Soucek takes dominant second win
Spaniard takes seventh victory of the year ahead of De Marco and Wickens

Formula Two champion Andy Soucek took a dominant second victory in Barcelona, leading almost from lights to flag after jumping Robert Wickens at the start.

Nicola De Marco also passed Wickens on the inside going down to turn one, and held second for the duration of the race. Wickens completed the podium despite heavy pressure from Kazim Vasiliauskas, and in doing so secured second in the overall championship standings. Mikhail Aleshin clinched third overall, and the Red Bull-backed duo both qualify for an FIA Superlicence.

De Marco and Vasiliauskas both made fantastic starts, whilst Philipp Eng dropped down the order after a slow getaway from third on the grid. The recovering Austrian immediately set about attacking Julien Jousse for eighth as the pair tussled throughout the opening laps.

Alex Brundle made a good move by Gachnang to sneak into 12th, as Soucek was building a sizeable gap at the front. De Marco was under pressure from Wickens and the fighting duo had slipped back by more than four seconds after just three laps. Vasiliauskas, Hegewald and Vautier comfortably held fourth, fifth and sixth, as the battle raged on behind for the final points paying positions.

Aleshin held off Jousse while the Frenchman had his mirrors full of Eng and Armaan Ebrahim. Britons Tom Gladdis and Jason Moore were making their way through from the back and the duo both moved by Henri Karjalainen, as Ollie Hancock endured a wild spin at turn eight behind.

There was contact between Jack Clarke and Sebastian Hohenthal on the start/finish straight during lap seven as Clarke closed the door on the attacking Swede. Mirko Bortolotti’s chances of finishing in the championship’s top three ended when the Italian pulled off the circuit late on. Bortolotti experienced a difficult season finale weekend and never looked capable of scoring the points required to challenge his Red Bull colleagues. Hohenthal spun into the gravel and out of the race at turn three and Höing also retired late on.

Back at the front and Soucek had extended his lead to more than seven seconds as the crossed the line for the final time, ending a dominant race and a dominant season for the outstanding Spaniard.

De Marco held off Wickens to take second, as Wickens settled for third in the race and the runner-up spot overall. Vasiliauskas, Hegewald and the impressive Vautier rounded out the top six, ahead of Aleshin who clinched third in the championship race – becoming the first Russian to earn qualification for an FIA Superlicense.

Jousse scored the final championship point of the season ahead of Eng and Ebrahim. Jolyon Palmer and Alex Brundle completed a decent finish to their first season of international racing by finishing 11th and 12th respectively.

The race was a fitting end to a wonderful first season of the FIA Formula Two Championship. Preparations are well underway for the 2010 campaign with winter testing starting in Valencia in just over one month’s time, but for now it is Andy Soucek’s moment – seven time race winner and Formula Two champion.

"I don’t have many words honestly," said Soucek. "It has been amazing. I’m sure this victory is not only the work I did on the championship, I think it is also thanks to a couple of people that have really helped me throughout my career. I had everything I needed to win it, that’s true; nothing was missing. I think I did a good job but everybody surrounding me really pushed hard as well. I have to thank everybody.

"I’ve said already that Formula Two for me is the best championship I’ve ever been in in terms of organisation, and it’s only in the first year. I’m absolutely going to back the championship and be behind it because I really liked it and enjoyed the whole year. I have to congratulate Robert as well to be second because I think he deserved to challenge me for the championship.

"Now I can only say thank you to everybody – seven wins is huge, I think 11 podiums, I don’t know I lost count, and it’s the best result of my career and my life. Hopefully this gives me the chance to be in Formula One next year."

FIA Formula Two Championship – Race Two – Barcelona:

1. Andy Soucek, 20 laps
2. Nicola De Marco, +7.538s
3. Robert Wickens, +9.645s
4. Kazim Vasiliauskas, +10.197s
5. Tobias Hegewald, +14.652s
6. Tristan Vautier, +19.626s
7. Mikhail Aleshin, +21.529s
8. Julien Jousse, +21.892s
9. Philipp Eng, +24.201s
10. Armaan Ebrahim, +25.618s                               www.formulatwo.com

Soucek scores home win
Spaniard storms to victory at Circuit de Catalunya

Andy Soucek has taken his first Formula Two victory on home soil after the newly crowned champion put in a commanding drive during race one in Barcelona today (Saturday).

Mikhail Aleshin took second, ahead of a staggering performance from French debutant Tristan Vautier.

Pole-sitter Robert Wickens made a slow getaway, as Soucek blasted by on the run down to turn one. Aleshin had already taken second as Vautier attacked from behind. The 20-year-old jumped from fourth to third off the line before going side-by-side with Aleshin through turns one and two. Aleshin held on as the recovering Wickens began to put pressure on Vautier.

There was drama behind as Nicola De Marco ran across the grass while Jens Höing spun out of the race at turn two. Jolyon Palmer also had a brief moment after being pushed wide but the young Briton was able to continue at the back of the pack.

The race settled down at the head of the field while there was an intense battle going on amongst a number of British drivers. Jason Moore sneaked up the inside of Jack Clarke on lap four only for the pair to make contact on the exit of turn ten. Moore’s car briefly had two wheels off the ground but both were able to continue after losing positions to a gaggle of cars behind.

Tom Gladdis nipped by Alex Brundle on the same lap to take 14th, as Robert Wickens began to have problems up ahead. The Canadian’s Red Bull-backed car ground to a halt at the exit of turn 11 on lap five. It was a disappointing end to what had looked like a promising race for the talented front-runner.

Palmer was putting in a charge and the 18-year-old made his way by Clarke and Henri Karjalainen during an impressive recovery drive. There was also a good scrap for 11th as De Marco, Ebrahim and Gladdis fought for position. De Marco had already fallen out of the points following his dramatic start and the Italian was struggling to keep Ebrahim behind by the mid-distance stage.

Brundle ran wide, which allowed Sebastian Hohenthal and Palmer to get by but Hohenthal would later ruin his good work by crashing out of the race at the final chicane. Palmer went on to take a well earned 13th after fighting his way up ten places.

With two laps remaining, Soucek had extended his lead by more than four seconds as Aleshin settled for second. Vautier was coming under increasing pressure from his fellow countryman Julien Jousse but the younger of the two drivers was holding on.

Philipp Eng held off Mirko Bortolotti to take fifth, whilst Natacha Gachnang put in her best drive of the season to take seventh – the Swiss female improving upon her ninth place grid position to score her first points finish in Formula Two. Kazim Vasiliauskas took the final championship point, finishing just half a second behind Gachnang.

By the end of the race, Soucek crossed the line 4.389s ahead of Aleshin to take his sixth victory of the season. After intense pressure in the latter stages of the 20-lap race, Vautier held on to take a memorable maiden podium.

“It feels very, very special," said Soucek. "I’ve never had that feeling. Obviously when you win a race you are always happy and I am happier today than I was at Imola when I clinched the championship. I’m negotiating a seat next year in Formula 1, and I think everybody [in F1] is looking carefully at what I’m doing so I really had to perform well."

Tristan Vautier said: “This is my best ever result. I have taken wins in Formula Renault Eurocup and FPA but this is an FIA Championship and it is my first time in the car so for sure, this is the best result of my career so far.”

FIA Formula Two Championship – Race One – Barcelona:

1. Andy Soucek, 20 laps
2. Mikhail Aleshin, +4.389s
3. Tristan Vautier, +7.645s
4. Julien Jousse, +7.980s
5. Philipp Eng, +13.329s
6. Mirko Bortolotti, +13.825s
7. Natacha Gachnang, +16.977s
8. Kazim Vasiliauskas, +17.476s
9. Tobias Hegewald, +19.251s
10. Miloš Pavlović, +24.503s                                www.formulatwo.com

Wickens doubles up in Barcelona
Canadian takes fifth pole of season ahead of Soucek and Eng

Robert Wickens clinched his fifth pole of the year in Barcelona, setting a benchmark time of 1:38.096s in the final few minutes of the session.

He will again be joined on the front row by Andy Soucek, who held top spot until Wickens‘ late effort. Philipp Eng and Nicola De Marco will start from the second row after impressive late runs.

A brief shower in the morning meant the track continued to dry and improve as the session wore on. Mikhail Aleshin made the most of the early conditions, dominating the opening ten minutes and bettering his own provisional pole time on three occasions.

Tobias Hegewald, Robert Wickens and Philipp Eng remained in close proximity to Aleshin, whilst De Marco and Jack Clarke both recovered from spins during an early flying lap.

Almost every car pitted for new tyres with a little over ten minutes remaining and the session would develop into a dramatic final dash for pole. Aleshin was the first to complete a flying lap on fresh rubber and the 22-year-old immediately improved to set a 1:38.470s lap time – the quickest of the weekend so far. The decision to come out early seemed to have cost Aleshin, however, as Soucek bettered the Red Bull-backed driver just a few moments later.

De Marco, Hegewald and Kazim Vasiliauskas all improved after changing tyres, the trio moving into fourth, fifth and sixth respectively. Wickens was the last man to bolt on new tyres and make a final attempt for pole, and the Canadian timed it perfectly to set a phenomenal time of 1:38.096s and clinch his fifth pole of the season.

Several drivers made another attempt on their second lap but none of the notable front-runners improved, as Soucek and Eng held on to take second and third.

Aleshin had been bumped down to seventh at the finish, ahead of further impressive runs from debutant Tristan Vautier and Indian pilot Armaan Ebrahim.

Julien Jousse rounded out the top ten, whilst Jason Moore and Jolyon Palmer again showed well, taking 11^th and 12^th respectively.

"I am delighted," said Wickens. "It goes to show that the championship wasn’t lost through my lack of speed. Since Donington Park the championship has been out of reach and since then I have just been trying to maintain second. It’s good coming into the weekend with a nine point advantage and a win this afternoon will clinch it for me. I went for an aggressive strategy in qualifying and took my third pole position in a row, which is pretty good!"

Andy Soucek said: "It reminds me a lot of Valencia when Robert took two pole positions and I couldn’t get him. This time it is a lot closer however, I have much better pace and I’m sure I can challenge for the win."

Philipp Eng said: “It was quite a crazy session actually. I had a lot of traffic on my second lap which would have been even quicker, but to finish just behind Robert and Andy is a good result."

FIA Formula Two Championship – Qualifying Two – Barcelona:

1. Robert Wickens, 1:38.096s
2. Andy Soucek, +0.067s
3. Philipp Eng, +0.105s
4. Nicola De Marco, +0.223s
5. Tobias Hegewald, +0.247s
6. Kazim Vasiliauskas, +0.318s
7. Mikhail Aleshin, +0.374s
8. Tristan Vautier, +0.392s
9. Armaan Ebrahim, +0.430s
10. Julien Jousse, +0.511s                                       www.formulatwo.com