Robert Shwartzman Takes Race One at Pau
Fastest during Friday practice, Robert Shwartzman (R-ace GP) kept the momentum going in taking the pole, then the win in race one at Pau. The SMP Racing protégé was followed to the flag by his team mate Max Defourny (R-ace GP) and Gabriel Aubry (Tech 1 Racing). Renault Sport Academy driver Max Fewtrell (Tech 1 Racing) won in the rookie class and was seventh overall. With the win Robert Shwartzman is now just two points behind leader Will Palmer (R-ace GP), who finished fourth today.
Despite a light sprinkling just minutes prior to qualifying, the competitors opted for slick tyres. In Group A, Max Defourny set a benchmark time of 1:13.654, but Robert Shwartzman was quicker with a lap of 1:13.654 in Group B. Robert Shwartzman lined-up on the grid ahead of Max Defourny, Gabriel Aubry, Will Palmer, Alex Peroni (Fortec Motorsports) and Sacha Fenestraz (Josef Kaufmann Racing). Rookies Max Fewtrell and Yifei Ye (Josef Kaufmann Racing) slotted in on row four.
Another formation lap was needed due to the problems at the start for Red Bull Junior Team protégé, Neil Verhagen (MP Motorsport). When the lights went out, Robert Shwartzman maintained the lead while Max Defourny battled with Gabriel Aubry. The French driver was then surprised by Will Palmer at Foch before the Brit gave the position back. The front-runners managed to avoid the tricky spots of the Pau circuit, but on lap three Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer (JD Motorsport) was not as fortunate. Ghislain Cordeel (Arden Motorsport), Henrique Chaves (AVF by Adrián Vallés) and Sun Yue Yang (JD Motorsport) also got caught out in the following laps.
Robert Shwartzman was in a league of his own, taking his third success of the season in front of Max Defourny. Gabriel Aubry held off Will Palmer and Alex Peroni to take third place. Sacha Fenestraz was sixth, ahead of rookies Max Fewtrell, Yifei Ye, Raúl Guzmán (R-ace GP) and Red Bull Junior Team driver, Daniel Ticktum (Arden Motorsport).
Robert Shwartzman (R-ace GP): “This is just my second race on a street circuit and I was a bit on the backfoot after my first go in Monaco. So it is a special feeling to have won today! Qualifying was very tight, and I must thank the team because the car was excellent and the pace was perfect. The race itself was somewhat monotone like is often the case on this kind of track, but I had to stay sharp as the track was quite slippery in the last laps. I am now just two points behind Will. Tomorrow, I hope to do just as good a job to take the lead in the championship.”
Max Defourny (R-ace GP): “It is nice to be back on the podium and score good points after two difficult weekends at Monza and Silverstone with the performance or the results. In qualifying second, we knew it was highly likely that Robert and I would follow each other throughout the race. Pau is very different to the other circuits with its bumps, while also being a lot of fun because there is never a second to relax. Tomorrow, the goal will be to take the best time in the group for the fourth consecutive time to start at the front and win.”
Gabriel Aubry (Tech 1 Racing): “My battle with Will was a bit confusing. I saw a SC board and I slowed down, while also trying to keep the tyre temperatures up before I realised there wasn’t a neutralisation. Will took advantage before he gave it back. That was really fair from him. Following a complicated meeting at Silverstone last week, it is good to be back on the podium and regain confidence at my home round. We must work further to get the pole position and make the most of the few overtaking opportunities to do better tomorrow.”
Max Fewtrell (Tech 1 Racing): “We were unlucky in qualifying with a double yellow flag on my fastest lap. We were not able to get the most out of the car and I look forward to tomorrow to show our real potential. There was nothing we could do today. We will aim for a lot more than just the win in the rookie category.”
Qualifying 1b
1st – No. 10, Robert Shwartzman*, RUS, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 1:13.447
2nd – No. 4, Gabriel Aubry, FRA, Tech 1 Racing, 1:13.737
3rd – No. 17, Alex Peroni, AUS, Fortec Motorsports, 1:13.785
4th – No. 7, Max Fewtrell*, GBR, Tech 1 Racing, 1:13.839
5th – No. 12, Raul Guzman*, MEX, R-ace GP, 1:14.209
6th – No. 23, Alexander Vartanyan, RUS, JD Motorsport, 1:14.241
7th – No. 13, Henrique Chaves, POR, AVF by Adrián Vallés, 1:14.400
8th – No. 26, Presley Martono*, INA, Mark Burdett Motorsport, 1:14.473
9th – No. 34, Ghislain Cordeel, BEL, Arden Motorsport, 1:14.642
10th – No. 31, Neil Verhagen*, USA, MP Motorsport, 1:15.194
11th – No. 93, Zane Goddard*, AUS, Arden Motorsport, 1:15.284
12th – No. 19, Frank Bird*, GBR, Fortec Motorsports, 1:15.308
13th – No. 20, Najiy Razak, MAS, Fortec Motorsports, 1:15.470
14th – No. 6, Thomas Neubauer*, FRA, Tech 1 Racing, 1:15.542^
15th – No. 25, Julia Pankiewicz, POL, Mark Burdett Motorsport, 1:15.681
^ Car No. 6 – Best lap cancelled, causing full course yellow
Qualifying 1a
1st – No. 9, Max Defourny, BEL, R-ace GP, 1:13.654
2nd – No. 8, Will Palmer, GBR, R-ace GP, 1:13.754
3rd – No. 11, Sacha Fenestraz, FRA, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 1:13.809
4th – No. 1, Yifei Ye*, CHN, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 1:13.855
5th – No. 33, Daniel Ticktum*, GBR, Arden Motorsport, 1:13.929
6th – No. 30, Jarno Opmeer*, NED, MP Motorsport, 1:13.930
7th – No. 29, Richard Verschoor*, NED, MP Motorsport, 1:14.022
8th – No. 15, Axel Matus*, MEX, AVF by Adrián Vallés, 1:14.572
9th – No. 5, Thomas Maxwell*, AUS, Tech 1 Racing, 1:14.618
10th – No. 18, Alexey Korneev, RUS, Fortec Motorsports, 1:14.643
11th – No. 16, Gregoire Saucy*, SUI, AVF by Adrián Vallés, 1:14.884
12th – No. 2, Luis Leeds*, AUS, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 1:14.943
13th – No. 14, Rodrigo Pflucker, PER, AVF by Adrián Vallés, 1:15.302
14th – No. 21, Sun Yue Yang*, CHN, JD Motorsport, 1:15.841
15th – No. 22, Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer*, FRA, JD Motorsport, 1:16.869
Race 1
1st – No. 10, Robert Shwartzman*, RUS, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 20 laps, 25:08.190
2nd – No. 9, Max Defourny, BEL, R-ace GP, Gap: 0.592
3rd – No. 4, Gabriel Aubry, FRA, Tech 1 Racing, Gap: 3.719
4th – No. 8, Will Palmer, GBR, R-ace GP, Gap: 4.464
5th – No. 17, Alex Peroni, AUS, Fortec Motorsports, Gap: 5.584
6th – No. 11, Sacha Fenestraz, FRA, Josef Kaufmann Racing, Gap: 7.764
7th – No. 7, Max Fewtrell*, GBR, Tech 1 Racing, Gap: 9.825
8th – No. 1, Yifei Ye*, CHN, Josef Kaufmann Racing, Gap: 13.294
9th – No. 12, Raul Guzman*, MEX, R-ace GP, Gap: 14.677
10th – No. 33, Daniel Ticktum*, GBR, Arden Motorsport, Gap: 15.631
11th – No. 30, Jarno Opmeer*, NED, MP Motorsport, Gap: 21.021
12th – No. 23, Alexander Vartanyan, RUS, JD Motorsport, Gap: 21.455
13th – No. 29, Richard Verschoor*, NED, MP Motorsport, Gap: 24.026
14th – No. 15, Axel Matus*, MEX, AVF by Adrián Vallés, Gap: 33.181
15th – No. 5, Thomas Maxwell*, AUS, Tech 1 Racing, Gap: 33.975
16th – No. 26, Presley Martono*, INA, Mark Burdett Motorsport, Gap: 37.223
17th – No. 18, Alexey Korneev, RUS, Fortec Motorsports, Gap: 38.019
18th – No. 2, Luis Leeds*, AUS, Josef Kaufmann Racing, Gap: 43.994
19th – No. 93, Zane Goddard*, AUS, Arden Motorsport, Gap: 44.200
20th – No. 19, Frank Bird*, GBR, Fortec Motorsports, Gap: 45.695
21st – No. 14, Rodrigo Pflucker, PER, AVF by Adrián Vallés, Gap: 46.005
22nd – No. 25, Julia Pankiewicz, POL, Mark Burdett Motorsport, Gap: 1:04.030
23rd – No. 20, Najiy Razak, MAS, Fortec Motorsports, Gap: 1:04.141
24th – No. 6, Thomas Neubauer*, FRA, Tech 1 Racing, Gap: 1 lap
Not Classified
No. 21, Sun Yue Yang*, CHN, JD Motorsport, Lap 14
No. 13, Henrique Chaves, POR, AVF by Adrián Vallés, Lap 11
No. 34, Ghislain Cordeel, BEL, Arden Motorsport, Lap 10
No. 22, Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer*, FRA, JD Motorsport, Lap 3
No. 31, Neil Verhagen*, USA, MP Motorsport, Lap 0
Did Not Start
No. 16, Gregoire Saucy*, SUI, AVF by Adrián Vallés
Fastest Lap
No. 10, Robert Shwartzman*, RUS, Josef Kaufmann Racing, Lap 7, 1:14.342, 133.6 kph
Smtfhw's Travels 