Double Win for Lundgaard on Dramatic Saturday at Motorland Aragon

Day 2 of competition started today on the beautiful circuit of Motorland Aragon. In the early morning, the temperature was already up to 22 degrees, and the day looked set to  very hot for the drivers and teams of the 2017 F4 Spanish Championship certified by FIA.

The first qualifying of the season started at 09.00, when the air was still just about breathable. Drivex was the first team on track, followed by FA Racing and MP Motorsport.

Renault Sport Academy driver Christian Lundgaard who took a second lap to heat up his car and tyres, set his first fastest time on lap 5 with a 2:00.943, but finally it was Xavier Lloveras from FA Racing, who, on Lap 7, snatched the first pole position of the season in 2:00.878. The team backed up by Fernando Alonso did a fantastic job, with Guillem Pujeu, putting his Tatuus-Abath F4 car in P4. This is the best result of the season so far for the young Spaniard, who is doing a double program and also racing in F4 NEZ.

Nikita Volegov, the Russian driver from SMP Racing, set the third fastest lap of Q1 and would start on the second row alongside Pujeu.

Tuomas Haapalainen and Alexander Smolyar, both driving for SMP Racing, shared the third row while Berets, Dunner, Puhakka and Trogen completed the top 10.

Xavier Lloveras snatched the second best time of qualifying 1 as well, handing him a double pole position for the day.

 

Race 1

The first long race of the weekend, started at 12.30, under a hot sun. The 14 drivers were ready to hit the boiling track for a 25min + 1 lap race. Bent Viscaal, from MP Motorsport, suffering a gearbox issue, could not start the race.

Xavier Lloveras was on pole, but did not remain in front for more than a few metres of the race, as the Spaniard made a poor start and handed the lead to MP Motorsport driver Lundgaard. The Dane gratefully took the opportunity and led all the way to the chequered flag.

Xavier Lloveras: “I know I have the pace, as this morning qualifying was perfect. I just had some issues and I have to check with the team before we head to Race 2.”

Alexander Smolyar had a good start and jumped from P6 to P2 as his teammate Nikita Volegov ended up stuck behind the slow starting Lloveras. Tuomas Haapalainen fought hard with the Spaniard and finally got the upper hand, holding onto P3 until the end of the race.

The unfortunate Javier Cobian was hit on the first lap, forcing him to retire from the race, and Puhakka and Trogen did not see the finish line either.

Drivex driver Ivan Berets got into a tremendous fight on the track, giving everything he had to overtake Pujeu who was holding onto P5, but his attempt was in vain, and ended up with him falling back to P8 as a result.

Ivan Berets: “It is the first time I have had to fight so hard on track! So I have learned lots actually. At the moment it is hard as the heat is strong, it is more than 50 degrees in the cockpit. But now, it is good memories!”

Marta Garcia finished the race P10, but got a 25 second penalty due to an on track incident.

At the finish line, Christian Lundgaard took his first win of the season in the 2017 F4 Spain Championship. Alexander Smolyar and Haapalainen completed the podium for SMP Racing.

 

Race 2

At 16.10, the short race of the weekend started for an 18-minute plus one lap fight.
Lloveras having set the second best lap of Qualifying 1, was again in pole position, with Nikita Volegov in P2 and Race 1 winner Lundgaard in P3.

At the start, Lloveras, from FA Racing, kept the lead into T1, but quickly lost ground to Lundgaard who passed him, followed by Volegov.

Haapalainen launched an ambush, caught him, and a terrific fight started with Haapalainen, Lloveras and Smolyar repeatedly running side-by-side. In a moment of misjudgment, Smolyar touched Lloveras’ rear right tyre and went flying at T14, while the impact pushed the Spaniard into Haapalainen. The driver emerged unhurt from the terrible accident, but all three drivers were forced to retire from the dramatic race. The Safety Car was deployed until the medical team decided to evacuate the driver, at which point the race was red flagged and suspended for 20 minutes.

The race restarted under the Safety Car and Lundgaard kept the lead until the chequered flag, while Volegov took P2 and Bent Viscaal overtook Berets and Puhakka for P3 in the final moments of the race.

Sami-Matti Trogen, the youngest driver on the grid, was awarded a 25 second penalty for an incident on track.

A second win for the Renault Sport Academy driver Lundgaard means he is leading the championship with the maximum possible points and a 16 point gap to SMP Racing’s Russian, Volegov. On the team side, MP Motorsport leads SMP Racing by a mere 3 points, FA Racing is third and Drivex school is in P4.

Tomorrow the day starts at 09:30 with Qualifying 2 and Race 3 will close this first round of the season at 12:35!

 

Results

Qualifying 1

1. Xavier Lloveras, ESP, FA Racing Team, 2.00.878

1. Christian Lundgaard, DEN, MP Motorsport, Gap: 0.065

2. Nikita Volegov, RUS, SMP Motorsport, Gap: 0.361

3. Guillem Pujeu, ESP, FA Racing Team, Gap: 0.381

4. Tuomas Haapalainen, FIN, SMP Motorsport, Gap: 0.428

5. Alexander Smolyar, RUS, SMP Motorsport, Gap: 0.462

6. Ivan Berets, RUS, Drivex, Gap: 0.530

7. Lukas Dunner, AUT, MP Motorsport, Gap: 0.741

8. Juuso Puhakka, FIN, SMP Motorsport, Gap: 1.113

9. Sami-Matti Trogen, FIN, SMP Motorsport, Gap: 1.496

10. Javier Cobian, ESP, Drivex, Gap: 1.730

11. Marta Garcia, ESP, MP Motorsport, Gap: 1.978

12. Jakes Caouette, CAN, Drivex, Gap: 3.567

13. Bent Viscaal, NED, MP Motorsport, Gap: 5.834

 

Race 1

1. Christian Lundgaard, DEN, MP Motorsport

1. Alexander Smolyar, RUS, SMP Motorsport, Gap: 3.715

2. Tuomas Haapalainen, FIN, SMP Motorsport, Gap: 4.582

3. Nikita Volegov, RUS, MP Motorport, Gap: 11.925

4. Xavier Lloveras, ESP, FA Racing Team, Gap: 14.032

5. Guillem Pujeu, ESP, FA Racing Team, Gap: 18.448

6. Lukas Dunner, AUT, MP Motorsport, Gap: 18.755

7. Ivan Berets, RUS, Drivex, Gap: 19.809

8. Marta Garcia, ESP, MP Motorsport, Gap: 23.365

9. Jakes Caouette, CAN, Drivex, Gap: 42.127

 

Not classified

Juuso Puhakka, FIN, SMP Motorsport

Javier Cobian, ESP, Drivex

Sami-Matti Trogen, FIN, SMP Motorsport

Bent Viscaal, NED, MP Motorsport

 

Race 2

1. Christian Lundgaard, DEN, MP Motorsport

1. Nikita Volegov, RUS, MP Motorsport, Gap: 2.619

2. Bent Viscaal, NED, MP Motorsport, Gap: 7.906

3. Jusso Puhakka, FIN, SMP Racing, Gap: 8.48

4. Ivan Berets, RUS, Drivex, Gap: 10.910

5. Marta Garcia, ESP, MP Motorsport, Gap: 12.561

6. Guillem Pujeu, ESP, FA Racing Team, Gap: 12.561

7. Sami-Matti Trogen, FIN, SMP Motorsport, Gap: 13.081

8. Javier Cobian, ESP, Drivex, Gap: 17.031

9. Jakes Caouette, CAN, Drivex, Gap: 23.436

 

Not classified

Lucas Dunner, AUT, MP Motorsport

Xavier Lloveras, ESP, FA Racing Team

Tuomas Haapalainen, FIN, SMP Mototsport
Alexander Smolyar