Max Defourny Sets the Pace at the Nürburgring

Max Defourny (R-ace GP) set the best time in the Formula Renault Eurocup collective tests at the Nürburgring. With a lap of 1:55.324, the Belgian led the way ahead of Sacha Fenestraz (Josef Kaufmann Racing) and his team mate Robert Shwartzman (R-ace GP). Red Bull Junior Team driver Daniel Ticktum (Arden Motorsport) was the quickest among the rookies.

While Will Palmer (R-ace GP), Thomas Randle (AVF by Adrián Vallés), Alexander Vartanyan (JD Motorsport), Alex Peroni (Fortec Motorsports), Yifei Ye (Josef Kaufmann Racing) and Sacha Fenestraz all took turns at the top of the time sheet, Max Defourny took over and lowered the mark several times.

The Belgian was dislodged by Sacha Fenestraz 4 minutes form the chequered flag. The Frenchman dominated the first session with a lap of 1:55.983 to lead from Max Defourny, Will Palmer, Robert Shwartzman and the fastest rookie, Yifei Ye.

In the afternoon, Daniel Ticktum led early before answering the efforts of Robert Shwartzman, Sacha Fenestraz and Will Palmer. With 10 minutes left in the session, Gabriel Aubry (Tech 1 Racing) and Max Fewtrell (Tech 1 Racing) launched the final sprint before the response from Sacha Fenestraz.

Max Defourny did even better with a time of 1:55.324 to hold on in front of Sacha Fenestraz and Robert Shwartzman. The rookies Daniel Ticktum and Max Fewtrell completed the top five.

Max Defourny (R-ace GP): “It was a rather positive day. We were well prepared this morning then we just worked on the a few things for the afternoon. We need to keep doing what we are doing tomorrow. The objective will be to get our first victory of the year, which we are very hungry for! We will give it our all, because our goal is still the same: the title at the end of the season. To do this, we need to win as many races as possible, while also being as consistent as we can.”

Sacha Fenestraz (Josef Kaufmann Racing): “We had a good end to our pre-season tests in March in beating the track record. I have more confidence here than other tracks, especially since the team knows very well the Nürburgring. It was a perfect morning to start the weekend, but then we saw that Max Defourny was very fast, which isn’t a surprise. The gaps are very small. We were by just .05s behind. Tomorrow will be the most important day. The team and I will work to make the car better, but overall the collective tests were solid.”

Daniel Ticktum (Arden Motorsport): “After our win at the Hungaroring, we have worked flat out to continue to improve our car. I think we have made some more progress. The Nürburgring is a circuit that suits my driving style. I said the same thing about Budapest, but I really like the Nürburgring! We will have to see where we are in qualifying, but the collective tests were quite good with no particular worries. I am confident for the rest of the weekend.”

 

Collective Test 1

1^st – No. 11, Sacha Fenestraz, FRA, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 1:55.983

2^nd – No. 9, Max Defourny, BEL, R-ace GP, 1:56.279

3^rd – No. 8, Will Palmer, GBR, R-ace GP, 1:56.570

4^th – No. 10, Robert Shwartzman*, RUS, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 1:56.664

5^th – No. 1, Yifei Ye*, CHN, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 1:56.809

6^th – No. 16, Thomas Randle, AUS, AVF by Adrián Vallés, 1:57.061

7^th – No. 17, Alex Peroni, AUS, Fortec Motorsports, 1:57.159

8^th – No. 7, Max Fewtrell*, GBR, Tech 1 Racing, 1:57.177

9^th – No. 29, Richard Verschoor*, NLD, MP Motorsport, 1:57.315

10^th – No. 30, Jarno Opmeer*, NLD, MP Motorsport, 1:57.331

11^th – No. 33, Daniel Ticktum*, GBR, Arden Motorsport, 1:57.359

12^th – No. 13, Henrique Chaves, POR, AVF by Adrián Vallés, 1:57.406

13^th – No. 19, Frank Bird*, GBR, Fortec Motorsports, 1:57.408

14^th – No. 2, Luis Leeds*, AUS, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 1:57.455

15^th – No. 4, Gabriel Aubry, FRA, Tech 1 Racing, 1:57.658

16^th – No. 6, Thomas Neubauer*, FRA, Tech 1 Racing, 1:57.695

17^th – No. 40, Charles Milesi*, FRA, R-ace GP, 1:57.752

18^th – No. 26, Presley Martono*, IND, Mark Burdett Motorsport, 1:57.776

19^th – No. 31, Neil Verhagen*, USA, MP Motorsport, 1:57.827

20^th – No. 20, Najiy Razak, MYS, Fortec Motorsports, 1:57.946

21^st – No. 23, Alexander Vartanyan, RUS, JD Motorsport, 1:58.073

22^nd – No. 15, Axel Matus*, MEX, AVF by Adrián Vallés, 1:58.112

23^rd – No. 21, Sun Yue Yang*, CHN, JD Motorsport, 1:58.144

24^th – No. 5, Thomas Maxwell*, AUS, Tech 1 Racing, 1:58.168

25^th – No. 18, Alexey Korneev, RUS, Fortec Motorsports, 1:58.195

26^th – No. 12, Raul Guzman*, MEX, R-ace GP, 1:58.296

27^th – No. 22, Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer*, FRA, JD Motorsport, 1:58.379

28^th – No. 41, Théo Coicaud*, FRA, R-ace-GP, 1:58.429

29^th – No. 93, Zane Goddard*, AUS, Arden Motorsport, 1:58.766

30^th – No. 25, Julia Pankiewicz, POL, Mark Burdett Motorsport, 1:58.903

31^st – No. 34, Ghislain Cordeel, BEL, Arden Motorsport, 1:59.429

 

Collective Test 2

1^st – No. 9, Max Defourny, BEL, R-ace GP, 1:55.324

2^nd – No. 11, Sacha Fenestraz, FRA, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 1:55.379

3^rd – No. 10, Robert Shwartzman*, RUS, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 1:55.636

4^th – No. 33, Daniel Ticktum*, GBR, Arden Motorsport, 1:55.709

5^th – No. 7, Max Fewtrell*, GBR, Tech 1 Racing, 1:56.002

6^th – No. 13, Henrique Chaves, POR, AVF by Adrián Vallés, 1:56.046

7^th – No. 4, Gabriel Aubry, FRA, Tech 1 Racing, 1:56.081

8^th – No. 1, Yifei Ye*, CHN, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 1:56.082

9^th – No. 17, Alex Peroni, AUS, Fortec Motorsports, 1:56.144

10^th – No. 2, Luis Leeds*, AUS, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 1:56.309

11^th – No. 18, Alexey Korneev, RUS, Fortec Motorsports, 1:56.331

12^th – No. 23, Alexander Vartanyan, RUS, JD Motorsport, 1:56.362

13^th – No. 31, Neil Verhagen*, USA, MP Motorsport, 1:56.502

14^th – No. 93, Zane Goddard*, AUS, Arden Motorsport, 1:56.633

15^th – No. 26, Presley Martono*, IND, Mark Burdett Motorsport, 1:56.717

16^th – No. 29, Richard Verschoor*, NLD, MP Motorsport, 1:56.734

17^th – No. 12, Raul Guzman*, MEX, R-ace GP, 1:56.798

18^th – No. 19, Frank Bird*, GBR, Fortec Motorsports, 1:56.864

19^th – No. 5, Thomas Maxwell*, AUS, Tech 1 Racing, 1:56.865

20^th – No. 8, Will Palmer, GBR, R-ace GP, 1:56.867

21^st – No. 30, Jarno Opmeer*, NLD, MP Motorsport, 1:56.894

22^nd – No. 34, Ghislain Cordeel, BEL, Arden Motorsport, 1:56.896

23^rd – No. 40, Charles Milesi*, FRA, R-ace GP, 1:56.900

24^th – No. 6, Thomas Neubauer*, FRA, Tech 1 Racing, 1:57.049

25^th – No. 16, Thomas Randle, AUS, AVF by Adrián Vallés, 1:57.221

26^th – No. 21, Sun Yue Yang*, CHN, JD Motorsport, 1:57.229

27^th – No. 22, Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer*, FRA, JD Motorsport, 1:57.387

28^th – No. 41, Théo Coicaud*, FRA, R-ace-GP, 1:57.547

29^th – No. 20, Najiy Razak, MYS, Fortec Motorsports, 1:57.701

30^th – No. 25, Julia Pankiewicz, POL, Mark Burdett Motorsport, 1:57.786

31^st – No. 15, Axel Matus*, MEX, AVF by Adrián Vallés, 1:58.561