Zolder- Megane Trophy- Collectif- Tech 1 and Petiz on form
Having made a good start to the World Series last week in Monza, it looks like the Tech 1 Racing team are determined to do the same in the Eurocup Mégane Trophy. Pedro Petiz, Dimitri Enjalbert and Matthieu Lahaye clocked the day's best times. The only blot on the landscape came when Lahaye crashed out quite violently at the end of the first session. In fifth place, Leinders and Duval were the best Belgian pairing.
The sun looks set to
shine on the
opening meeting of the World Series by Renault 2007! The two one-hour
sessions of collective testing for the Eurocup Mégane Trophy
took place in ideal weather conditions.
The first session was dominated by Matthieu Lahaye. Determined to compete for the overall title after finishing top of the Junior standings last year, the driver from Rennes made a rare mistake, crashing off just a few minutes from the end. With new tyres, his friend and teammate Pedro Petiz snatched the best time in the last minute with a lap of 1’35’’475. Another driver disappointed in the first session was Carlo van Dam (Racing for Belgium), who couldn't complete a single lap due to an engine problem.
Late in the afternoon, the competitors resumed their efforts, this time without Lahaye, whose car will only be repaired in time for tomorrow morning's qualifying. Pedro Petiz regularly improved his times and remained at the top of the timing screens for three quarters of the session. The Portuguese driver did not change his tyres and couldn't beat his time from the first session (1’35’’625).
For Petiz, the signs for the week-end couldn't be better: "We've got a really good car and I think I'll be even quicker in qualifying with new tyres!" Dimitri Enjalbert, who had the second fastest time of the day, is equally optimistic going into his first Eurocup meeting.
Ralph Meichtry (Race Performance) clocked the fourth fastest time behind Lahaye: "This results follows on from the tests in Barcelona, where I had the quickest time. Our setup is totally different from last year and the car is working a lot better. And I think we can still improve."
Bernhard Ten Brinke, who has made constant progress since the middle of the 2006 season, finished the day in the top 5: "I learned a lot with Jaap van Lagen last year. He helped the team to improve the setup of the car and we've made a good start to the season in the collective testing sessions. I think my first podium finish won't be long in coming – hopefully it'll be this weekend!"
The four Belgian teams finished in a cluster between sixth and ninth, Duval and Leinders beating their fellow countrymen Soulet and Martin, Vosse and Franchi, and Kuppens and Horion. Bas Leinders is delighted with the car he'll be driving this weekend: "We're were the top Belgians, but I want to be top full stop! Thanks to the ground effect, the car is really nice to drive on quick bends. I've been pleasantly surprised."
François Duval is of the same opinion. The driver from Cul-des-Sarts is having great fun in the Mégane: "I did about fifteen laps. This was the first time I’d driven a car like this. The tubular chassis gives it rigidity. You really feel like you're driving a race car. “I was impressed by the brakes and the gear box. It's a good formula, and I hope I can carry on improving my times and get up there close to the leaders."
The first session was dominated by Matthieu Lahaye. Determined to compete for the overall title after finishing top of the Junior standings last year, the driver from Rennes made a rare mistake, crashing off just a few minutes from the end. With new tyres, his friend and teammate Pedro Petiz snatched the best time in the last minute with a lap of 1’35’’475. Another driver disappointed in the first session was Carlo van Dam (Racing for Belgium), who couldn't complete a single lap due to an engine problem.
Late in the afternoon, the competitors resumed their efforts, this time without Lahaye, whose car will only be repaired in time for tomorrow morning's qualifying. Pedro Petiz regularly improved his times and remained at the top of the timing screens for three quarters of the session. The Portuguese driver did not change his tyres and couldn't beat his time from the first session (1’35’’625).
For Petiz, the signs for the week-end couldn't be better: "We've got a really good car and I think I'll be even quicker in qualifying with new tyres!" Dimitri Enjalbert, who had the second fastest time of the day, is equally optimistic going into his first Eurocup meeting.
Ralph Meichtry (Race Performance) clocked the fourth fastest time behind Lahaye: "This results follows on from the tests in Barcelona, where I had the quickest time. Our setup is totally different from last year and the car is working a lot better. And I think we can still improve."
Bernhard Ten Brinke, who has made constant progress since the middle of the 2006 season, finished the day in the top 5: "I learned a lot with Jaap van Lagen last year. He helped the team to improve the setup of the car and we've made a good start to the season in the collective testing sessions. I think my first podium finish won't be long in coming – hopefully it'll be this weekend!"
The four Belgian teams finished in a cluster between sixth and ninth, Duval and Leinders beating their fellow countrymen Soulet and Martin, Vosse and Franchi, and Kuppens and Horion. Bas Leinders is delighted with the car he'll be driving this weekend: "We're were the top Belgians, but I want to be top full stop! Thanks to the ground effect, the car is really nice to drive on quick bends. I've been pleasantly surprised."
François Duval is of the same opinion. The driver from Cul-des-Sarts is having great fun in the Mégane: "I did about fifteen laps. This was the first time I’d driven a car like this. The tubular chassis gives it rigidity. You really feel like you're driving a race car. “I was impressed by the brakes and the gear box. It's a good formula, and I hope I can carry on improving my times and get up there close to the leaders."
