Archiv der Kategorie Superleague Formula
Superleague Formula by Sonangol selects nine racing teams for 2010
27.2.2010 von Wolfgang.
The final selection has now taken place for Teams to enter into the upcoming Superleague Formula by Sonangol campaign due to kick off at Silverstone on April 2nd.
The roster, increased by two from the end of last season, sees each squad fielding two football clubs each.
Due to compete alongside existing teams Atech, Alan Docking Racing, GU Racing, Reid Motorsport, Azerti and Epsilon are Emilio de Villota Motorsport and Laurent Redon, as well as one further outfit still to be announced.
Superleague Formula Competition Director Robin Webb said: “It’s obviously great news that we’ve increased the number of racing teams set to compete in the Superleague Formula by Sonangol Championship in 2010 . With each outfit now responsible for just two cars each. I’m confident that the quality of racing will increase still further thanks to the addition of the new teams and the huge prize fund which exceeds 5m€ this year. We’re also hopeful of announcing the final two clubs and race team within the next few days, as well as the 2010 driver roster. All I can say at the moment is that we’ve had considerable interest from drivers who have competed in many different categories including GP2 and A1GP and – of course – F1, which speaks volumes for the championship’s growing credibility within motorsport.”
Team Manager Emilio de Villota added: “After winning the Euroseries 3000 in 2009, we have no doubts that joining Superleague Formula by Sonangol is the best way forward for our team to continue. In 2010, Superleague Formula will make an important jump by doubling its number of races from 6 to 12, something which positions this championship at the forefront of international motorsport. It’s for this reason that Emilio de Villota Motorsport has decided to join its ranks, with the intention of making a global impact.”
GU Racing’s Günther Unterreitmeier said: “After a highly successful campaign last season with FC Basel and Olympiacos, we’re full of confidence heading into our third year of Superleague Formula. Retaining the same clubs obviously helps with continuity so I’m really hopeful of a strong season ahead”.
Superleague Formula by Sonangol 2010: Confirmed entries
Racing team
Football Club
Atech Grand Prix Liverpool FC Atlético de Madrid
Azerti RSC Anderlecht Corinthians
De Villota.com Motorsport AS Roma Sevilla FC
Alan Docking Racing Tottenham Hotspur TBA
Reid Motorsport AC Milan PSV Eindhoven
Epsilon TBA Galatasaray SK
GU Racing FC Basel 1893 Olympiacos
Laurent Redon Olympique Lyonnais Sporting Clube de Portugal
TBA FC Porto Flamengo
Look out for further football club, driver and team developments in the coming weeks ahead of Superleague Formula’s opening round of the season at Silverstone on April 4/5.
www.superleagueformula.com
Superleague Formula by Sonangol champion set to net one million euro prize money in 2010
14.1.2010 von Wolfgang.
Superleague Formula by Sonangol will offer the biggest prize fund in European motor sport next season with the league champions set to pocket a hefty €1 million. On top of that, runners-up will receive a cool €500,000 with third place taking home €250,000.
But that’s not all. In total, over €5 million will be dished out throughout 2010 as the football-themed championship continues to offer fans and teams alike a unique take on motor sport. Moreover, Superleague Formula by Sonangol is also in negotiations to offer the 2010 champion a prize test drive with a top Formula 1 team.
The popular Super Final concept, a five lap dash for cash at the end of race two on Sundays, returns for a second season with €100,000 again going to the winners at each of the 12 rounds. Unlike in 2009 however, prize money will be awarded to all half-dozen finalists meaning that for the first time, fourth to sixth stand to win a share of €55,000, with second and third receiving €75,000 and €50,000 respectively, as they did in ‘09. It’s therefore possible for one driver to amass a staggering €2.2 million should they win all 12 Super Finals throughout the season!
Meanwhile, the existing format of two 44 minute, plus one lap races will remain for 2010.
This significantly increased winners’ purse, not to mention the recently-announced 12-round calendar – a 100% increase over last season - demonstrates just how far Superleague Formula by Sonangol has come since its first race just two and a half years ago as it bids to become a genuine alternative to other single seater formula.
Superleague Formula’s Competition Director Robin Webb said: “The new prize fund offers drivers and teams an even greater incentive to top the Superleague Formula by Sonangol table come November. I can’t think of anything else in Europe that offers this level of prize money for the winners, not to mention for individual races as in the Super Final’s case. All in all, the series really does now offer drivers the chance to earn a living from motor sport, something that’s not possible in single seater racing outside of Formula 1.”
The opening fixture of the 2010 Superleague Formula by Sonangol campaign kicks off at Silverstone on April 3/4.
12 races on the 2010 Superleague Formula schedule
12.1.2010 von Wolfgang.
Superleague Formula will visit a host of new countries and venues in 2010 as part of an expanded calendar. Despite a number of changes to the provisional schedule revealed back in October, the football-themed championship’s calendar does still feature a dozen dates.
Indeed, next season’s fixtures represent a 100% increase compared to 2009 in line with the series’ four year plan set out before the very first Superleague Formula race in 2008. For the first time, three countries welcome multiple races with Britain, Spain and Germany hosting two each. In addition, the series welcomes at least six new circuits to the schedule.
The season kicks off at a new-to-Superleague venue, Silverstone, on April 3/4 in what is the first of two UK rounds scheduled, while the expanded calendar means that the championship will start nearly three months earlier than in 2009.
Another exciting new circuit – Assen - lies in wait for the teams and drivers in May, before moving on to 2009’s season curtain raiser – France’s former F1 venue – Magny-Cours, the following weekend.
Spain’s Jarama is next up three weeks later before the series travels north-east for a Germanic double-header, firstly to the historic Nurburgring before moving on to Oschersleben, the first of three rounds in what promises to be a busy July.
It’s then on to Zolder, back for a third straight year, on the 17/18 before Brands Hatch replaces Donington Park at the end of the month. A well-deserved month-long break is followed up with a trip to Adria in Italy on September 4/5 with Estoril’s date moved back two weeks to the 18/19.
Monza retains its place in the first week of October ahead of a venue returning to the calendar – Jerez – which will stage the penultimate round on November 13/14. An as-yet unnamed circuit will then play host to the Superleague Formula season finale.
Superleague Formula Competition´s Director Robin Webb, said: “Although we’ve had to make some changes in the last few weeks, I’m extremely happy with the new schedule. There’s a great mix of circuits with some existing and ex-F1 venues supplemented by regional tracks which are ideal given their location. Jarama’s proximity to Madrid for instance allowed local Atletico fans the chance to come along and support their team this year, a factor which helped attract 30,000 people. With more established drivers also taking an interest in Superleague, I’m confident that 2010 will prove a vintage season.”
“We are still looking at one or two non-European rounds at the end of the year. We are getting offers from outside of Europe, and our two major targets are the Middle East and South America.”
“We already have football clubs on board, but we are open to people approaching us with a new club.”
Jonathan Palmer, Chief Executive of MotorSport Vision, added: “I’m delighted that Brands Hatch will host Superleague Formula next season, and it’s fantastic to add another prestigious single seater series to the calendar alongside the FIA Formula Two Championship. The Superleague cars are even more powerful than the A1GP cars and with their V12 engines sound absolutely amazing. They are impressively big cars too so with the reverse grids it will be a fabulous spectacle for fans of motorsport and football alike.”
Philippe Guillaume, board member of the Magny-Cours Circuit, said: “I congratulate Superleague Formula for the excellent progress made in developing this original, fan friendly discipline which has now consolidated its position in the international motorsport market. The French round on 22-23 May at Magny-Cours, which last year was the only French circuit to express an interest in the formula, has been made, taking into account our requirements. I would like to thank the organization for having taken into account our two wishes to have the French race on a date close to the end of the French Ligue 1 championship and before of the World Cup in South Africa.
Superleague Formula Calendar 2010:
Apr 3/4 Silverstone UK
May 15/16 Assen Holland
May 22/23 Magny-Cours France
Jun 19/20 Jarama Spain
Jun 26/27 Nurburgring Germany
Jul 3/4 Oschersleben Germany
Jul 17/18 Zolder Belgium
Jul 31/Aug 1 Brands Hatch UK
Sep 18/19 Estoril Portugal
Oct 2/3 Monza Italy
Nov 13/14 Jerez Spain
TBC TBC TBC
Please note: You can visit Superleague Formula’s stand (no.2400) at this weekend’s Autosport International exhibition in Birmingham – January 14-17.
Superleague in Land Speed Record attempt…
25.11.2009 von Wolfgang.
…Well, sort of! Even though the curtain came down on the 2009 Superleague Formula by Sonangol season at Jarama last weekend, the shriek of the series’ bespoke V12 engine won’t remain silent for very long.
That’s because the 4.2-litre unit is being readied to help take on one of the greatest technological challenges mankind has yet to attempt – 1000mph on land.
Over the next few months, one of Superleague’s MCT-developed powerplants will be tested by Richard Noble and his Bloodhound SSC team as they prepare to smash the World Land Speed Record.
The fact that Superleague’s engine, which produces 750bhp, will only be used to power Bloodhound’s auxiliary systems such as the fuel pump and electrical equipment says much for the scale of this project. The smallest of three engines, it is dwarfed by the rocket and jet motor that will together provide all 42,500lbs of forward thrust. That’s roughly equivalent to the total power of 180 Formula 1 cars!
Development begins with rocket simulation work before the engine is run in conjunction with its counterparts for the first time next month. Although no definite completion date has yet been reached, the team hope to make their first record attempt in 2011 when they will aim to reach Mach 1.4.
The project caps an impressive year for the engine which was nominated as a finalist at the British Engineering Excellence Awards in September. The 2009 Superleague Formula title fight also witnessed the championship’s 18 teams clock up a combined distance of nearly 50,000kms across the season without a single major engine failure recorded.
Kevin Lee, MCT’s managing director, said: “At the end of our second year working with the Superleague team, the partnership continues to go from strength to strength. Superleague’s Robin Webb and team have again done an outstanding job of combining the passions of motorsport and football, taking the package to an ever-growing audience. With drivers of the calibre of Sebastien Bourdais moving to the series, the growing stature of the championship is there for all to see. It’s an exciting time for Superleague and we feel privileged to be involved.”
Robin Webb, operations director of Superleague Formula, added: “MCT has done a fantastic job delivering a reliable, innovative and high-performance product. The engine is one of Superleague Formula’s hallmarks, which has provoked many a positive comment from the established motorsport media. In particular, that evocative exhaust note is very distinctive and one that has helped turn the series into a crowd favourite."
www.superleagueformula.com
Max Wissel and FC Basel smash Jarama lap record in practice
8.11.2009 von Wolfgang.
FC Basel’s Max Wissel smashed the Jarama lap record in free practice this morning ahead of qualifying for the Superleague Formula season finale.
Galatasaray’s Ho Pin Tung, showing no ill effects from his Race of Champions exploits in China earlier this week, set the pace early on when he produced the session’s first meaningful time of 1m20.656s. It would take over 20 minutes for it to be troubled, FC Midtjylland and Olympiacos slotting in behind the Chinese below the 81 second mark.
Sebastien Bourdais continued his strong run of form with the third fastest time to become the only man to feature in the top three throughout all three sessions, while title rivals, Liverpool’s Adrian Valles and Tottenham’s Craig Dolby, finished practice only 10th and 15th
Earlier, Dolby signalled his weekend’s intentions by topping the opening session with a time of 1m22.459s to temporarily hold the record, beating FC Midtjylland’s Kasper Andersen by 0.137 seconds. The Dane was followed closely in third by the ever-present Bourdais and Wissel.
Valles meanwhile was content with sixth, his best of 1m23.116s proving 0.657 seconds shy of his rival’s time.
As the track rubbered in so the times began to tumble, Yelmer Buurman taking his turn at the head of the field in second practice with a 1m20.783s lap, to finish 1.375 seconds clear of second placed Bourdais. Just half a second covered the rest of the top ten, Porto’s Tristan Gommendy, Valles and Wissel completing the first five while Dolby had to make do with 14th.
Driver quotes:
Max Wissel (FC Basel): “I’m very happy and a little surprised to be fastest. We put new tyres on at the end and the balance immediately felt good. We have the strongest group in qualifying but in the past we have always made it through to the knockout stages and I hope to be in the final.”
Adrian Valles (Liverpool): “It’s quite a difficult circuit but nice to drive, particularly the sections which go up and down. We were quite competitive on old tyres, which is encouraging and I’m confident now ahead of qualifying.”
Craig Dolby (Tottenham): “Practice was a bit up and down for us. The first session was really good, but we have only used old tyres so far. My team-mate found 3.2 seconds on his new tyre run so if I can do the same I’ll be ok.”
Qualifying kicks off at 2.30pm CET where Liverpool and Tottenham have been drawn in the same knockout group.
www.superleagueformula.com
Liverpool and Tottenham square off in Spanish title decider
6.11.2009 von Wolfgang.
The destination of the 2009 Superleague Formula by Sonangol title will be decided in Jarama this weekend where Liverpool’s Adrian Valles and Tottenham’s Craig Dolby go head-to-head for the crown.
The pair have been locked together at the top of the league in a fierce battle all season long with Valles having sat atop the standings since the opening weekend at Magny-Cours back in June where he won the first race and lucrative Super Final. Dolby meantime had to wait until the second round at Zolder before recording his first victory of 2009. Now, after five rounds and 13 races, it’s the Spaniard who heads the Briton by 49 points going into the final weekend where only one can be crowned champion. And both men are talking up their chances ahead of this Sunday’s showdown.
Adrian Valles: “I’m quite confident. We’ve got a healthy advantage at the top but that doesn’t mean we can relax because it’s a really tough championship to win. There are a lot of strong drivers out there who will be pushing hard. It’s best to treat it like any other race and hope that things play out like normal. If I start thinking about pressure, trying to win or not crashing instead of racing as I usually would then that’s the wrong mentality. I’m just going to go there and try to do my best. The whole team is working hard for it.”
Craig Dolby: “All Adrian needs is a mechanical failure or to make a mistake and, if I have a good result, I’m right back in it for the second race. In Estoril, where I was taken off in one of the races, I only got something like 28 points so if he has a weekend like that then it will be close. You never say never and as there’s still a realistic chance of the title then I won’t give up. If it wasn’t for the problems in Portugal I think we’d be within 10 points right now. It’s going to be difficult, I’ll admit that, but I can still see there’s a chance there, especially as I think we’ll be fast.”
Statistically, the championship remains a four-horse race with Olympiacos and FC Basel 91 and 97 points adrift respectively. But with only a maximum 100 points still available, their chances appear slim, relying on Liverpool to suffer retirements in both races and requiring victories in each themselves.
After just the two races in Monza at the beginning of October, the Superleague weekend reverts back to its familiar and unique format of two feature races followed by a winner-takes-all Super Final. With the championship out of reach for the majority of the field, it’s a chance to end the season in style by picking up a €100,000 first prize. One man sure to feature is Sevilla’s Sebastien Bourdais who has already won twice in two rounds since joining Sevilla in Portugal while Olympiacos’ Esteban Guerrieri is another in red hot form. Antonio Pizzonia meanwhile will be looking to score his first win of the campaign despite already notching up three pole positions.
Sevilla might be amongst Spanish football’s finest but there’s one club in particular local interest will focus on this weekend. The tight and twisty Circuito del Jarama lies just 30 minute’s drive from the centre of the country’s capital so expect Los colchoneros to be out in force supporting Atletico Madrid and Maria de Villota.
In driver news, Brazilian Enrique Bernoldi returns for Flamengo after missing Monza while AS Roma hang on to Julien Jousse who impressed many with his raw pace and podium finish on debut in Italy.
All three races from Superleague Formula’s final fixture of the season can be seen live on British Eurosport 2 (Sky Digital 411 and Virgin Media 525) this Sunday at 9am, 11.30am and 12.30pm (November 7/8).
www.superleagueformula.com
Superleague Formula: Monza
6.10.2009 von Wolfgang.
Schon beim freien Training zeigten beide Fahrer ihre Klasse. Beide plazierten sich in den Top 6 und im zweiten freien Training auf 1 und 2. Im Qualifying dann erneut ein überzeugendes Ergebnis. Max und Esteban qualifizierten sich fast schon wie immer für das Shoot out. Max schaltete hier Lieverpool aus und Esteban erledigte AS Rom. Im Halbfinale mußten jetzt die beiden Teamkollegen gegeneinander fahren. Esteban setzte sich hier gegen Max durch. Im Finale besiegte Esteban dann Sebastian Bourdais. Damit stand die Pole für GU auf den Zetteln.Im ersten Rennen konnten beide sofort ihre Positionen finden.Max hatte einen Superstart und fuhr zusammen mit Esteban und Sebastian auf die erste Schikane zu. Um einen Unfall zu vermeiden fädelten sich beide auf P 2 + 3 ein. Max hatte im eifer des Gefechtes einen Sprung über die Curbs. Dies hatte böse Folgen.Teile an seinem Auto waren beschädigt und er konnte den Speed nicht halten. Am Ende reichte es nur für Platz 9.Esteban dagen kämpfte um P1. Leider wurde er beim Überholen so stark behindert das es nur zu Platz 2 reichte. Von der Speed her ( schnellste Rennrunde) wäre der Sieg drin gewesen.
Im 2. Rennen dann Startaufstellung in umgekehrter Reihenfolge.Max war schon nach kurzer Zeit auf P3. Beim Boxenstop wurde er derart behindert das er runde 15 sekunden verlor. Er kämpfte sich danach aber wieder nach vorne und war auf dem Weg die Spitze zu übernehmen als ihn eine defekte Benzinpumpe zum Aufgeben zwang. Esteban wurde ebenfalls beim Pitstop eingeklemmt und verlor wie Max ca. 15 Sekunden. Trotzdem erreichte er noch Platz 4.Ohne Behinderung hätte auch er das Rennen gewonnen. In der Wochenendwertung belegte er Platz 2. Alles in allem war wesentlich mehr drin da beide Siege von GU hätten eingefahren werden können.
www.gu-racing.net
Adrián Vallés lidera la Superleague Formula
5.10.2009 von Wolfgang.
And the Leader is . . . ! ! !
Adrián Vallés cierra el paso de la Superleague Formula por el circuito de Monza reafirmando su liderato de la categoría. Ya son diez carreras disputadas dominando la clasificación desde la primera.
En esta ocasión, un cuarto y un quinto puesto le han permitido sumar 68 puntos, cediendo solamente 9 puntos a manos del Tottenham inglés.
Los grandes perjudicados del fin de semana han sido el AC Milan de Giorgio Pantano, el Corinthians de Pizzonia y Basel que han visto desvanecerse sus posibilidades de ganar el campeonato y muy comprometidas sus aspiraciones al Podium a manos del Olympiacos griego que ha sido protagonista del fin de semana junto con el Sevilla del Sebastien Bourdais
Carrera tras carrera, Adrián Vallés demuestra la solidez de su liderato y afronta ahora las dos últimas carreras en el circuito español del Jarama con una ventaja de 49 puntos sobre el segundo clasificado. Solamente el Tottenham de Craig Dolby tiene opciones matemáticas de arrebatarle el campeonato en Madrid.
Sin embargo, la lucha por el segundo y tercer escalón del podium final se presenta apasionante, con 50 puntos para el ganador de cada carrera, son hasta siete los equipos con posibilidades de llegar al segundo puesto. 21 puntos separan a seis equipos por el tercer puesto.
La cita del Jarama será una batalla sin cuartel sobre un trazado extremadamente exigente que no va a permitir el más mínimo descuido a los pilotos. 13.500 caballos sobre el asfalto.
Adrián Vallés:
“Este fin de semana era crucial y ha sido agotador mantener la cabeza fría para no meterme en peleas arriesgadas que me impidieran sumar los puntos necesarios para el campeonato.
De momento solo tengo asegurado el podio final, así que ojala pueda asegurarme el campeonato en la primera carrera del Jarama para dar rienda suelta y disfrutar de la segunda carrera. No será nada fácil, estos monoplazas con 750 caballos y dimensiones tan grandes no van a ser fáciles de dominar en un trazado como el madrileño.”
AV
Petiz and Sporting win race two as Seville scores weekend win
5.10.2009 von Wolfgang.
Sporting Lisbon’s Pedro Petiz took his and the club’s first Superleague Formula by Sonangol victory at Monza today after a mature, untroubled drive from start to finish. Seville’s Sebastien Bourdais meanwhile came through to third after starting last to grab the Weekend Winner award.
Craig Dolby added a hard fought second position to race 1’s fifth place to finish the weekend third overall with Olympiacos’ Esteban Guerrieri second thanks to his runners-up spot in the opener and fourth in race two.
Just as in the opening race, the sprint down to the first corner saw three cars go side-by-side with AC Milan popping out from behind the front row starting Flamengo car of Jonathan Kennard. Sporting had just enough room to hold the lead into the chicane as the Englishman attempted to make amends by going around the outside of Pantano. Although ahead, he just clipped the Italian and span, partially blocking the track and forcing the rest of the field on to the grass, resulting a delay that allowed Petiz to end lap one nearly two seconds clear.
The action remained frenetic for those behind with PSV Eindhoven’s Carlo Van Dam relieving Pantano of second on lap two before Olympiacos and Anderlecht collided at the first chicane, sending both momentarily into the gravel. The accident triggered a chain reaction behind with race 1 podium finisher Julien Jousse receiving a right-rear puncture that was to end his and AS Roma’s race.
Sporting pitted at the end of lap eight with a healthy advantage over PSV who opted to stay out. FC Basel, who had now passed Pantano for third, followed the Portuguese in but was delayed badly when attempting to leave his box after Milan over-shot his marks and sat stranded in the pits. The incident backed up those who were also pitting, handing a significant advantage to the drivers who had opted to stay out.
With everyone having completed their stops by lap 12, Petiz regained his advantage to the tune of over six seconds from Van Dam who was shuffled down to third on his first lap out of the pits by Corinthians’ Antonio Pizzonia. Tottenham’s Craig Dolby, up from 14th on the reverse grid, soon followed suit with a recovering Max Wissel doing likewise on lap 15.
But FC Basel’s title challenge came to an end the very next lap when Wissel slowed along the pit straight. Behind, Seville’s Sebastien Bourdais, who’d started dead last after winning race one, slipstreamed PSV into the first corner and set off after Corinthians who a charging Dolby had passed a lap earlier.
With league-leaders Liverpool up to fifth, the Englishman needed all the points he could muster if he was to reduce his deficit at the top of the standings. Try as he might though there was simply no catching Petiz who reeled off the last ten minutes with consummate ease to claim victory by 6.051 seconds.
Dolby came home second with Bourdais completing an excellent weekend for Seville in third. Race 1 runner-up Guerrieri was fourth after an opportunist move on Liverpool, who finished fifth, while battling with the slowing Corinthians.
FC Porto’s retirement in the closing stages handed Anderlecht their second sixth place of the day, ahead of Galatasaray’s Ho-Pin Tung, PSV, Corinthians and Atletico Madrid’s Maria de Villota.
The result sees Tottenham close to within 49 points of Liverpool ahead of the season finale in Jarama, Spain next month in what has effectively become a two-horse race for the title. Wissel’s disappointing weekend sees FC Basel replaced in third overall by Olympiacos while Milan lost out badly at home, tumbling from fourth to eighth.
Weekend Winner driver quotes:
Sebastien Bourdais, Seville: “For sure the second race was going to be more difficult to win. If someone had told me we would have finished third after starting dead last, I would have said you are kidding! We just took it easy to start with as I thought there would be a few tangles and kept my push-to-passes. I thought I had a puncture on a couple of occasions because my team mate actually ran in to the back of me when the other guys short-cutted the chicane. Overall I am very happy. The car was pretty solid and the team did a good job. We made no mistakes and that’s what won us the event.”
Esteban Guerrieri, Olympiacos: “Race 2 was a good race but it was a bit of a mess because there were a lot of incidents on the track and in the pit lane, with many cars stopping at the same time. I got stuck behind Olympique Lyonnais, which was stopping in front of me, and I lost a bit of time. Before that I made contact in the first chicane with another car and lost some time going into the gravel, so it was a bit of a mixed race with a lot things happening. But overall I had good pace, the car was really nice to drive and I pushed every lap at 100% trying to get the maximum out of the tyres. With all the incidents, fourth was the best we could have done.”
Craig Dolby, Tottenham: “The first few laps were unbelievable and very aggressive, as I knew I had to be. I needed to catch Max in the championship which meant finishing ahead. We caught up and passed before his problem so I did what I’d set out to do. After the issues in qualifying, I thought it would be difficult, but we never gave up. We came fifth in the first race with an engine problem which we fixed and came through from the back of the grid, passing all the people who had problems in the pit stops before they got there. I showed a few people that I am not going to back down and if my car is on the inside I will stay on the inside. A few people tried to push me on to the grass but I went wheel-to-wheel with them. For Jarama, the championship is still wide open so I will definitely be giving it large!”
Superleague Formula travels to Jarama for the final two races of 2009, November 7/8.
www.superleagueformula.com
Guerrieri and Olympiacos net first Superleague pole in Monza
3.10.2009 von Wolfgang.
Esteban Guerrieri scored his and Olympiacos’ first ever Superleague Formula by Sonangol pole position at Monza today after pacing Seville’s Sebastien Bourdais in the knockout final.
Guerrieri, who had earlier beaten Roma and FC Basel, was never tested in the final after Bourdais made a mistake at the first corner on his crucial qualifying lap and had to take to the escape road, leaving the goal wide open for the Argentine to score.
Bourdais starts second with FC Basel’s Max Wissel and home favourites AC Milan and Giorgio Pantano fourth, ahead of AS Roma, FC Porto, Galatasaray and league-leaders Liverpool.
In the first of the group stages, Wissel repeated yesterday’s trick from practice by posting the fastest lap of the day with only seconds to spare. His 1m36.444s effort proved a whopping 0.557 seconds faster than FC Porto’s Tristan Gommendy who likewise saved his best for last.
With drivers lying second, third, fifth and sixth in the standings drawn in Group A, it was perhaps a surprise to see series debutant Julien Jousse make it through. The AS Roma driver actually led the session into the final three minutes with a time of 1m37.066s which ultimately proved good enough for third. Likewise Ho Pin Tung, who put his extensive Monza experience to good use to end up fourth, pipping high profile casualties Tottenham’s Craig Dolby, who completed just one meaningful lap, and 2009’s top qualifier, Antonio Pizzonia.
Olympique Lyonnais, Sporting Lisbon and PSV rounded out the group.
Group B meanwhile proved a much closer affair with the top five drivers all breaking into the 1m26s bracket. It was Bourdais however who picked up where he had left off in Portugal to top the session with a time of 1m36.533s, pacing fellow Estoril winner Guerrieri and Pantano. Championship leader Adrian Valles squeaked through in fourth to deny Anderlecht’s Yelmer Buurman.
Anderlecht, FC Midtjylland, Atletico Madrid and Flamengo, who were forced to pull off-track without recording a time thanks to an alternator failure, completed the group.
The result saw two of the championship heavyweights square up against each other in the opening quarter-final knockout with Liverpool taking on FC Basel. And it was Wissel who gave himself every chance of making up crucial points tomorrow by dumping championship leader Valles down to eighth on the race 1 grid thanks to a lap 0.306 seconds faster.
Bourdais continued to impress after dispatching Ho Pin Tung by over a second before Pantano went wheel-to-wheel with Gommendy, the home favourite ultimately out pointing the Frenchman. Olympiacos meanwhile completed the semi-finals after dismissing another of the home contenders, AS Roma, thanks to a 1m36.818s lap and the fastest time of the phase.
With the four teams decided, it was Olympiacos who drew FC Basel. Guerrieri was the first to set a time, the Argentine emerging slightly slower from the first sector before reclaiming the time in the second. With only the long back straight and fast right-hander of Parabolica to go, the slightest mistake by either man would make the difference. And it was Wissel who blinked first, crossing the line 0.156 seconds shy of Olympiacos to line up third.
The second of the semis proved much more decisive with Bourdais edging out Pantano by over three tenths.
That left the championship’s form drivers to battle it out for pole position. Again Seville would lead from the front with Olympiacos this time chasing. But the fans were denied a dramatic showdown even before the first corner when Bourdais over attacked and out-braked himself into the tight chicane, ruining his lap, leaving Guerrieri to complete formalities.
Driver quotes:
Esteban Guerrieri: “I think my group was quite hard because there were a lot of quick cars. So I tried to do a good lap while saving my tyres. The semi-final with Max was really tight until the last corner where there was only a few hundredths difference. Sebastien had a lock-up in the first chicane which didn’t put him in contention for a quick lap. I couldn’t hear my engineer properly telling me that Sebastien had a problem but I understood something like ‘slow down a little bit’ so I completed my lap without pushing 100%.”
Sebastien Bourdais: “It was a mistake obviously. I’ve been struggling pretty much all weekend with brake balance and it happened in the first segment of qualifying. I went straight on twice before at the first chicane so I was pretty happy to make it through to the quarter-finals. Unfortunately for the final I knew I had to push really, really hard because with Esteban it was going to be really close. I just had a big lock-up and that was it really. We’ll try again tomorrow and see what happens.”
Max Wissel: “Thank you to my team, the car was really good and in the shootout with Esteban it was definitely my fault to not reach the final. So, sorry to the team. I’m happy with P3 and for tomorrow I think we have a good chance to finish on the podium. We know we have a really good pace. Normally we are stronger with the old tyres than with the new ones so I’m hoping for the best tomorrow.”
Giorgio Pantano: "After what we did yesterday there was a good chance to have pole today. We need to check everything now because the car was not like it was on Friday. We are not far away. If we don’t go out at the first corner then it will be a good competition.”
www.superleagueformula.com
FC Basel to the fore as final Wissel blows
3.10.2009 von Wolfgang.
Max Wissel offered a timely reminder to his rivals that FC Basel hasn’t yet given up netting this season’s Superleague Formula by Sonangol title after recording the fastest aggregate time over the two free practice sessions at Monza, Italy today.
The 19 year-old, who suffered a frustrating weekend last time out in Estoril where he slipped 59 points behind league leaders Liverpool, posted a best time of 1m37.196s in the dying moments of the day’s second session to edge out Olympiacos’ Esteban Guerrieri by just 0.059 seconds after an equally late effort by the Argentine.
It was an excellent day’s work all round by the young German who ended opening free practice third before proving the most consistent performer of the day.
Home favourite and Monza specialist Giorgio Pantano had earlier stripped long-time pace-setter Nelson Panciatici of the top spot before ending the day third fastest thanks to his 1m37.371s lap, 0.151 seconds clear of Estoril Shootout winner Seville’s Sebastien Bourdais in fourth.
The morning session saw Tristan Gommendy – back at the wheel of his FC Porto car after Alvaro Parente’s Portuguese cameo - go some 0.739 seconds faster than anyone else when he became the only man to duck below the 1m38s barrier. And although the Frenchman would lower that time to a ’37.615 this afternoon, it would ultimately prove only good enough for fifth place.
Championship leader Adrian Valles finished second in the first session but could do no better than 12th in the second after failing to beat his best time of 1m38.734s from the morning. Closest title rival Craig Dolby meanwhile, who sits 58 points adrift of Liverpool in the League, wound up eighth, the Tottenham driver over a second down on Wissel’s ultimate pace.
Another “home” team, AS Roma, finished the day ninth quickest thanks to Superleague Formula debutant Julien Jousse’s 1m38.518s lap, with Antonio Pizzonia and Corinthians completing the top ten, 0.041 seconds further back.
Driver Quotes
Max Wissel, FC Basel: “The day was quite good for us. The first practice we were third and now we’re in first position. We used new tyres but I’m sure about nine or ten others did the same so it looks strong for tomorrow, like the whole year really. I’m really happy to be here, it’s my first time racing at Monza and I enjoyed it a lot. The track is fantastic to drive so I’m looking forward to qualifying, hoping for the best.”
Esteban Guerrieri, Olympiacos: “Today was a bit of a mixed day. At the beginning we had some problems in the last part of first free practice but as everyone was learning the car and circuit it wasn’t too bad. In the second session we found some good pace after sorting out the balance with my engineer, so I’m pleased.”
Giorgio Pantano, AC Milan: “We found a good set-up with the car today so we’re looking in good shape for qualifying tomorrow. At the moment I’ve got a good feeling. We’ll have to see tomorrow when everyone is out there on the same tyres when we’ll know who really is the quickest. We used older tyres which were in good condition so I think that’s a good lap time on those. We saw others were using a new set so I think it looks good for tomorrow.”
www.superleagueformula.com
Pantano eyeing late championship challenge at Monza
30.9.2009 von Wolfgang.
The fifth round of this year’s Superleague Formula by Sonangol campaign comes from Monza this weekend (October 2/3/4) where Liverpool’s Adrian Valles will be hoping to establish an unassailable lead at the top of the championship.
The Spaniard heads to Italy with a 58 point advantage over the chasing pack, headed by Tottenham’s Craig Dolby, who leapfrogged Max Wissel’s FC Basel entry last time out in Portugal after the German suffered gearbox trouble in the opening race.
There is a third driver who Valles will be perhaps keeping the closest eye on in Italy however. A home favourite in more ways than one, Giorgio Pantano has every intention of making that title scrap a four way battle going into the final round at Jarama this November. The AC Milan driver has put together a consistent season so far to sit fourth in the standings, just 11 points shy of Wissel. But on home ground at Monza, a venue where he previously won in both GP2 and F3000, there’s every chance that a second Superleague Formula victory of the season could be on the cards.
“I hope to be fighting for victory this weekend,” confirmed Pantano, who won race two at Magny-Cours. “Normally I go quite well there in whatever car I’ve got so hopefully that will also be the case in Superleague. My experience from those other championships should also help because as you get to know the circuit, and all the little lines, it all adds up to make you go faster.
“A good result will also help with the championship fight, although that depends on what Liverpool do at Monza. I don’t really care about just settling for points because I need to close the gap to Adrian (Valles) if I’m going to have any chance of winning the title. If I win both races, or win one and get a podium in the other, then that’s obviously a good result. I’ll be giving the maximum I can so we can go to Spain in contention.
“Monza has a lot of long straights, where you can use the push-to-pass, followed by heavy breaking areas so it’s easier to overtake there than at some other circuits. It’s a place where, if you feel good with the car and it’s going well but you’re at the back of the reverse grid, there’s still a chance you can come through to the front.”
With the Monza circuit set in parkland to the north of the Italian capital, Pantano is also expecting a good turnout of the passionate Rossoneri.
“The team haven’t had such a great start to the season in Serie A so hopefully we can give them something to cheer about with a good result on the track!” he added.
Joining Pantano at Monza will be series debutant and Formula 2 race winner Julien Jousse who takes over from Frank Perera at Milan’s Serie A rivals AS Roma. Tristan Gommendy will return to the FC Porto cockpit hoping to build on Alvaro Parente’s victory for the Portuguese giants in Estoril last time out, while Jonathan Kennard will count on his previous Superleague experience when he deputises for Enrique Bernoldi at Brazilian side Flamengo.
As well as a host of driver transfers, the Monza round sees the adoption of a 39-minute +1 lap race format for each of the two races thanks to a packed support bill headed by International GT and F3 Open championships. For the same reason, there will be no Super Final in Italy, the five lap shootout instead returning for the final event at Jarama.
There will also be an extra special treat for AC Milan and Italian football fans on Saturday when 1982 World Cup winner Daniele Massaro pays a visit to the Superleague paddock. The two time UEFA Champions League winner, who scored twice in the 1994 4-0 final thrashing of Barcelona, will be on hand to sign autographs and cheer home the AC Milan car.
www.superleagueformula.com
International GT Open and Superleague Formula to share Monza weekend (October 3/4)
24.9.2009 von Wolfgang.
Italian fans to enjoy the excitement of both top level GT and single seater racing
Italian motorsport fans will have the chance to enjoy a very special racing event on 3/4 October when the legendary Autodromo Nazionale in Monza, near Milan, hosts the first ever International GT Open and Superleague Formula joint weekend. The event will bring together the excitement of both GT and single-seater racing in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
Despite both being relatively young, the series’ have been hailed as two of the most interesting developments in their respective categories throughout world motorsport in recent years.
The International GT Open, launched in 2006 by GT Sport Organización, has grown steadily to become one of the most exciting platforms for GT2 and GT3 pro-am racing. The series’ format is built around a race of 70 minutes on Saturday and one of 50 minutes on Sunday, with Monza being the sixth round in an eight-event calendar. All the most prestigious GT marques, such as Ferrari, Porsche, Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Corvette, Dodge, Sun-Red, etc are represented in the International GT Open, alongside some of the top teams and drivers from around the GT world.
After the French round in Magny-Cours last week-end, the battle for the title in the 2009 International GT Open looks as close as ever, with a traditional Porsche-Ferrari duel at the top. Currently, Italy’s Gianluca Roda and Porsche’s Austrian works driver Richard Lietz lead the points table (146) with their Autorlando Porsche 997 RSR ahead of the Trottet Ferrari F430 of Swiss aces Marcel Fässler and Joël Camathias by only two points (144), while Philipp Peter and Michal Broniszewski are dominating the GTS category with their Kessel Ferrari F430 GT3.
Launched in 2008, Superleague Formula has taken shape by merging two of the world’s most popular sports. As a truly unique spectacle in motor racing, the series combines the passion of football with the dazzling emotions of motor sport, resulting in a top-notch competition among highly-powerful V12-engined cars, delivering more than 750 horsepower and adorned with the colors of their respective football club. Over the last two years, the series has been supported by the most renowned names in soccer with the of likes AC Milan, Liverpool FC, Olympique Lyonnais, AS Roma, Atlético Madrid, Tottenham Hotspur, Corinthians and Olympiacos all joining the grid.
AC Milan and AS Roma will be lining-up at Monza for the most anticipated event of their 2009 seasons, with the chance to shine on home soil providing extra-motivation to perform for local driver and reigning GP2 champion Giorgio Pantano. It’s Liverpool’s Adrian Valles however who comes into the fifth round eager to defend his comfortable championship lead with only four races remaining in 2009.
The Reds have notched up 282 points so far, leading fellow English club Tottenham Hotspur by 58 points with Swiss squad FC Basel a further one back. AC Milan (212 points) meanwhile will be hoping to trim the gap to the top three in Italy, before heading for the season finale at Jarama in Spain this November. Not to be discounted will be Sevilla’s Sebastien Bourdais who won on debut in Portugal last weekend while fellow ex-F1 driver Antonio Pizzonia continues to search for his first victory, despite having scored three pole positions, at the wheel of Corinthians. The Superleague Formula weekend format features two points scoring races of 40minutes + 1 lap each. The six top-scoring drivers then progress through to the Super Final, where €100,000 in prize money awaits the winner of the five lap shootout.
The Monza program also includes the Euro F3 Open, one of the most competitive Formula 3 championships in Europe, which has most recently provided a spring-board for the likes of Toro Rosso F1 driver Jaime Alguersuari, F2 championship leader Andy Soucek and Superleague Formula’s Nelson Panciatici. The intense racing program is completed by the Campionato Italiano Prototipi, the Formula Academy EuroSeries, the F.Azzurra and the 45th Trofeo Cadetti F.Junior Monza.
Fans unable to attend will not miss out though with all the races to be broadcast live in Italy by Nuvolari. International GT Open also benefits from live coverage in Spain (Canal+) and Portugal (Sport TV), as well as from delayed coverage throughout Europe thanks to Eurosport and Motors TV. Eurosport 2 meanwhile will carry Superleague Formula Race 1 and Super Final coverage in the UK.
Jesús Pareja, organizer of the International GT Open, said, “We are delighted to provide Italian fans with such a rich and exciting racing weekend which will be marked as the first joint effort between ourselves and Superleague Formula, which could lead to further cooperation in the future.”
Alex Andreu, Superleague Formula CEO and President, said, “It’s great to be linking up with the International GT Open at Monza. The mix of junior motorsport, GT racing and high-powered single seaters means there’s something for everyone. Motorsport can be expensive to come along and watch so it’s great to have put together such a high-profile bill that the fans can enjoy.”
www.superleagueformula.com
Erneuter Sieg für GU Racing
8.9.2009 von Wolfgang.
Die hervorragende Arbeit des GU Racing Teams zahlt sich endlich aus.
Erneuter Sieg in Estoril.
Superfinal
Im Superfinal startete Esteban von P5 ins Rennen.Schon am Start überholte er Anderlecht.Runde für Runde jagte er seine Gegner und brachte durch seine Überholvorgänge das Publikum zum Staunen.Am Ende war er nur knapp hinter Bourdais ( der neue Reifen benutzte ) auf Platz 2.
Estoril Rennen 2
Max mußte nach repariertem Schaden von der letzten Position ins Rennen gehen und Esteban auf Grund seines Sieges von der vorletzten.Beide Fahrzeuge waren schon kurz nach dem Start im Mittelfeld zu finden.Nach nur 2 Runden mußte Esteban die Box ansteuern.Ein Kontrahent hatte im den Flügel abgefahren.Die komplette Nase mußte gewechselt werden.Diese Aktion kostete ihm knapp 2 Runden.Kurze Zeit später kam Max an die Box.Durch ein Mißverständnis kam er zu früh zu seinem Boxenstop.Die Crew war aber noch nicht vorbereitet.Trotzdem gelang ein einigermaßen schneller Stop und Max konnte im Anschluß die schnellste Rennrunde fahren.Ihm gelang es auch bis auf Platz 8 vorzufahren.Er wurde aber nachträglich mit 25 sec. Strafe belegt.( zu früher Boxenstop).Am Ende zeigte er aber durch die schnellste Rennrunde sein Potential.
Estoril Rennen 1
Das erste Rennen begann mit einer herben Enttäuschung für das Basel Team.Nach der inlap und einem simulierten Boxenstop war bereits das aus für Max.Sein Getriebe verabschiedete sich mit einem gebrochenen Cluchring.Das bedeutete Schwerstarbeit fürs Team um das Auto fürs zweite Rennen fit zu machen.Besser lief es für Esteban.Vom Start weg übernahm er die Führung und gab diese bis zum Pitstop nicht mehr her.Beim Stop behinderte das Team von Olympic Lyon die Einfahrt und Esteban verlor ein paar sekunden.Dies führte zum Führungsverlust.Liverpool und Corinthians waren schneller.Durch beherzte Überholmanöver holte sich der GU Pilot jedoch die Spitze zurück und gewann suverän sein erstes Rennen für GU und Olympiakos.
Estoril freies Training
Max Wissel ( FC Basel )konnte sich im ersten freien Training direkt auf P2 und Neuzugang Esteban Guirrieri ( Olympiakos) auf P3 positionieren.Von Anfang an zeigten beide Piloten das Ihre Fahrzeuge bestens vorbereitet sind.Im zweiten Zeittraining dann der nächste Streich,Max P 1 und Esteban P2 ! Spätestens jetzt war klar beide GU Piloten gehören zum Favoritenkreis in Estoril.In Free Praktice 3 dann eine leichte Verschiebung.Esteban P4 und Max P 6.Dieses Training benutzten das GU Team jedoch nur zum Reifen anfahren fürs Qualifying.Im Qualifying dann die nächsten Erfolge.Esteban und Max setzten sich sofort durch.Im Shoot out ging es weiter zur Sache.Max gewann gegen Alvaro Parente( Sieger letztes GP 2 Rennen in Spa ).Esteban setzte sich gegen Frank Perrera durch.Im Halbfinale unterlag Max dann Antonio Pizzonia und erreichte damit Startplatz 4.Esteban gewann dagegen sein Shoot out gegen Adrian Valles.Im Finale dann eine hauchdünne Niederlage gegen Pizzonia.Damit Startplatz 2 für Esteban.
www.gu-racing.net
