formula at the double!
 The
Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup season opened with a 1-2 for SG Formula.
Repeating their success in the West European Cup, Daniel Ricciardo and
Andrea Caldarelli completed race 1 in Spa in the same order. They
started Sunday's race with similar intentions but the scrapping that
took place on the first lap saw the Australian back down in 4th place
and the Italian right out of the race.
This season, new arrangements have been introduced for Eurocup
qualifying sessions, with the 48 entrants split into two groups. The top
12 in each group earn the right to compete in the 'superpole' session.
In Spa, five out of six SG Formula drivers got past this first hurdle.
You have to put in two good times at the Superpole stage. The best
decides your position in race 1 and the second best in race 2. Daniel
Ricciardo, Andrea Caldarelli and Jean-Eric Vergne got the 2nd, 3rd and
7th fastest times and set themselves up amongst the race favourites.
In Saturday's race Daniel and Andrea quickly overtook and raced clear of
poleman Valtteri Bottas so that 12 laps later the result was in the bag
- SG Formula had obtained its first 1-2 of the season! Winner Daniel
Ricciardo also put in the fastest lap. Andrea Caldarelli - well worth
his 2nd place - put 12 seconds between himself and Bottas in 3rd place.
Jean-Eric Vergne was the other SG Formula driver to be amongst the
points, battling to a hard-earned 10th place.
Andrea Caldarelli took the lead at the start of race 2 but unfortunately
when braking into the 'Combes' chicane Roberto Mehri shunted him off the
track. Daniel Ricciardo suffered some damage to the underside of his car
in the domino effect that ensued but was nevertheless able to finish the
race 4th, meaning that the Red Bull Junior Team driver left Belgium in
the lead in the championship standings.
The pile up at Combes claimed another victim: Jean-Eric Vergne. The FFSA
French Team driver lost all chance he might have had of getting on the
podium when he tried to avoid the collision between Costa and Quaife-Hobbs.
Ramez Azzam climbed a number of places and was looking to get amongst
the points when he shot straight on at Combes as he was trying to get
past Tristan Vautier on the outside. He eased off in order to avoid
picking up a penalty and finished 15th.
"We demonstrated our competitiveness on a track that those teams racing
in the Northern European Cup know well, and where we have not raced for
four years" said team-manager Stéphane Guérin. "Race 2 was rich in
incidents. You can't always avoid them - not unless you don't go racing!
We got our set up right, Daniel is leading the championship standings,
and Andrea would have picked up a second good result had it not been for
a suicidal attack by another driver. Our rookies proved that they were
competitive as well. I believe Jean-Eric Vergne has now firmly
established himself among the leaders and what Ramez Azzam achieved is
highly encouraging, given his lack of experience."
For the next meeting we head to England, where the second round of the
Eurocup will take place at Silverstone on June 6-7.
Results available at
www.renault-sport.com
mail your links to editorthegrid@yahoo.co.uk
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