In a world mainly dominated by men, having a woman on your team is rare, especially as a Chief Mechanic in a high-profile championship. That is the case though for Superleague Formula by Sonangol team FC Porto and its driver Tristan Gommendy.
The French driver’s car is looked after by Hitech Racing, one of the few racing teams with a woman as a member of its squad, Briton Sara Morgan being Chief Mechanic for Gommendy’s car, making her unique in the paddock. In one of the few moments of peace the drivers enjoy prior to a tense one-hour qualifying session, the Frenchman, in between signing autographs for the fans, explained his relationship with the pit lane’s only female Chief Mechanic.
“Sara is a very reliable person. She does an excellent job of managing the team and is responsible for the car being at its best on track and able to fight at the front,” says Tristan. “From the very beginning she really surprised me. Not every driver has the luxury of working with a woman and having that female perspective in the pit lane.”

Working with the only female Chief Mechanic in Superleague Formula by Sonangol, Tristan, unsurprisingly, has a couple of unforgettable stories to tell!
“The first time I got in the car and Sara started to help me fasten my safety belts the situation was a little awkward!” laughed Tristan. “As professional as she is, the first step was to pull the part of the belt situated between my legs! She stopped for a few seconds and looked at me and I think she was wondering whether to ask if it was ok. Before she had the chance to speak I just said ‘no, no it’s fine, just do your job!’ While that moment was a little bizarre, the truth is that we are both just doing our jobs.”
Sara, meanwhile, has become used to her unique position in the paddock and remains completely dedicated to racing.
“I have been involved at race meetings for some years and so I’m used to being the only woman in the pit lane,” she explained. “I really enjoy what I do and I don’t have any kind of problems with it. I have an excellent relationship with my mechanics, who do everything I ask of them, and also with Tristan.”

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Adrián Vallés:

“Este fin de semana ha sido complicado. En las clasificatorias del sábado nuestro grupo salió a pista con mucha mas lluvia que el grupo A y tuve la mala fortuna de encontrarme al coche del Milán prácticamente parado en la última curva. Yo estaba bajando mi tiempo en seis décimas en esa vuelta. Aún así baje dos décimas mi tiempo, pero me quedé a las puertas de la fase eliminatoria.

En las dos carreras conseguí remontar nueve posiciones y reunir una buena puntuación que me ha permitido continuar liderando la clasificación. Nuestro ritmo de carrera fue muy bueno, aunque Donington no es un circuito donde haya muchos puntos de adelantamiento por lo que perdí bastante tiempo detrás de algunos coches y eso me impidió llegar hasta el podio.

Ahora toca trabajar para la próxima carrera en Estoril. Es un circuito totalmente diferente, donde se puede adelantar y sacar todo el rendimiento al monoplaza. El año pasado conseguimos ganar y ese va a ser nuestro objetivo.”

Im Super Finale werden 5 Runden gefahren.Da Max 2 mal auf dem Podium stand kam Corinthians als Ersatz mit dazu.Zum ersten mal wurde dieses Finale mit einem stehenden Start durchgeführt.

Max erwischte einen Superstart und schon nach einer Runde hatte er einen beachtlichen Vorsprung.Diesen hielt er 3 Runden lang.Dann die Hiobsbotschaft " i dont can shift "! Er konnte nur mehr 4 Gänge benutzen.

So machte er fair Platz und ließ Rangers und Tottenham passieren.Mit Geschick rette er noch den 3.Platz.

"Es war ein grandioses Wochenende,und trotzdem bleibt ein kleines bißchen Wehmut.Anscheinend war das Glück im Team diesesmal komplett auf Basel fixiert denn wir wären hier sicher in der Lage gewesen beide Fahrzeuge ganz vorne zu plazieren.Aber wir sind natürlich Überglücklich!"so Günther Unterreitmeier.

Das nächste Rennen findet Anfang September in Estoril/Portugal statt.

Grandioses Wochenende ( Teil 2 )

Nachdem das Team etwas unmögliches geschafft hatte ( Motorwechsel in nur 90 minuten ) verpaßte man das Pitlane open nur um knapp 5 minuten.Damit mußte Davide von der Boxengasse aus starten und verlor seine gute Ausgangsposition.

Der Start verlief wie im ersten Rennen problemlos.Max und Davide waren am Ende des Feldes als erneut ein Unfall das Safteycar erforderte.Wie bereits beim ersten Rennen kam von Davide eine schlechte Meldung.Auch den Ingenieuren war anhand der Telemetriedaten bereits bekannt das ein elektronisches Problem vorhanden war.(leider wurde mit dem neuen Motor eine defekte Lichtmaschine geliefert)!

Somit konzentrierte sich das Rennen wieder ausschließlich auf Max.Er fuhr wieder konstand schnelle Rennrunden und ein erstklassiger Boxenstop spülten ihn nach vorne.Die taktische Frühstopentscheidung brachte letztlich den 3 Platz.Erstmalig schaffte ein Fahrer ein Podium in beiden Rennen.

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FC Basel claimed its maiden Superleague Formula by Sonangol victory by winning the opening race at Donington Park today.

The Swiss club’s Max Wissel (D) finished 2.18-secs ahead of the Glasgow Rangers machine of John Martin (AUS) in the 44 minute plus one-lap race around the 2.5 miles (4.02 km) parkland track in the Midlands area of Britain.

The heavy rain of yesterday which had caused qualifying to be abandoned – and cause minor damage to a section of the track – was thankfully replaced by sunny intervals encouraging a healthy crowd to attend.

Wissel took the opportunity to overtake Martin on lap 12 lap when the backmarker PSV Eindhoven car delayed Martin as the Australian attempted to lap the Dutch car.

SLF championship leader Adrián Vallés (SP), who started from his worst proper qualifying position of the season in 10th place, finished sixth – just a second behind the Tottenham Hotspur machine of Craig Dolby (GB).

The pole-starting Corinthians car of Antônio Pizzonia (BRA) finished third having led until pitting on lap nine but a slow compulsory pit-stop lost the Brazilian valuable time.

A second race, followed immediately by a Super Final, will be staged at the British venue later today with Flamengo’s Enrique Bernoldi (BRA) starting from pole-position after spinning out on the opening lap of race one which caused a brief Safety Car period which also saw the front-row starting Olympiacos machine of Davide Rigon (IT) retire with no oil pressure as the race resumed on lap five.

QUOTES:

FC Basel: Max Wissel (D)

“It’s a perfect result for FC Basel – I’m so happy for ‘my’ club. I pushed very hard but the car and pit-stop were all very good – I’m delighted.”

Glasgow Rangers: John Martin (AUS)

“I came out of the pits leading but was effectively robbed of a win due to a backmarker not getting out of the way. Nevertheless this is my second runners-up place in consecutive race weekends.”

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British club Glasgow Rangers made “home” advantage pay to become the €100,000 “Weekend Winner” when John Martin (AUS) netted the concluding Super Final race honours in the Superleague Formula by Sonangol at Donington Park in Britain today (2 August). It was the Scottish Premier League club and Australian driver’s maiden SLF race victory.
FC Basel (Max Wissel) and FC Porto (Tristan Gommendy) were victorious around the parkland 2.5-mile track in the British Midlands in the earlier races. Liverpool FC’s Adrián Vallés (SP) heads for the fourth round of the six-venue series in Portugal next month with a reduced 10-points lead now over Basel.

Race 1 – FC Basel On A Swiss Roll
Swiss club FC Basel and Max Wissel scored their maiden SLF wins when the German, the youngest driver in the SLF field, comfortably led home Rangers’ Martin.
Martin got stuck behind the third-placed but yet to pit PSV Eindhoven car allowing Wissel, who set the race’s fastest lap, to sweep ahead. Vallés, who started from his worst “proper” qualifying position of the season in 10th place, finished sixth – one second behind the Tottenham Hotspur machine of Craig Dolby (GB).
Meanwhile the pole-starting Corinthians car of Antônio Pizzonia finished third having led until pitting on lap nine but a slow pit-stop lost the Brazilian valuable time.
FC Basel: Max Wissel (D)
“It’s a perfect result for FC Basel – I’m so happy for ‘my’ club. I pushed very hard but the car and pit-stop were all very good – I’m delighted.”
Glasgow Rangers: John Martin (AUS)
“I came out of the pits leading but was effectively robbed of a win due to a backmarker not getting out of the way at a critical moment with Basel right behind me.”
Corinthians: Antônio Pizzonia (BRA)
“Until my pit-stop everything was good but there was a delay at my stop which cost me any chance of a win.”
Race 2 – FC Porto Heads Home Double Delight For Portugal
FC Porto scored its first victory of the season when Tristan Gommendy (F) scored his and the club’s second ever SLF victory, coming through from 10th on the grid.
Sporting Clube de Portugal’s Pedro Petiz (POR) did well to fend off a hard-charging, back row starting FC Basel for second place in the latter stages of the race to earn Portugal a magnificent 1-2.
Flamengo (Enrique Bernoldi) had started from pole, after spinning out on the opening lap of race one, while the cars of Rangers and AC Milan collided causing a Safety Car period. Olympiacos (Davide Rigon) started from the pit-lane when he was unable to take up his front row slot when work on replacing the engine overran – but retired early – while RSC Anderlecht (Yelmer Buurman) non-started due to a gearbox issue with Flamengo retiring after a slow stop.
FC Porto: Tristan Gommendy (F)
“To get a victory again for Porto, and the first for this season, is fantastic. The car was very good. I gave it 100% and it all came together for me.”
Sporting Clube de Portugal: Pedro Petiz (POR)
“The previous races at Zolder had been a nightmare so to get a second place here is incredible. I had to handle the pressure from Basel.”
FC Basel: Max Wissel (D)
“To come from the back of the grid to third place is truly unbelievable. I am now second in the series – just 10pts behind Adrián Vallés so I think the next races in Portugal will be interesting.”
Super Final – Quick Repair Hands Maiden SLF Win To Glasgow Rangers and Martin  
FC Basel lined-up in “pole” for the five-lap “dash for cash”, the Rangers car fully repaired after its race two collision while Spurs claimed a place in the six-car line-up due to Basel, third in race two, having already qualified for the Super Final courtesy of victory in race one.
Basel led initially before a gearbox problem on lap three allowed Rangers in to the lead, Tottenham also taking second from the Swiss club on the same lap. The two Portuguese cars collided on lap two while Corinthians briefly went off the track in a separate incident. Wissel salvaged third place, 6.210secs behind Rangers at the chequered flag.
Glasgow Rangers: John Martin (AUS)
“This victory is very sweet. The team did an awesome job after my accident in race two – taking just half the time to repair it would normally. The car wasn’t perfect but it was still good enough to win!”
Tottenham Hotspur: Craig Dolby (GB)
“I’d only previously ever done a race standing start in a much less powerful car so that in itself was an interesting feature of the Super Final for me. I’m remain third in the championship standings, but now only 21pts off the lead, so to finish second in this race completes a great weekend for me.”
FC Basel: Max Wissel (D)
“I had the speed to win but the gearbox pressure died and I was left in fourth gear for a short while. This result is disappointing but in general it’s been a great weekend.”

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SC Corinthians will start the opening Superleague Formula by Sonangol race at Donington Park tomorrow from pole-position (2 Aug) after qualifying was abandoned due to a flooded track this afternoon.
The Brazilian club’s Antônio Pizzonia (BRA) headed the time trials in the opening Group A session staged on a dry track but rain midway through the session sent all cars in to the pits.
The following Group B qualifiers, now fitted with wet tyres as conditions quickly deteriorated, was headed by Olympiacos’ Davide Rigon (IT) – the defending SLF champion and a winner of the corresponding Donington race last August.

Quarter-final 1 was held in heavy rain and poor visibility forcing the organisers to suspend then ultimately abandon the following time trials due to the dangerous conditions on the 2.5 miles (4.02 km) parkland track.
The 18-car grid will line-up for tomorrow’s opening 44min plus one lap race in the order cars achieved in the opening 15-minute, Group A and B time trials. The nine GpA cars will take the “pole” side of the grid behind Pizzonia with Rigon alongside on the front row heading the GpB runners down the other side.
Three British soccer clubs, Glasgow Rangers, Liverpool FC and Tottenham Hotspur, plus two British drivers, Jonathan Kennard and Scott Mansell, aim for “home rule” at Donington – the only British venue in the series.
The Rangers car of John Martin (AUS) starts from fifth place, Tottenham Hotspur’s Craig Dolby – who lives in nearby Leicestershire – from sixth alongside on the third row and championship leading Liverpool FC’s Adrian Vallés (SP), from 10th position.
AS Roma’s Jonathan Kennard and Galatasaray’s Scott Mansell are placed seventh and 17th respectively on the colourful grid.
The drivers of PSV Eindhoven and FC Porto, along with the British club trio, wore black armbands in respect of Sir Robert William "Bobby" Robson CBE, who died yesterday (31 Jul) aged 76 after a long battle with cancer. He managed the Dutch (1990-92/98-99) and Portuguese (1994-6) league clubs as well as the England “national” soccer team (1982-90).

QUALIFYING QUOTES:

Corinthians: Antônio Pizzonia (BRA)
“It has been a very good day for us. It’s my second ‘pole’ in three races. We were strong in our dry qualifying session but the car was also good in the wet practice earlier in the day. So, rain or shine, I am very positive for tomorrow.”
Olympiacos CFP: Davide Rigon (ITA)
“I was on the limit – the conditions were bad but honestly I hope the rain stays. I will be happier for a wet race. I won here last year – I like this track a lot – and starting from the front row I have a very good chance of scoring my second podium of the season.”
FC Basel: Max Wissel (D)
“I was just 0.039secs slower than Antônio so I know I have the pace in the dry while I was fourth fastest in a wet practice so it seems that whatever the conditions we have a well-balanced car so things are looking good for FC Basel.”

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