Rollercoaster ride in Valencia

2010. április 18. 23:15 | +1 hozzászólás  szerző: Viktor Adorján

The weather negatively affected the chances to earn higher grid positions on the qualifying for the first race of the 2010 season of the SEAT Leon Supercopa and the bad luck didn’t pass away for the first races of the SEAT Leon Supercopa either.

Regular race spectators are well aware that the formation of the starting grid is a detailed but routine progress. The drivers and teams have a limited amount of time to leave the pitlane before it gets closed. In most championships the drivers can drive as much as they feel it is necessary within the borders of this timeframe, so it is regular that they complete more than one lap via the pitlane before they line up for the grid. The Zengő Dension Team drivers followed this routine before the race and all of them were hit by a drive-through penalty during the course of the first seven laps-long distance.

The decision obviously made it impossible to earn decent position at the end of the race. As a result of this decision Norbert Michelisz was only able to finish the race on the 12^th place, more than 26 seconds behind race winner and fastest lap scorer Oscar Nogués. The Spanish driver was leading from start to finish, beating reigning champion Marc Carol and Alvaro Fontes.

“This race didn’t work out the way I wanted it to be. This foolish mistake shouldn’t have been done, because this makes the whole weekend to fly away despite I could have been easily on the first place at least once and on the podium as well.

“I feel a bit bitter and it makes me nervous but the trouble would be much bigger if we were to fight for the championship, nevertheless it is not good this way either”, Michelisz commented.

Problems at the beginning

The race turned out even worse for György Kontra who was bit by one of his opponents. As a result of the incident he was not able to finish the race and was forced to sit out the second sprint race on Saturday afternoon.

“I think Nordström pushed me out but I’m not sure about that. I don’t know exactly what happened. I made a good start; I could easily take the first corner. Then coming from somewhere, probably the grass he caught the back of the car. By this I was turned around my centerpoint and I hit the tyre barrier with the left side of the car”, Kontra explained. He added: “The guys will repair the car for tomorrow and I’ll start from the last spot and shine.”

Attila Solti had two troubled races as he had to start both events on Saturday from the last spot on the grid. At first he stalled on the grid as the formation lap started and he took the last place for the second race as well. Despite this, the Hungarian driver enjoyed the ride.

“There was not a big problem; I just couldn’t make the car to start. I lost six to eight places this way. I turned down everything and re-launched the whole system but I started from the last place”, Solti explained. He added: “By the way, there was no problem with the car, I enjoyed the racing and I’m very happy to bring back the car in one piece. It is going to be fine.”

As the results show it, the outcome of the first race was very decisive for the whole day and had its effect for the 3^rd race on Sunday as well. On Saturday Michelisz scored a 12^th and a 13^th place as Kontra did not finish and did not started, and Attila Solti 27^th and 22^nd. Oscar Nogues, the winner of the 2008 SEAT Leon EuroCup dominated the first two races: starting from pole he completed the fastest lap on both races and won them leading from start to finish.

Rollercoaster-ride on Sunday

After two very short – 7 plus 7 laps long – sprint races, the 14 laps main event started at noon on Sunday. As it was usual during the weekend, Oscar Nogués and Marc Carol started the race from the first row while Norbert Michelisz was down on the 13^th place.

Despite this, the Hungarian talent made an impressive first lap and moved up to 8^th when the field returned to the main straight. His uprising tendency didn’t last long because at the end of lap 3 he fell back to the 16^th position and had to start to work himself up in the field during the remaining laps. Michelisz ended up 7^th, and got the best result of the weekend but the performance was there to grab better results in Valencia.

Attila Solti had a similar fortune to Michelisz, as he moved up to 15^th for the end of the first lap but quickly fell back in the order. At the end he had to settle down for the 22nd place while György Kontra ended up 19^th after missing the second race and starting from the last spot on the grid.

Oscar Nogués made his weekend perfect with his third victory and fastest lap of the weekend; the Spanish driver was clearly the dominant force over the course of the event as avoidable penalties and racing incidents made it impossible for Michelisz to challenge for the victory this time.

Results - Race 1

Photo by SEAT Sport

Hozzászólások

Viktor Adorján | 2010. április 27. 15:05