Spaniard extends championship lead after crushing race one win

Spaniard Andy Soucek has extended his lead in the 2009 FIA Formula Two Championship after taking a brilliant win at Donington Park in race one this morning (Sunday). He becomes the first driver to achieve three race victories this season.
Starting from third on the grid, Soucek made a fantastic getaway to lead into the first corner, whilst polesitter Tobias Hegewald dropped down to third behind Mikhail Aleshin. Soucek continued to pull a gap on his rivals behind, setting his fastest lap towards the end of the race, which he went on to win comfortably by nearly ten seconds.

"This was the kind of race you dream about – it was perfect," said Soucek. "From the start I hit the boost at just the right moment and in the right place, and it was fantastic – I don’t think I will be able to repeat such a start many times. I’m really pleased, particularly for my mechanic who did a fantastic job repairing my car after my crash yesterday and it was just perfect.

"I was just amazed that every lap I saw my times and they were exactly the same. My rhythm was very consistent which is the most important thing in a race, so I’m really happy."

Whilst Soucek was never challenged, there was action throughout the field behind him, with Aleshin, Hegewald and Miloš Pavlović enjoying a race-long scrap for second place. Aleshin absorbed the pressure and held on to claim 8 points, whilst Pavlović managed to pass Hegewald on lap 20 going into the Fogerty Esses, only to suddenly slow and retire two laps later.

"Tobias gave me a hard time during the race," said Aleshin. "I was on the limit basically on every corner and just saw Tobias coming closer and closer. I was pretty surprised at the start – I was probably still in first gear and Andy came past me! I had a good start, but probably not as good as Andy – second place is still good though."
Edoardo Piscopo took a strong fourth place, with Philipp Eng in fifth. Sebastian Hohenthal and Julien Jousse recovered to sixth and seventh after dropping down the order following an earlier collision at Goddards, whilst Armaan Ebrahim took the final point in eighth.

Jack Clarke slipped to ninth after losing time during an off at Redgate, but the Englishman still enjoyed one of this strongest drives of the season, having been running in a points paying position from 13th on the grid. Mirko Bortolotti rounded out the top ten after he eventually passed Jason Moore on the Dunlop Straight – the pair having endured a titanic battle throughout.
Canadian Robert Wickens dropped through the field after a technical problem and retired, whilst Nicola De Marco and Jens Höing were eliminated following a lap one collision. Jolyon Palmer, Henri Karjalainen and Carlos Iaconelli came together in dramatic style on lap 17, damaging all three cars. Palmer had seemingly shown enough of his car down the inside of Iaconelli at the Fogerty Esses, but the Brazilian turned in and heavy contact was made. As a result, Karjalainen had nowhere to go and he made contact with the rear of Palmer’s car.

Alex Brundle recovered from a spin after a close moment with Henri Karjalainen at Coppice, whilst Pietro Gandolfi retired following a double spin at the Fogerty Esses and Goddards.

Race 1 Provisional Results:
1. Andy Soucek, 25 laps
2. Mikhail Aleshin, +9.799s
3. Tobias Hegewald, +11.976s
4. Edoardo Piscopo, +12.848s
5. Philipp Eng, +14.056s
6. Sebastian Hohenthal, +15.760s
7. Julien Jousse, +16.289s
8. Armann Ebrahim, +29,596s
9. Jack Clarke, + 39.739s
10. Mirko Bortolotti, +41.514s

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Frenchman claims maiden pole at Donington

Julien Jousse has taken a maiden pole position for tomorrow’s second Formula Two race, after a dramatic qualifying session at Donington Park this afternoon (Saturday).
After a thrilling contest with Sweden’s Sebastian Hohenthal, Jousse ultimately prevailed and topped the timesheets with a laptime of 1:23.507s, a tenth of a second ahead of his rival.

It was Hohenthal who held provisional pole for much of the session, until Frenchman Jousse began to trade times with 24-year-old Swede. Only Soucek threatened to steal the show as he set the fastest time in the session with 11 minutes remaining. Soon after, the championship leader went off and ended his session at the entry to the Craner Curves.

It was left to Jousse to attack Hohenthal’s benchmark and he clinched the pole in the final ten minutes: "I am very happy because I have been looking for this result in qualifying for a very long time," said Jousse. "I have been fourth or fifth but never on the top. I was fast in the first qualifying session but I made too many mistakes. I was lucky in this session to avoid the yellow flags and find a good opportunity.

"I think it is a good beginning for this weekend because I need to score a lot of points to catch the leader of the championship. There are three meetings to go after Donington, so a lot of things can happen. I just need to concentrate on scoring well and we will take each race one at a time. Hopefully I can perform like this tomorrow!"

Mirko Bortolotti took third, whilst Kazim Vasiliauskas acheived his best qualifying position of the season with fourth. Edoardo Piscopo was just 0.005s behind the Lithuanian in fifth, whilst Soucek rounded out the top after tumbling down the order following his spin.

Mikhail Aleshin will be disappointed to be starting tomorrow’s second race from row four, as will his Red Bull Junior Team colleague Robert Wickens. This morning’s pole sitter Tobias Hegewald endured another spin whilst on the quickest lap of the session. The German had to settle for ninth, ahead of Philipp Eng. In one of the tightest qualifying sessions yet this season, less than half a second separated the entire top ten.

There were personal best qualifying performances from both Germán Sánchez and Armaan Ebrahim who will line-up 13th and 14th respectively for the race. Pietro Gandolfi was one of the drivers who was again caught out at Goddards, whilst Tom Gladdis was a spinner at the Melbourne Loop. 

The opening race will get underway at 10:50 tomorrow (Sunday) UK time and the final race of the weekend will take place at 15:45.
Qualifying Two Provisional Classification:

1. Julien Jousse, 1:23.507s
2. Sebastian Hohenthal, +0.128s
3. Mirko Bortolotti, +0.174s
4. Kazim Vasiliauskas, +0.202s
5. Edoardo Piscopo, +0.207s
6. Andy Soucek, +0.256s
7. Mikhail Aleshin, +0.340
8. Robert Wickens, +0.3.77s
9. Tobias Hegewald, +0.436s
10. Philipp Eng, +0.496s

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German recovers from spin at Donington to top the timesheets in qualifying

Germany’s Tobias Hegewald has taken pole for tomorrow’s first F2 race at Donington Park, after recovering from a high-speed excursion earlier in the session at Redgate corner. Russia’s Mikhail Aleshin finished in second position, with championship leader Andy Soucek in third.

Miloš Pavlović, Edoardo Piscopo and Kazim Vasiliauskas all briefly held top stop in the early stages, until a mid-session change of tyres led to several changes in the running order.

Aleshin took his turn at the top, going quickest after a solid double flying lap run, whilst Julien Jousse slotted into second. The top three were separated by less than a tenth of a second until Hegewald blew the opposition away with just over ten minutes of the session remaining. The 20-year-old’s lap of 1:23.486s would not be beaten for the remainder of the session.

After struggling last time out at Brands Hatch, Hegewald will be hoping to repeat his Spa-Francorchamps form, where the German took two pole positions, two wins and set two fastest laps, thrusting himself into championship contention in the process.

Spaniard Andy Soucek moved into third during the final five minutes, whilst Hegewald spun again. The pole-sitter lost control at Goddards, but he wasn’t alone in being caught out at the slow final turn. Pietro Gandolfi, Jolyon Palmer and Jens Höing also spun there, but it was an off for Jack Clark at Coppice that eventually brought out the red flags with less than two minutes to go.

Jousse hung on to fourth in the end, ahead of Pavlović and Piscopo. Kazim Vasiliauskas, who set the seventh fastest time, will be demoted two places on the grid following an infringement in free practice this morning.

Sebastian Hohenthal and Robert Wickens had to settle for eighth and ninth respectively – the pair were unable to improve upon times set earlier in the session after suffering problems. Brands Hatch race winner Philipp Eng rounded out the top ten.

Tobias Hegewald said: "I’m really happy to be back in the top three for qualifying. I had a lot of problems in the test and free practice, but we worked on the car and I worked on myself – that’s why we have ended up where we are. Of course when you are on pole you always want to win – you never know what is going to happen in the race, but of course victory is the target for me tomorrow."
Qualifying 1 Provisional Classification:

1. Tobias Hegewald, 1:23.116s
2. Mikhail Aleshin, +0.313s
3. Andy Soucek, +0.321s
4. Julien Jousse, +0.344s
5. Miloš Pavlović, +0.426s
6. Edoardo Piscopo, +0.507s
7. Kazim Vasiliauskas, +0.583s
8. Sebastian Hohenthal, +0.586s
9. Robert Wickens, +0.712s
10. Philipp Eng, +0.823s

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Championship leader out in front during official test session

FIA Formula Two Championship leader Andy Soucek has set the ultimate pace during an official test session at Donington Park today (Tuesday).

After nearly four hours of potential running, Soucek set a time of 1:23.053s during the closing moments of the final afternoon session. "Today was a good day," the Spaniard enthused. "We made progress with the car, and came away with a very good time compared to the rest of the field. We tried a lot of things with the set up and finally ended up with a great car, but there is still work to do.
"It wasn’t really a surprise to set such a good time as we were very quick in the morning on old tyres, but for sure it’s not going to be as comfortable for me on the weekend. Everything can still change, but today gives me a lot of confidence before the races and hopefully I can extend my championship lead."
Miloš Pavlović moved into second on his final flying lap of the day, having previously been at the lower end of the top ten.

Julien Jousse set the third quickest time as the majority of drivers improved late on after switching to fresh Avon tyres for the first time. Earlier pace setter Edoardo Piscopo ended up just 0.005s behind Jousse in fourth, whilst Red Bull-backed Mikhail Aleshin rounded out the top five.

Carlos Iaconelli, Sebastian Hohenthal and Mirko Bortolotti were sixth, seventh and eighth respectively, ahead of top Briton Jason Moore. The 20-year-old driver from Bedfordshire impressed on a circuit where he won twice during his 2008 Formula Palmer Audi Championship winning season.

Lithuanian Kazim Vasiliauskas had earlier been one of only two drivers to set a time inside the 1:23s bracket, but he failed to improve during the final session and ended up tenth overall. Vasiliauskas and Bortolotti were the busiest drivers on the day, having completed 77 laps, whilst Natacha Gachnang completed 76.

Previous race winners Tobias Hegewald, Robert Wickens and Philipp Eng will have all been disappointed to have finished outside the top ten in 11th, 14th and 15th respectively, whilst British pair Jolyon Palmer and Alex Brundle were sandwiched between them.

In a largely incident free day of running, there were brief spins for the likes of Germán Sánchez, Pietro Gandolfi and Tom Gladdis.

FIA Formula Two Championship – Official Test (sessions combined) – Donington Park, UK:

1. Andy Soucek, 1:23.053s
2. Milos Pavlovic, +0.291s
3. Julien Jousse, +0.553s
4. Edoardo Piscopo, +0.558s
5. Mikhail Aleshin, +0.580s
6. Carlos Iaconelli, +0.654s
7. Sebastian Hohenthal, +0.717s
8. Mirko Bortolotti, +0.800s
9. Jason Moore, +0.803s
10. Kazim Vasiliauskas, +0.830s

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Official test is underway at Donington Park

After a four week mid-season break, the final UK round of 2009 takes place at Donington Park this weekend (15/16 August) and it marks the beginning of the second half of the FIA Formula Two Championship season.

The action gets underway today (Tuesday) as all 24 drivers take part in an official test day at the Derbyshire venue – with nearly four hours of testing running scheduled, today will provide some valuable track time to many drivers who are making their first visit to the future home of the British Grand Prix.

The race for the championship is already proving to be an intense battle as drivers fight for the prize of a full test with the AT&T Williams F1 Team. Andy Soucek currently holds the advantage, but there are a host of talented rivals snapping at his wheels. The Spaniard’s win last time out at Brands Hatch consolidated his place at the top of the standings, but he is closely followed by the Red Bull-backed Canadian driver Robert Wickens and also Austrian Philipp Eng. Wickens has seen an upturn in fortunes in the two most recent F2 events but he has not stood on the top step of the podium since the inaugural round in Valencia, whilst Eng took his maiden victory at Brands Hatch.

A trio of drivers are lying joint fourth in the standings – Julien Jousse, Tobias Hegewald and Mirko Bortolotti will be hoping to relaunch their championship challenge with good results at Donington Park, whilst Mikhail Aleshin and Miloš Pavlović remain in touching distance of the leading pack.

The first half of the F2 season has been extremely close and competitive with five different drivers scoring victories in the opening eight rounds, whilst the podium has already seen ten different visitors. 19 drivers have scored championship points – a statistic made all the more staggering when you consider that F2 follows the Formula One points system of awarding points to the top eight finishers only.  

For the first time this season, both races will take place on the Sunday as F2 headlines the event and spectators are set for an enthralling double-header day of racing. Special 2 for 1 admission tickets are available until Wednesday at midday for just £16 – equivalent to £8 per person – and one lucky advance purchaser will win a pair of exclusive VIP access passes including full hospitality in the F2 race centre and a meet and greet with the next generation of F1 stars. Children under 16 are admitted free.

The main raceday will also include a special tribute to Henry Surtees, who tragically died after an accident during the second F2 race at Brands Hatch in July.

2 for 1 tickets for the FIA Formula Two Championship at Donington Park on 15/16 August cost from £16 per adult, with free entry for children under 16. For more information call 0870 950 9000 or visit www.formulatwo.com/dp

Two tickets for the price of one as championship race hots up!

The FIA Formula Two Championship heads to Donington Park on 15/16 August – and fans are set for a feast of F2 racing in the final UK round of the 2009 season.

As it is spectators’ last opportunity to see F2 compete on British soil this year, Donington Park and MotorSport Vision have teamed up to offer fans an exclusive 2 for 1 deal on tickets for the event. Raceday tickets are on sale now for just £16 for adults – equivalent to £8 per person with our exclusive offer – plus entry is free for children under 16.

At the midway point of the season, Andy Soucek leads the championship after taking his second win of the season last time out at Brands Hatch. The overall standings are taking shape and it is the Red Bull-backed Canadian driver Robert Wickens and Austrian Philipp Eng who are chasing down Soucek’s lead. Wickens has returned to form in recent rounds but he has not stood on the top step of the podium since the inaugural event in Valencia, whilst Eng took his maiden victory at Brands Hatch.

A trio of drivers are joint fourth in the standings – Julien Jousse, Tobias Hegewald and Mirko Bortolotti will be hoping to relaunch their championship challenge with good results at Donington, whilst Mikhail Aleshin and Miloš Pavlović remain in touching distance of the leading pack.

Donington Park will host two thrilling Formula Two races, plus fans can meet the drivers at a free pit lane walkabout and autograph session on the Sunday (16 August). The FIA Formula Two Championship will be joined by a superb line-up of support races including the Historic Formula 2 Championship for cars from the 1967-78 era and a full grid of supercars in the GT Cup.

The main raceday will also include a special tribute to Henry Surtees, who tragically died after an accident during the second F2 race at Brands Hatch. Further details will be available shortly via the official Formula Two website.

Click here for more information on the event or call 0870 950 9000 to book 2 for 1 tickets for F2 at Donington Park.

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I am absolutely devastated that 18 year old Henry Surtees lost his life in an accident in the Formula Two race at Brands Hatch yesterday.  This is the saddest time in my 35 years of motor racing and my deepest sympathies are with father John, mother Jane and their daughters Edwina and Leonora, together with other family and friends.

Henry was driving at about 120 mph between Westfield and Sheene corners on lap 9 of the race when he was struck on the head by a bouncing wheel and tyre from an accident at Westfield corner several seconds earlier.  It is clear that Henry was knocked unconscious immediately, and his car then continued straight on at Sheene Curve, hitting the tyre wall barrier.  I understand that the fatal injury occurred instantly and that the impact at Sheene had no influence on the outcome of the accident.

The race was immediately red flagged and the medical team were very quickly at the scene.  Henry was removed from the car, stabilised and taken to the medical centre, where he was prepared to be air-lifted to the Royal London Hospital, the regional trauma centre.  After evaluation and investigations in the intensive care unit, Henry was found to have suffered a major head injury that was not survivable.

Henry had joined Formula Two for this first season of the new championship and had immediately impressed with a pace, focus and maturity that belied his young age of 18 years.  He took an incredible pole position at Brno in the Czech Republic in only his second F2 event, and became the first British driver to win a place on the podium with a magnificent third place at Brands Hatch on the day before he died.  Henry made a big mark in just four events and looked very likely to be a winner in F2 in the future and maybe even F1.

Not only was Henry immensely talented but he was also a very popular member of the whole Formula Two team, making many friends amongst both the other drivers and the team members, earning enormous respect everywhere. 

John Surtees played a major part in his son’s success, carefully monitoring everything that was going on and meticulously using his huge experience mentoring Henry and contributing to the all important set up and strategy.  It was such a pleasure seeing father and son working together so effectively and it was clear that pursuing Formula Two success was the focus of Henry and John’s lives and something they enjoyed immensely.

There will of course be a detailed investigation into the accident that claimed Henry’s life and we will do everything possible to understand exactly what happened and why, and see what can be learnt from this freak accident in the continual quest to make motor racing safer.  It is perhaps ironic that John Surtees competed for many years at the highest levels of motorsport on both four wheels and two at a time when safety was given little consideration, but his son Henry should lose his life at a time when driver safety has never been greater.

The Williams F1 designed Formula Two cars comply with the FIA 2005 F1 safety standards including the fitment of wheel tethers to reduce the risk of wheels coming off in accidents.  The F2 car also includes the latest F1 standards of driver head protection with high cockpit sides and lateral deformable structures.  As with F1 however, wheel tethers cannot provide an absolute guarantee that a wheel will not come off in an accident and in a single seater race car the front of the head is inevitably exposed to the risk, however small, of being hit by another car or component.

This accident is particularly poignant for me as a father and brings into sharp and uncomfortable focus the inevitable danger of motorsport.  On Sunday morning my 18 year old son Jolyon and Henry were sat together, amidst all the F2 drivers, joking and signing autographs for fans.  In the afternoon F2 race Henry was just half a second or so behind Jolyon, trying to move forward after an earlier spin.  As they both dived down towards Sheene, the bouncing wheel just missed Jolyon, but hit Henry, who was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.  By the evening, I was with John and Jane Surtees in the same intensive care unit at the London hospital that Jolyon had been in nearly two years earlier after his serious quad bike accident.

The awful tragedy has not just touched, but profoundly affected many people.  Our whole Formula Two team and those involved at Williams F1 are enormously saddened, shocked and stunned by what has happened and for Henry’s dedicated F2 mechanic Don Old it is a particularly difficult time.  When such incidents occur one relies upon the professionalism of all those involved and I am proud of the way the medical team at Brands Hatch did everything possible to save poor Henry’s life.

We all know life can be cruel and we read of young victims of tragedies every day, whether through accident, war or illness.  But nothing can prepare someone for the loss of their own child and clearly John and Jane are absolutely distraught.  We are all so desperately sorry.  At this most difficult time in the Surtees’ life we will of course do whatever we can to help as John and Jane in particular try to come to terms with the loss of Henry, someone so special and someone who had already achieved so much in his short life.

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Update on the accident involving Henry Surtees in the Formula Two race at Brands Hatch on 19 July. Henry was driving between Westfield and Sheene corner when he was struck on the head by a wheel and tyre from another car which had hit the tyre wall ahead of him just before. Henry was immediately knocked unconscious and his car failed to negotiate the following Sheene corner and collided with the barriers.

The race was red flagged and the medical team were with Henry as soon as possible. He was removed from the car, stabilised and taken to the medical centre where the medical team prepared him for transfer to the Royal London hospital, the regional trauma centre, by helicopter, where he is now being treated.

Formula Two Chief Executive, Jonathan Palmer, said “I would like to express my great sadness that Henry has been injured today. An accident like this would obviously raise high levels of concern and we await further news on Henry’s condition from the hospital. This is clearly a very worrying time for John and Jane Surtees. Our thoughts are with them and we will be providing all the support we can.”

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Andy Soucek claims victory in race two at Brands Hatch

Henry Surtees taken to hospital after lap ten incident

Andy Soucek has taken victory in this afternoon’s heavily-interrupted race two at Brands Hatch, extending his lead in the FIA Formula Two Championship.
The Spaniard made an excellent getaway from pole position, but Mikhail Aleshin made the most ground, moving up from fifth to third at the first corner. Robert Wickens maintained second in the early stages.

Behind them, a number of incidents on track and a brief rain shower on the opening lap led to a number of retirements and three separate red flag stoppages.

On lap two Kazim Vasiliauskas and Miloš Pavlović clashed heavily at Paddock Hill Bend, putting the Serbian out on the spot. Carlos Iaconelli also spun on the exit of Westfield, having risen from sixth to fourth after a good start.

The same lap Tobias Hegewald sneaked inside Henry Surtees at Druids for sixth, and the young Briton spun after getting two wheels on the grass as he tried to respond. Nicola De Marco also suffered damage as rain began to fall, and the race directors called a halt to proceedings as it threatened to turn into a wet race.

The circuit dried quickly though, and at the restart Soucek held off the initial advances of Wickens before the pair began to pull away from Aleshin in third. Jason Moore was enjoying his best run of the season in ninth, but behind him another incident occured when Sebastian Hohenthal tried to repass Jack Clarke for ninth – the Swede’s efforts causing him to run wide into the gravel at the exit of Sheene Curve. As he returned to the circuit his car was clipped by Germán Sánchez, and the latter became airborne briefly before coming to a rest in the barriers.

A safety car period followed, but the top eight all maintained position from the restart. On lap ten Jack Clarke went off at Westfield and made heavy contact with the barriers. A wheel from Clarke’s car bounced across the circuit and appeared to make contact with the car of Henry Surtees, who then went off at the following corner. The race was immediately red flagged, whilst Surtees was extricated from the car and taken to the circuit’s medical centre where he was stabilised before being transferred to hospital. No further news on his condition is currently available.

The race was briefly restarted with no change to the points paying positions, and Andy Soucek went on to take his second win of the season. "There was everything in this race," he said – "rain, incidents, yellow flags, red flags and safety car periods. I knew I had a good pace and it was all about keeping first position. It is obviously nice to take the victory and extend my championship lead, but my thoughts are also with Henry."

Robert Wickens claimed second ahead of fellow Red Bull Junior Team driver Mikhail Aleshin. "Andy drove a great race, but you cannot take these kind of races into factor," Wickens reflected. " I just want to thank my mechanic for a great job all weekend."

Yesterday’s winner Philipp Eng brought his car home in fourth, whilst Mirko Bortolotti held off Tobias Hegewald to finish fifth. Behind the trio Edoardo Piscopo finished seventh, with Jason Moore taking his first point of the season with eighth place. Julien Jousse made up seven places from his starting position to finish ninth, and Armaan Ebrahim rounded out the top ten having started from 22nd on the grid.

FIA Formula Two Championshp Race Two – Brands Hatch, UK:

1. Andy Soucek, 15 laps
2. Robert Wickens, +1.251s
3. Mikhail Aleshin, +4.763s
4. Philipp Eng, +6.858s
5. Mirko Bortolotti, +7.287s
6. Tobias Hegewald, +7.676s
7. Edoardo Piscopo, +8.443s
8. Jason Moore, +9.821s
9. Julien Jousse, +10.393s
10. Armaan Ebrahim, +10.922s                               www.formulatwo.com

Austrian becomes fifth winner in seven races

Austrian Philipp Eng has taken a brilliant maiden F2 win at Brands Hatch this afternoon (Saturday) after enduring race-long pressure from championship leader Andy Soucek.

Eng didn’t make the best of starts off the line, but Soucek was unable to capitalise on the run down to Paddock Hill Bend. Henry Surtees and Kazim Vasiliauskas were side-by-side behind, and it was the Lithuanian who grabbed third on the opening lap.

Notable incidents in the early stages included Alex Brundle running through the gravel at Druids Hairpin on lap two and Jens Höing sliding off at Paddock Hill Bend. Brundle was able to continue, whilst Höing retired after making contact with the barriers.

After ten laps, the top three were separated by less than a second as Surtees fought to stay with the front-runners. Further back, Carlos Iaconelli and Sebastian Hohenthal were fighting for eighth, and Hohenthal made a stellar move down the  inside of the Brazilian at Paddock. Unfortunately, Hohenthal’s car began to slow before stopping on the edge of the circuit between Sheene Curve and Stirling’s.

The stewards were left with little option but to deploy the safety car as Hohenthal’s stricken car was retrieved. At the restart, and on cold tyres, Vasiliauskas ran wide into the first corner. Surtees accepted the invitation, as did Robert Wickens and both drivers nipped by the Lithuanian on the run up to Druids.

Iaconelli was still in the thick of the action, this time passing Miloš Pavlović around the outside for seventh position. Then Julien Jousse ran wide coming out of Surtees Corner, allowing Iaconelli to steal another place. Things got worse for Jousse – as the Frenchman tried to attack and repass Iaconelli, he out braked himself at Paddock Hill Bend and crashed out of the race.

Back at the front, Eng was still under intense pressure from Soucek, but the Austrian hung on to take the win by just 0.494s. "It is my first victory and it feels great," said Eng. "I was nervous as Andy put me under so much pressure. He was really quick in the back part of the circuit in the fast corners, but I managed to keep my position. The key now is consistency, definitely."

Soucek extended his lead at the top of the overall standings as his rivals faltered behind. "I tried to put Philipp under pressure but he resisted well," said Soucek. "I picked up some points over my main challengers, but it is still not enough. Tomorrow Robert Wickens is starting alongside me and it won’t be easy."

Surtees kept Wickens at bay to claim his maiden podium in F2 – well deserved after the pace he has shown throughout the season. "It’s a bit of a relief really," commented Surtees. "I only had two points before this race even though we’ve had a pole and we’ve set fastest laps in practice. It’s nice to actually finish a race – in the last four I haven’t quite been so lucky."

Vasiliauskas maintained fifth, ahead of the charging Iaconelli. Pavlović and Edoardo Piscopo rounded out the points – the Italian having recovered well from a poor start. Nicola De Marco was just half a second away from a points paying position in ninth, whilst Mikhail Aleshin stormed from the back of the grid to take tenth.

There were great battles throughout the field – Jolyon Palmer and Jack Clarke traded positions before Clarke went off and out of the race at Sheene Curve. Mirko Bortolotti also went out after going off at the same corner, whilst Alex Brundle and Armaan Ebrahim tangled at Clark Curve, both drivers retiring on the spot. 

FIA Formula Two Championshp Race One – Brands Hatch, UK:

1. Philipp Eng, 28 laps
2. Andy Soucek, +0.494s
3. Henry Surtees, +1.694s
4. Robert Wickens, +3.000s
5. Kazim Vasiliauskas, +3.271s
6. Carlos Iaconelli, +7.398s
7. Milos Pavlovic, +7.942s
8. Edoardo Piscopo, +8.416s
Race two takes place at 12.45 (UK time) tomorrow.          www.formulatwo.com

Spaniard tops close qualifying session at Brands Hatch

Andy Soucek took pole position for race two this morning at Brands Hatch, after another thoroughly entertaining qualifying session.

Robert Wickens and Sebastian Hohenthal traded quickest times in the early stages, whilst Soucek was some way down the order. Tom Gladdis also impressed in the opening laps, holding third briefly.

At the halfway point of the 30 minute session, the majority of drivers changed on to new Avon tyres and the times immediately tumbled. Julien Jousse was the first driver to dip under the 1:18s barrier, as Jolyon Palmer also improved to move into third behind Wickens.

Provisional pole then changed three times in less than a minute as Edoardo Piscopo, Henry Surtees and Philipp Eng all took turns in setting the ultimate pace. Formula Palmer Audi champion Jason Moore moved up to second, as a flurry of drivers were in the midst of setting fastest times. Unfortunately a spin for Jolyon Palmer at Westfield prevented many drivers from completing their lap as a brief red flag period halted proceedings. Palmer was able to return to the pits without damage, but his tyres were compromised and he was unable to improve his time for the remainder of the session.

Qualifying was restarted with ten minutes remaining and Robert Wickens quickly returned to the top, until Andy Soucek improved even further to take pole by just 0.028s.

Wickens held on to take second and Sebastian Hohenthal was third, but the Swede was black flagged late in the session for not respecting the track limits at Paddock Hill Bend, as he was in yesterday’s first qualifying session. Further action is anticipated from the stewards later today.

Philipp Eng was fourth, ahead of Red Bull-backed duo Mirko Bortolotti and Mikhail Aleshin. Carlos Iaconelli and Henry Surtees complete row four, whilst Natacha Gachnang put in a stunning performance with ninth – her best qualifying result of the season so far. Tobias Hegewald, who won both races at Spa-Francorchamps, set a late lap to round out the top ten.

Edoardo Piscopo and Jason Moore were 11th and 12th respectively, with Moore enjoying his best qualifying run in F2. Jens Höing endured a minor spin, whilst Alex Brundle ended his session in the gravel at Sheene Curve before he had even set a representative lap time – he will start tomorrow’s race from the back of the grid.
Incredibly, one second covered the top 19 drivers.

Andy Soucek said: "Everything went very well, it’s looking good – it is my first pole in F2 and I am really happy. It’s the first time I’ve driven here and it was a fantastic experience. I thought Spa-Francorchamps was good but Brands Hatch is even better!"

Robert Wickens said: "I am just happy to be on the front row for tomorrow’s race," said Wickens. "The main thing is consistency – there’s no question that the pace is there because it’s been there the whole year."

Sebastian Hohenthal said: "I didn’t gain much time – perhaps nothing, but still they are hard on this as we saw yesterday. Maybe I can get some points, but it is going to be tough."

FIA Formula Two Championshp Qualifying Two – Brands Hatch, UK:

1. Andy Soucek, 1:16.947s
2. Robert Wickens, +0.028s
3. Sebastian Hohenthal, +0.161s
4. Philipp Eng, +0.260s
5. Mirko Bortolitti, +0.352s
6. Mikhail Aleshin, +0.451s
7. Carlos Iaconelli, +0.476s
8. Henry Surtees, +0.516s
9. Natacha Gachnang, +0.529s
10. Tobias Hegewald, +0.534s
Race one takes place at 14.05 today (Saturday) and race two is at 12.45 tomorrow (Sunday).

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One second covers top seventeen drivers

Philipp Eng has taken his maiden Formula Two pole position this afternoon, after a breathless first qualifying session at Brands Hatch.

The young Austrian set his best time just before the session was red flagged after Pietro Gandolfi spun off at Clark Curve with 5 minutes to go.

The restart led to a frantic shootout, with the majority of the cars taking to the circuit for one last shot at pole. Andy Soucek took full advantage to leap up the leaderboard and take second place, missing the top spot by just 13 thousandths of a second.

Sebastian Hohenthal took an impressive third with the top three being separated by just 0.017s. Henry Surtees was fourth, ahead of Mikhail Aleshin and the late charging Kazim Vasiliauskas respectively. Robert Wickens and Jousse will line up together on row four, whilst Mirko Bortolotti and Miloš Pavlović rounded out the top ten.

Julien Jousse crashed heavily at Sheene Curve shortly after setting his fastest time of the session and took no further part, having sustained significant damage to the rear of the car. Miloš Pavlović ended qualifying in the barriers at Hawthorn Bend after crashing heavily at the quickest corner on the circuit.

The top 13 drivers were separated by less than half a second and the top 17 drivers were covered by less than a second.

Philipp Eng said: "It was obviously a very good lap. To get my first pole position is a very special thing – I think it was the first qualifying session where I got everything together."

Andy Soucek said: "I was using a strategy, but I think it was a big mistake! We were waiting for people to put the rubber down on the track – we thought the end of the session would be the best time to go out. I think it was an amazing performance."

Sebastian Hohenthal said: "Coming back to the UK felt very good. Obviously it would have been good with pole, but I know for sure that pole has an uphill start whereas third has downhill! I started off this season setting targets and it went very bad, so I’m just taking it lap by lap and seeing what we can do. It feels good knowing that we can be quick when everything works well."

Qualifying two will take place at 9:45am tomorrow (Saturday), before the opening race of the weekend commences at 2pm. Race two will take place at 12:45pm on Sunday.

FIA Formula Two Championshp Qualifying One – Brands Hatch, UK:
1. Philipp Eng, 1:17.445s
2. Andy Soucek, +0.013s
3. Sebastian Hohenthal, +0.017s
4. Henry Surtees, +0.102s
5. Mikhail Aleshin, +0.215s
6. Kazim Vasiliauskas, +0.220s
7. Robert Wickens, +0.278s
8. Julien Jousse, +0.304s
9. Mirko Bortolotti, +0.308s
10. Milos Pavlovic, +0.371s

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Rounds 7 & 8 take place on Grand Prix circuit this weekend

25 years after Brands Hatch hosted the last ever European Formula Two Championship race, the F1 feeder series returns to the Kent circuit for rounds seven and eight of the 2009 FIA Formula Two Championship this weekend (17/18/19 July).

Philippe Streiff won that race back in 1984, and the Frenchman will be watching on this weekend as he continues his mentoring role with compatriot Julien Jousse, who currently lies third in this year’s championship.

Momentum has swung several times so far this season, and the championship has seen four different leaders and nine different visitors to the podium. Spaniard Andy Soucek will carry the points lead into Brands Hatch courtesy of a fourth and a second last time out in Belgium, but he is just two points clear of Robert Wickens in second – the Canadian scoring the majority of his points during a fairytale opening weekend at Valencia where he won both races from pole.

Reigning Italian F3 champion Mirko Bortolotti took his turn at the top of the standings in Brno, taking full advantage of a disappointing weekend for Wickens to claim his maiden series victory and the championship lead. Soucek forced himself into championship contention with victory in race two, whilst Mikhail Aleshin, Philipp Eng, Julien Jousse and Nicola De Marco all visited the podium.

Jousse had a brief spell at the top after finishing third in race one at Spa-Francorchamps, before being displaced by Soucek when the Spaniard claimed second position in the next race. Tobias Hegewald enjoyed an extraordinary weekend in Belgium – taking two pole positions, two race wins and two fastest laps – and he now lies fourth in the standings.

Six Britons will be hoping to benefit from home advantage at Brands this weekend as Alex Brundle, Henry Surtees, Jack Clarke, Tom Gladdis, Jolyon Palmer and Jason Moore race in front of the UK fans for the first time in Formula Two. Moore scored two victories on the iconic Grand Prix circuit on his way to winning the Formula Palmer Audi Championship in 2008 and the Bedfordshire racer will be looking for his first points in F2, whilst Jolyon Palmer has taken three podiums from his last four races on the GP layout.

Sebastian Hohenthal and Miloš Pavlović are two other drivers who have previously tasted victory at Brands Hatch, and both have high hopes for this weekend. Hohenthal took his win during his time in British F3, whilst Pavlović claimed his second ever racing victory at the circuit, so they’ll both be ones to watch. "Brands Hatch is my favourite circuit in the world," noted Pavlović. "I haven’t been there for quite a long time, so I am really looking forward to going back."
Championship leader Andy Soucek has never raced at Brands Hatch, but the Spaniard was full of praise for the track after experiencing it in his road car last week. "The circuit is unbelievable, and going through Paddock Hill is amazing," he enthused – "the feeling through your body is even better than going through Eau Rouge!

"To be honest I’m just happy to be arriving with the points lead – given the start I made in Valencia, it feels unbelievable to be at the top. I’m expecting Brands Hatch to be packed so it’s going to a spectacular weekend of racing, and I’m looking forward to trying to extend my points lead."

With the championship race still wide open, get set for an enthralling F2 double header at Brands Hatch, which also plays host to rounds 15 and 16 of the FIA World Touring Car Championship.

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Henry: “It was an incredibly special thing to do”

Henry Surtees admitted it had been an emotional experience piloting his father’s restored Surtees TS10 – in which Mike Hailwood won the 1972 European Formula Two Championship – at the 2009 Goodwood Festival of Speed last weekend.

"Getting in the TS10 and talking to legends like Jochen Mass has been an incredible experience," Surtees enthused – "it’s been a really special thing to do. Driving it around Goodwood has been a great bridge to my dad’s time of racing, and my respect has increased tenfold for what drivers in the past were able to achieve.

"This is the first time I had driven the car in a competitive environment, and although I was driving for fun it wasn’t long before I started pushing the car. I was very careful however – this is a one off car which won the 1972 European F2 Championship, so I wasn’t planning on making any mistakes."

After completing three runs over the course of the weekend, Henry was able to compare the TS10 to the modern F2 car in which he has impressed with his pace – including taking a superb pole at Brno in the Czech Republic. "The TS10 is still a good car, and it was great fun to drive. Obviously it is slower than the modern F2 car around the corners because it simply doesn’t have the same grip and traction levels, but both cars have their merits. That said, it did emphasise how nice it is having a sequential gearbox rather than the H-box the TS10 uses!

Henry also admitted that whilst the TS10 had given him a newfound respect for his father, it was important to cut his own path in motor racing. "I have always said that my career is about me, not my father," he insisted. "I can only do my best, and I’ll just keep pushing to improve.

"My father has been a fantastic support for me throughout my career. Of course we fall out sometimes, and I’m the first to tell him he’s wrong, but it is fantastic to have him alongside me at the races. He is a great source of advice, as he was an engineer before he was a driver, and he really knows his stuff. The main thing for me though is that I have to be my own man – ultimately I am the one driving, so it all comes down to me."

Henry will be trading in the Surtees TS10 for his Williams JPH1 F2 car when the FIA Formula Two Championship comes to Brands Hatch on 17-19 July for rounds seven and eight of the 2009 season.

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Red Bull Racing’s Chief Technical Officer visits Spa-Francorchamps

Red Bull Racing’s Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey has hailed the FIA Formula Two Championship after taking a tour of the series’ operation at Spa-Francorchamps last weekend (27/28 June).

Newey was competing in the Britcar Spa Euro Race at the legendary F1 circuit, but took time away from his racing schedule to enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of the F2 setup from MotorSport Vision’s Chief Executive Jonathan Palmer.

Adrian Newey said: "I was impressed with what I saw in Formula Two – it seems to satisfy the criteria we set as a Formula One team. When we are developing a car we are looking to develop a driver’s ability to describe what the car is doing. The key thing is that drivers are able to work with engineers and give good feedback; if they’re going to become F1 drivers then understanding what the car does and how to describe that to your race engineer is absolutely key. From what I saw, Formula Two is a great way to develop young drivers."

With three Red Bull drivers competing in Formula Two in 2009, Newey also claimed that F2 is a series they will be monitoring over the course of the season.

Newey added: "Obviously if one of the Red Bull guys dominates in the championship then we would probably give them a test drive in Formula One. It is fantastic to have a senior level category with this kind of budget – it’s a great alternative to series like GP2, where it can be so difficult to raise the budget. Having the cars produced to an exact equal standard is also a good way of finding out just how good the young drivers are. I think Jonathan Palmer has come up with a great series."

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