Sacha Fenestraz Wins on a Soaked Nürburgring
After claiming his third pole position of the season on Saturday, Sacha Fenestraz (Josef Kaufmann Racing) won his second race of the year on the wet Nürburgring circuit. The Frenchman was followed to the chequered flag by rookies Daniel Ticktum (Arden Motorsport) and Yifei Ye (Josef Kaufmann Racing), present on the podium for the first time. In the Formula Renault Eurocup general classification, Robert Shwartzman (R-ace GP) – eighth today – now has a six point lead from Sacha Fenestraz and is ten ahead of Will Palmer (R-ace GP).
Yesterday afternoon, Sacha Fenestra won the pole with a lap time of 1:54741. The French driver started Sunday morning ahead of Red Bull Junior Team driver Daniel Ticktum, Yifei Ye, Robert Shwartzman and Max Defourny (R-ace GP).
On a soaked track, the opening three laps were run behind the safety car. When the action began, Sacha Fenestraz held on to the lead in front of Daniel Ticktum and Yifei Ye. Behind them, Max Defourny got the better of Robert Shwartzman, but spun before another safety car intervention caused by an incident involving Alexander Vartanyan (JD Motorsport) and Henrique Chaves (AVF by Adrián Vallés).
At the re-start, Daniel Ticktum moved to the inside to overtake Sacha Fenestraz, but the Frenchman crossed back to definitively hold on to the lead. At the same time, Robert Shwartzman wrestled third place away from Yifei Ye before going straight off at turn one on the last lap.
Sacha Fenestraz took the chequered flag ahead of Daniel Ticktum and Yifei Ye. Gabriel Aubry (Tech 1 Racing) and Will Palmer completed the top five. Max Defourny and Renault Sport Academy driver Max Fewtrell (Tech 1 Racing) were next; followed by Robert Shwartzman, Thomas Randle (AVF by Adrián Vallés) and Luis Leeds (Josef Kaufmann Racing)
Sacha Fenestraz (Josef Kaufmann Racing): “I like it when the conditions force you to take more risks. It was a bit of Tokyo Drift everywhere! I had a small moment before the re-start on lap eight. Daniel got alongside of me but he locked up a wheel and I was able to cross back and pull away. It’s been a positive weekend. For sure, it is only my second victory of the season, but I’ve been consistent at all of the meetings. I am back to second place in the general classification just behind Robert Shwartzman. It is still wide-open and consistency will be the key. It is up to us to keep it going.”
Daniel Ticktum (Arden Motorsport): “As is often the case in single-seaters, the best opportunities are at the start or the re-starts. I knew I could go for it without taking too many risks. Unfortunately, I slightly locked up a wheel and I couldn’t keep Sacha under control. Then I drove over a white line at T8 and Sacha got away. Our pace was good for being a first time in the rain at the Nürburgring. We already saw at the Hungaroring that we do very well in these conditions. The next objective is to return to the podium at the Red Bull Ring. Our testing at this circuit has given me confidence to finish on a high note this series of ring tracks that are among my favourite tracks on the calendar.”
Yifei Ye (Josef Kaufmann Racing): “The Formula Renault Eurocup is a very competitive category. We were unlucky at the start of the season, but we kept our heads down to progress in all areas. We had excellent pace in Budapest, but I made too many mistakes to be in contention for a podium finish. Today it all came together even though I am not a fan of wet conditions in contrast to Sacha and Daniel. I focused on my race and I successfully managed the pressure from the cars behind me, while also recuperating third place. I hope to keep this momentum going next week in Austria.”
Qualifying 2
Group B
1st – No. 33, Daniel Ticktum*, GBR, Arden Motorsport, 1:55.218^
2nd – No. 10, Robert Shwartzman*, RUS, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 1:55.413^^
3rd – No. 7, Max Fewtrell*, GBR, Tech 1 Racing, 1:55.813
4th – No. 4, Gabriel Aubry, FRA, Tech 1 Racing, 1:55.987
5th – No. 16, Thomas Randle, AUS, AVF by Adrián Vallés, 1:56.095^
6th – No. 31, Neil Verhagen*, USA, MP Motorsport, 1:56.157^
7th – No. 29, Richard Verschoor*, NLD, MP Motorsport, 1:56.240^
8th – No. 6, Thomas Neubauer*, FRA, Tech 1 Racing, 1:56.479
9th – No. 2, Luis Leeds*, AUS, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 1:56.519
10th – No. 22, Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer*, FRA, JD Motorsport, 1:56.736
11th – No. 20, Najiy Razak, MYS, Fortec Motorsports, 1:56.794^
12th – No. 21, Sun Yue Yang*, CHN, JD Motorsport, 1:57.091
13th – No. 41 – Théo Coicaud*, FRA, R-ace-GP, 1:57.100^
14th – No. 5, Thomas Maxwell*, AUS, Tech 1 Racing, 1:57.179^
15th – No. 30, Jarno Opmeer*, NLD, MP Motorsport, 1:57.351
^ Cars No. 5, 16, 20, 29, 31, 33 and 41 – Laps deleted due to track limits
^^ Car No. 10 – Best lap deleted due to causing red flag
Group A
1st – No. 11, Sacha Fenestraz, FRA, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 1:54.741
2nd – No. 1, Yifei Ye*, CHN, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 1:54.973
3rd – No. 9, Max Defourny, BEL, R-ace GP, 1:55.066
4th – No. 8, Will Palmer, GBR, R-ace GP, 1:55.206
5th – No. 23, Alexander Vartanyan, RUS, JD Motorsport, 1:55.421
6th – No. 17, Alex Peroni, AUS, Fortec Motorsports, 1:55.597
7th – No. 13, Henrique Chaves, POR, AVF by Adrián Vallés, 1:55.776
8th – No. 93, Zane Goddard*, AUS, Arden Motorsport, 1:55.782
9th – No. 15, Axel Matus*, MEX, AVF by Adrián Vallés, 1:55.872^^^
10th – No. 18, Alexey Korneev, RUS, Fortec Motorsports, 1:55.901
11th – No. 40, Charles Milesi*, FRA, R-ace GP, 1:55.915
12th – No. 19, Frank Bird*, GBR, Fortec Motorsports, 1:56.284
13th – No. 12, Raul Guzman*, MEX, R-ace GP, 1:56.295
14th – No. 26, Presley Martono*, IND, Mark Burdett Motorsport, 1:56.779
15th – No. 25, Julia Pankiewicz, POL, Mark Burdett Motorsport, 1:56.825
16th – No. 34, Ghislain Cordeel, BEL, Arden Motorsport, 1:57.944
^^^ Car No. 15 – Lap 2 deleted due to track limits
Race 2
1st – No. 11, Sacha Fenestraz, FRA, Josef Kaufmann Racing, 11 laps, 28:08.051
2nd – No. 33, Daniel Ticktum*, GBR, Arden Motorsport, Gap: 3.915
3rd – No. 1, Yifei Ye*, CHN, Josef Kaufmann Racing, Gap: 6.026
4th – No. 4, Gabriel Aubry, FRA, Tech 1 Racing, Gap: 7.155
5th – No. 8, Will Palmer, GBR, R-ace GP, Gap: 8.007
6th – No. 9, Max Defourny, BEL, R-ace GP, Gap: 9.004
7th – No. 7, Max Fewtrell*, GBR, Tech 1 Racing, Gap: 9.319
8th – No. 10, Robert Shwartzman*, RUS, Josef Kaufmann Racing, Gap: 12.771
9th – No. 16, Thomas Randle, AUS, AVF by Adrián Vallés, Gap: 13.633
10th – No. 2, Luis Leeds*, AUS, Josef Kaufmann Racing, Gap: 15.438
11th – No. 93, Zane Goddard*, AUS, Arden Motorsport, Gap: 18.168
12th – No. 15, Axel Matus*, MEX, AVF by Adrián Vallés, Gap: 18.367
13th – No. 12, Raul Guzman*, MEX, R-ace GP, Gap: 18.765
14th – No. 29, Richard Verschoor*, NLD, MP Motorsport, Gap: 19.685
15th – No. 17, Alex Peroni, AUS, Fortec Motorsports, Gap: 21.158
16th – No. 30, Jarno Opmeer*, NLD, MP Motorsport, Gap: 22.314
17th – No. 22, Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer*, FRA, JD Motorsport, Gap: 23.588
18th – No. 5, Thomas Maxwell*, AUS, Tech 1 Racing, Gap: 24.131
19th – No. 18, Alexey Korneev, RUS, Fortec Motorsports, Gap: 24.708
20th – No. 20, Najiy Razak, MYS, Fortec Motorsports, Gap: 25.128
21st – No. 21, Sun Yue Yang*, CHN, JD Motorsport, Gap: 26.132
22nd – No. 41, Théo Coicaud*, FRA, R-ace-GP, Gap: 27.579
23rd – No. 23, Alexander Vartanyan, RUS, JD Motorsport, Gap: 29.368
24th – No. 19, Frank Bird*, GBR, Fortec Motorsports, Gap: 31.342
25th – No. 26, Presley Martono*, IND, Mark Burdett Motorsport, Gap: 33.787
26th – No. 25, Julia Pankiewicz, POL, Mark Burdett Motorsport, Gap: 38.412
27th – No. 6, Thomas Neubauer*, FRA, Tech 1 Racing, Gap: 2 laps
Not Classified
No. 34, Ghislain Cordeel, BEL, Arden Motorsport, Lap 5
No. 13, Henrique Chaves, POR, AVF by Adrián Vallés, Lap 4
No. 40, Charles Milesi*, FRA, R-ace GP, Lap 4
No. 31, Neil Verhagen*, USA, MP Motorsport, Lap 3
Fastest Lap
No. 11, Sacha Fenestraz, FRA, Josef Kaufmann Racing, Lap 11, 2:12.996, 139.1 kph
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