Pole and Lap Record for Peroni
Under bright blue skies, Alex Peroni dominated the first qualifying group with a time of 1:12.842. In the other group, briefly interrupted when Daniel Ticktum (Arden Motorsport) went off, Sacha Fenestraz was quickest in 1:12.901.
With the new Pau track record in the Formula Renault Eurocup, Alex Peroni started from pole ahead of Sacha Fenestraz, Robert Shwartzman, Will Palmer (R-ace GP) and rookies Max Fewtrell and Richard Verschoor (Manor MP Motorsport).
At the start, Sacha Fenestraz pulled even with Alex Peroni. The Australian held his ground to maintain the lead ahead of the Frenchman, Robert Shwartzman, Will Palmer and Max Fewtrell at the end of the opening lap that claimed Presley Martono (Mark Burdett Motorsport) and Rodrigo Pflucker (AVF by Adrián Vallés).
Alex Peroni and Sacha Fenestraz swapped fastest race lap, but the French driver couldn’t find an opening and even saw Robert Shwartzman close ground. Further back, Neil Verhagen (MP Motorsport) took advantage of the duel between Yifei Ye (Josef Kaufmann Racing) and Henrique Chaves (AVF by Adrián Vallés) to get by both.
Despite the traffic and the return of his pursuer, Alex Peroni held his ground to take the win ahead of Sacha Fenestraz and Robert Shwartzman. The SMP Racing driver now leads team mate Will Palmer, fourth, in the general classification. Max Fewtrell resisted Max Defourny (R-ace GP) to finish fifth. Gabriel Aubry (Tech 1 Racing) was next, followed by Red Bull Junior Team drivers Richard Verschoor and Neil Verhagen. Yifei Ye was the final points scorer.
Alex Peroni (Fortec Motorsports): “It is a very physical circuit and Sacha pushed me to the limit. I chose the centre of the track for the start, but I locked up the wheels at turn one. Sacha got alongside me and it was a drag race for the lead before the yellow line ahead of Pont Oscar. It was tight, but I managed to keep the lead. I then had to maintain the pace to win the race. It is a special feeling. We know now that we can win. This will give us additional confidence heading to Monaco next week.”
Sacha Fenestraz (Josef Kaufmann Racing): “Finally back on the podium! I didn’t get a very good start. I had a lot of wheel spin, but Alex locked up his wheels and went a little wide at turn one. I dove to the inside to get alongside. We were so close to each other that I went on the sidewalk, but I didn’t find an opening before the yellow line. It was still a good race. Thanks to the traffic, I could close the gap and apply pressure, but there were no overtaking possibilities. Last year, I had a great race in Monaco. We have to keep working to get the first win of the season and catch up to the leaders!”
Robert Shwartzman (R-ace GP): “I got a good start to protect third place from Will Palmer. I was sliding a lot early in the race and the two leaders pulled away from me. Overall, the race was somewhat monotone and straightforward, but this podium brings a lot of points for the championship. I am thrilled to now be leading the general classification before heading to Monaco. The goal will be the same as it was at Pau; get the best result possible in qualifying before getting a good start. I am full of confidence and hope to be able to battle for the win.”
Max Fewtrell (Tech 1 Racing): “At the start, I was able to pull even with Will Palmer and stayed there for the first two corners. After that, I was positioned behind him at Pont Oscar and stayed there for the rest of the race. Max Defourny was pressuring me, but I wasn’t too worried, because it is so hard to pass at Pau. This weekend, I think the pace was good considering my amount of experience, but we must continue to make progress to get out first podium at Monaco. I’m really looking forward to it!”
Qualifying 2b
1st – No. 17, Alex Peroni, AUS, Fortec Motorsports, 1:12.842
2nd – No. 10, Robert Shwartzman*, RUS, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 1:13.131
3rd – No. 7, Max Fewtrell*, GBR, Tech 1 Racing, 1:13.459
4th – No. 4, Gabriel Aubry, FRA, Tech 1 Racing, 1:13.712
5th – No. 23, Alexander Vartanyan, RUS, JD Motorsport, 1:13.805
6th – No. 31, Neil Verhagen*, USA, MP Motorsport, 1:13.862
7th – No. 13, Henrique Chaves, POR, AVF by Adrián Vallés, 1:13.890
8th – No. 12, Raul Guzman*, MEX, R-ace GP, 1:13.956
9th – No. 93, Zane Goddard*, AUS, Arden Motorsport, 1:14.071
10th – No. 6, Thomas Neubauer*, FRA, Tech 1 Racing, 1:14.091
11th – No. 26, Presley Martono*, INA, Mark Burdett Motorsport, 1:14.180
12th – No. 20, Najiy Razak, MAS, Fortec Motorsports, 1:14.478
13th – No. 19, Frank Bird*, GBR, Fortec Motorsports, 1:14.618
14th – No. 34, Ghislain Cordeel, BEL, Arden Motorsport, 1:14.699
15th – No. 25, Julia Pankiewicz, POL, Mark Burdett Motorsport, 1:15.579
Qualifying 2a
1st – No. 11, Sacha Fenestraz, FRA, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 1:12.901
2nd – No. 8, Will Palmer, GBR, R-ace GP, 1:12.936
3rd – No. 9, Max Defourny, BEL, R-ace GP, 1:13.199
4th – No. 29, Richard Verschoor*, NED, MP Motorsport, 1:13.237
5th – No. 1, Yifei Ye*, CHN, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 1:13.453
6th – No. 30, Jarno Opmeer*, NED, MP Motorsport, 1:13.525
7th – No. 15, Axel Matus*, MEX, AVF by Adrián Vallés, 1:13.648
8th – No. 5, Thomas Maxwell*, AUS, Tech 1 Racing, 1:13.734
9th – No. 18, Alexey Korneev, RUS, Fortec Motorsports, 1:13.737
10th – No. 33, Daniel Ticktum*, GBR, Arden Motorsport, 1:13.890
11th – No. 14, Rodrigo Pflucker, PER, AVF by Adrián Vallés, 1:13.973
12th – No. 2, Luis Leeds*, AUS, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 1:14.162
13th – No. 21, Sun Yue Yang*, CHN, JD Motorsport, 1:15.396
14th – No. 22, Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer*, FRA, JD Motorsport, 1:15.476
No Time
No. 16, Gregoire Saucy*, SUI, AVF by Adrián Vallés
^Car No. 33 – best lap cancelled, causing red flag
Race 2
1st – No. 17, Alex Peroni, AUS, Fortec Motorsports, 21 laps, 26:21.894
2nd – No. 11, Sacha Fenestraz, FRA, Josef Kaufmann Racing, Gap: 0.520
3rd – No. 10, Robert Shwartzman*, RUS, Josef Kaufmann Racing, Gap: 1.662
4th – No. 8, Will Palmer, GBR, R-ace GP, Gap: 2.271
5th – No. 7, Max Fewtrell*, GBR, Tech 1 Racing, Gap: 9.239
6th – No. 9, Max Defourny, BEL, R-ace GP, Gap: 9.673
7th – No. 4, Gabriel Aubry, FRA, Tech 1 Racing, Gap: 10.515
8th – No. 29, Richard Verschoor*, NED, MP Motorsport, Gap: 17.166
9th – No. 31, Neil Verhagen*, USA, MP Motorsport, Gap: 24.080
10th – No. 1, Yifei Ye*, CHN, Josef Kaufmann Racing, Gap: 24.736
11th – No. 12, Raul Guzman*, MEX, R-ace GP, Gap: 32.594
12th – No. 15, Axel Matus*, MEX, AVF by Adrián Vallés, Gap: 33.093
13th – No. 5, Thomas Maxwell*, AUS, Tech 1 Racing, Gap: 33.897
14th – No. 18, Alexey Korneev, RUS, Fortec Motorsports, Gap: 34.335
15th – No. 93, Zane Goddard*, AUS, Arden Motorsport, Gap: 36.967
16th – No. 2, Luis Leeds*, AUS, Josef Kaufmann Racing, Gap: 38.959
17th – No. 19, Frank Bird*, GBR, Fortec Motorsports, Gap: 40.992
18th – No. 34, Ghislain Cordeel, BEL, Arden Motorsport, Gap: 44.736
19th – No. 20, Najiy Razak, MAS, Fortec Motorsports, Gap: 51.403
20th – No. 22, Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer*, FRA, JD Motorsport, Gap: 55.220
21st – No. 21, Sun Yue Yang*, CHN, JD Motorsport, Gap: 55.579
22nd – No. 30, Jarno Opmeer*, NED, MP Motorsport, Gap: 1:01.801
23rd – No. 23, Alexander Vartanyan, RUS, JD Motorsport, Gap: 1 lap
24th – No. 6, Thomas Neubauer*, FRA, Tech 1 Racing, Gap: 2 laps
25th – No. 25, Julia Pankiewicz, POL, Mark Burdett Motorsport, Gap: 2 laps
26th – No. 33, Daniel Ticktum*, GBR, Arden Motorsport, Gap: 3 lap
Not Classified
No. 13, Henrique Chaves, POR, AVF by Adrián Vallés, Lap 11
No. 26, Presley Martono*, INA, Mark Burdett Motorsport, Lap 1
No. 14, Rodrigo Pflucker, PER, AVF by Adrián Vallés
Did Not Start
No. 16, Gregoire Saucy*, SUI, AVF by Adrián Vallés
Fastest Lap
No. 10, Robert Shwartzman*, RUS, Josef Kaufmann Racing, Lap 9, 1:14.490, 133.3 kph
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