Race Report

EUROPEAN SERIES, Rounds 4, 5 & 6
Formula Abarth

Circuit: Hungaroring (HU), Length 4,381 km, 4^th /5^th & 6^th May 2012
www.hungaroring.hu

JENZER MOTORSPORT 2012:
Samin Gomez (VEN), Kevin Joerg (CH) and Gregor Ramsay (GB)

Podium for Joerg

The second of eight meetings of the Formula Abarth European Series was held near Budapest at the GP Circuit at the Hungaroring and was part of the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) event. The FIA WTCC, the Auto GP Series, the Italian F3 and the Formula Abarth European Series enjoyed a lively weekend in front of a great crowd of spectators and in very agreeable temperatures.

Qualifying

Friday, 04/05/12, 16.00 – 16.40, Weather: Cloudy, 22°C

The rules of the championship allow for two qualifying sessions, each 15 minutes long, with a break of just ten minutes in between. Results from qualification 1 determine the grid for Race One, while results from qualification session 2 determine the grid for Race Two; the grid for Race Three is based on the results of Race One, with the first six finishers starting in reverse order.

The first session was closely fought, with the top positions changing constantly. Kevin managed a great 2^nd place for the race one grid, while Gregor was 8th and Samin 9^th. After the short break, the second session started well, but then two cars went off and there was a longish phase with yellow flags in the second sector meaning no improvements were possible. A few minutes before the end of the session the drivers were able to push again, and as a result Kevin made it to a very good 3^rd place on the grid for race two, with Gregor and Samin claiming the same places as in the first session.

Formula Abarth European Series

Race One (22 minutes + 1 lap)

Saturday, 05/05/12, 12.20, Weather: Sunny, 22°C

Kevin unfortunately didn’t make the best of his starting position and fell back behind Gregor and Samin at the start, the two of them each gaining a position to move up to 7^th and 8^th. The fight for the lead was ferocious and there were a few collisions as a result. This meant that Bonifacio had to continue on with a damaged car, while Zonzini fell back promoting Gregor and Samin further up the order. However, Kevin caught his team-mates up and started to fight with them, intending to make up as many places as possible. After several laps he had found a way past Samin and Gregor, then set off after Roda. While Roda was battling it out with the slowing Bonifacio, Kevin thought he saw his chance and tried to go round the outside. Roda wasn’t having any of that and moved over to block him. Kevin was forced off track, launched over the kerbs and hit the barriers hard. The car suffered a lot of damage, but fortunately the driver emerged unhurt. Neither Gregor nor Samin were too impressed, but they both came home to a very fine finish. Gregor was 5^th and Samin 6^th, which meant that they would start from the front row for the third race of the weekend.

Formula Abarth European Series

Race Two (30 minutes + 1 lap)

Saturday, 05/05/12, 17.00, Weather: Sunny, 23°C

Kevin got away well, but lost ground in the first corner and ended up 6^th. Eventually a cluster of drivers formed with Roda, Zonzini, Kevin and Urrutia all scrapping for the same place, and all evenly matched in terms of pace. On this flowing circuit it was very difficult to launch an attack and make it stick. Samin did get a good start and got past Gregor, but then got boxed in on the first corner, which let Gregor get back ahead. Gregor and Samin settled in behind Urrutia, but because their times were almost identical, there was no chance of an attack. In the closing stages Kevin experienced an adrenalin-rush when a flat tyre developed and the tyre delaminated abruptly. He was lucky to be able to stop the car at the side of the track. The team had worked hard to repair the car after his big accident in the first race, and this was not the reward they wanted for their efforts./p>

Formula Abarth European Series

Race Three (15 minutes + 1 lap)

Sunday, 06/05/12, 09.30, Weather: Sunny, 17°C

The start went well and Roda and Ghiotto pulled across to the inside. Gregor also started well and got ahead but before they reached the first corner he made contact with Roda and was pitched into a spin. He took Roda with him and unfortunately also hit Samin, who was almost level with them, and was trying to pass. That took three cars out of the race at the first corner. After that it was Bonifacio leading from Urrutia and Amado, with Kevin in 4^th. A lap later he had passed Amado and was on the heels of Urrutia, but Costa and Zonzini were pushing hard from behind and it was a real test for Kevin to defend his place. He was able to keep Costa at bay although Costa got very close more than once. He finished a difficult weekend with a podium position, which was some consolation at the end. Nevertheless, it would have been preferable to have three cars finishing in good positions in this race.

Championship Standings

2012 Formula Abarth European Series after 6 out of 24 races:

1^st Nicolas Costa (BRA), 109 points; 2^nd Luca Ghiotto (I), 94 points; 3^rd Bruno Bonifacio (I), 81 points; 4^th Santiago Urrutia (Urg), 69 points; 5^th Emanuele Zonzini (I), 47 points; 6^th Kevin Joerg (CH), 46 points; 8^th Samin Gomez (VEN), 39 points; 9^th Gregor Ramsay (GB), 12 points

2012 FORMULA ABARTH RACE CALENDAR

2012 FORMULA ABARTH EUROPEAN SERIES & ITALIAN CHAMPIONSHIP

Read more:

• www.acisportitalia.it/ABARTH_IT
• www.acisportitalia.it/ABARTH_EU
• www.italiaracing.net