Max Defourny leads day one of Nürburgring testing
Max Defourny (R-ace GP) set best time on the opening day of the Formula Renault Eurocup collective tests at the Nürburgring. The Belgian driver’s lap of 1:55.029 was good enough for his R-ace GP team to lead the way for the third consecutive day. Max Defourny was joined in the top three by Gabriel Aubry (Tech 1 Racing) and Will Palmer (R-ace GP). Sacha Fenestraz (Josef Kaufmann Racing) set the pace in the morning. Fourth on the time sheet, Red Bull Junior Team driver, Daniel Ticktum (Arden Motorsport) was the quickest rookie.
The sun welcomed the Formula Renault Eurocup field at the Nürburgring. In hour two of testing, Sacha Fenestraz set a time of 1:55.436, which held up until the end of the session. The French led from Daniel Ticktum and Alex Peroni (Fortec Motorsports). Robert Shwartzman (R-ace GP) and Max Defourny completed the top five.
While Sacha Fenestraz was leading the afternoon session when it was interrupted due to a displaced water evacuation grill. The action resumed for the final half-hour. Max Defourny made the most of the moment to set best time of the day in 1:55.029 ahead of Gabriel Aubry, Will Palmer, Daniel Ticktum and Robert Shwartzman (R-ace GP).
No pressure for Defourny
Max Defourny (R-ace GP): “For the team, this series continues last year strong level of performance that was always present. The winter gave them the time to accelerate their effort and the drivers have also gotten much stronger. Even though we were not always ahead in the preceding tests, we took the time to do things right and the results are getting better and better. Now it is up to us to be even stronger at Monza for the first race! I am heading into the season without any pressure. I know there are expectations, but we are going to try to stay focused on our job, do the best we can and see what happens.”
Successful adaptation for Verhagen
Neil Verhagen (MP Motorsport): “We’ve had strong pace till now. I have a lot to learn on the circuits that are new for me, because this is my first year in Europe. My adaptation seems to being going well with some good times, perhaps a bit above expectations. There is more work to do, but I look forward to starting the season in this super-competitive championship where I‘ve always wanted to compete. I was very excited when Dr. Marko told me I was going to race in the Formula Renault Eurocup. The goal will be to learn as much as possible and do the best I can. Anything in the top five-ten will be good, but I always want more!”
Martono getting accelerated training
Presley Martono (Mark Burdett Motorsport): “It’s a bit of a crash course for me in a way as I’m the only driver that is getting his hands on the Formula Renault 2.0 for the first time during these tests. The category is by far one of the best single-seater ladder series with an impressive calendar and 30 of the best drivers in the world. The car is also very formative and it is the perfect stepping stone for preparing what comes next. I feel like I am progressing every time I get in the car thanks to the support of the team. I have learned a tremendous amount and we have another day of testing tomorrow and another before the Monza weekend. The objective will be to keep improving throughout the long season while doing what I can for the result to follow, with maybe a top-three finish in the rookies class.”
Kaufmann On the right track
Lars Kaufmann, Team Manager: “Even if our times aren’t always at the top, we are confident as we’re up to plan so far! Sacha is doing an excellent job, as is Yifei who is unfamiliar with some tracks like this one and Luis. We are also making the most of the new use of tyre quotas over the season to save new ones. This will let us be more flexible in having more options for choosing which to use depending on the circumstances. We can’t wait for Monza to come to know who are really the fastest. Until then we will continue to work!”
Testing, Nürburgring – Day 1, Morning Session
1st – No. 11, Sacha Fenestraz, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 1:55.436
2nd – No. 33, Daniel Ticktum*, Arden Motorsport, 1:56.165
3rd – No. 17, Alex Peroni, Fortec Motorsports, 1:56.172
4th – No. 10, Robert Shwartzman*, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 1:56.198
5th – No. 9, Max Defourny, R-ace GP, 1:56.341
6th – No. 8, Will Palmer, R-ace GP, 1:56.429
7th – No. 7, Max Fewtrell*, Tech 1 Racing, 1:56.485
8th – No. 1, Yifei Ye, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 1:56.588
9th – No. 13, Henrique Chaves, AVF by Adrián Vallés, 1:56.603
10th – No. 18, Alexey Korneev, Fortec Motorsports, 1:56.630
11th – No. 29, Richard Verschoor*, MP Motorsport, 1:56.669
12th – No. 4, Gabriel Aubry, Tech 1 Racing, 1:56.872
13th – No. 23, Alexander Vartanyan, JD Motorsport, 1:57.015
14th – No. 16, Gregoire Saucy, AVF by Adrián Vallés, 1:57.073
15th – No. 12, Raul Guzman*, R-ace GP, 1:57.185
16th – No. 2, Luis Leeds*, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 1:57.283
17th – No. 93, Zane Goddard, Arden Motorsport, 1:57.350
18th – No. 14, Rodrigo Pflucker, AVF by Adrián Vallés, 1:57.377
19th – No. 30, Jarno Opmeer*, MP Motorsport, 1:57.384
20th – No. 5, Thomas Maxwell*, Tech 1 Racing, 1:57.578
21st – No. 34, Ghislain Cordeel, Arden Motorsport, 1:57.684
22nd – No. 6, Thomas Neubauer*, Tech 1 Racing, 1:57.851
23rd – No. 26, Presley Martono*, Mark Burdett Motorsport, 1:58.057
24th – No. 31, Neil Verhagen*, MP Motorsport, 1:58.118
25th – No. 15, Axel Matus, AVF by Adrián Vallés, 1:58.198
26th – No. 19, Frank Bird*, Fortec Motorsports, 1:58.206
27th – No. 21, Sun Yue Yang*, JD Motorsport, 1:58.678
28th – No. 20, Najiy Razak, Fortec Motorsports, 1:58.797
29th – No. 22, Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer*, JD Motorsport, 1:59.076
30th – No. 25, Julia Pankiewicz, Mark Burdett Motorsport, 1:59.309
Testing, Nürburgring – Day 1, Afternoon Session
1st – No. 9, Max Defourny, R-ace GP, 1:55.029
2nd – No. 4, Gabriel Aubry, Tech 1 Racing, 1:55.167
3rd – No. 8, Will Palmer, R-ace GP, 1:55.329
4th – No. 33, Daniel Ticktum*, Arden Motorsport, 1:55.421
5th – No. 10, Robert Shwartzman*, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 1:55.515
6th – No. 13, Henrique Chaves, AVF by Adrián Vallés, 1:55.559
7th – No. 11, Sacha Fenestraz, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 1:55.613
8th – No. 1, Yifei Ye, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 1:55.680
9th – No. 7, Max Fewtrell*, Tech 1 Racing, 1:55.774
10th – No. 23, Alexander Vartanyan, JD Motorsport, 1:55.833
11th – No. 17, Alex Peroni, Fortec Motorsports, 1:55.906
12th – No. 5, Thomas Maxwell*, Tech 1 Racing, 1:55.945
13th – No. 12, Raul Guzman*, R-ace GP, 1:55.968
14th – No. 18, Alexey Korneev, Fortec Motorsports, 1:55.972
15th – No. 30, Jarno Opmeer*, MP Motorsport, 1:56.168
16th – No. 2, Luis Leeds*, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 1:56.189
17th – No. 16, Gregoire Saucy, AVF by Adrián Vallés, 1:56.302
18th – No. 14, Rodrigo Pflucker, AVF by Adrián Vallés, 1:56.367
19th – No. 31, Neil Verhagen*, MP Motorsport, 1:56.490
20th – No. 6, Thomas Neubauer*, Tech 1 Racing, 1:56.639
21st – No. 15, Axel Matus, AVF by Adrián Vallés, 1:56.694
22nd – No. 34, Ghislain Cordeel, Arden Motorsport, 1:56.731
23rd – No. 29, Richard Verschoor*, MP Motorsport, 1:56.793
24th – No. 26, Presley Martono*, Mark Burdett Motorsport, 1:56.849
25th – No. 19, Frank Bird*, Fortec Motorsports, 1:56.858
26th – No. 93, Zane Goddard, Arden Motorsport, 1:56.926
27th – No. 22, Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer*, JD Motorsport, 1:57.231
28th – No. 20, Najiy Razak, Fortec Motorsports, 1:57.337
29th – No. 21, Sun Yue Yang*, JD Motorsport, 1:57.378
30th – No. 25, Julia Pankiewicz, Mark Burdett Motorsport, 1:58.611
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