21 October 2013
Formula Renault 2.0 test welcomes faces old and new
Thirty-three drivers were on duty at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Monday for a day of collective testing in Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0. Gustav Malja (Josef Kaufmann Racing) went fastest of all of them in posting a time of 1:43.957 in the morning session, while Martin Rump (Fortec Motorsports) led the way among the rookies.
With the weekend’s title triumphs for Pierre Gasly and Tech 1 Racing still very fresh in the memory, the teams in the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 field were back at work in Barcelona on Monday morning, preparing for a day’s testing. Taking to the track were a mix of drivers with experience in the category and a handful of young hopefuls invited to take part by Renault Sport Technologies on the back of promising seasons in the upper echelons of its development programme. Among them were French Formula 4 champion Anthoine Hubert (Tech 1 Racing), Formula Renault 1.6 Sweden winner Erik Johansson (Koiranen GP) and the man who finished runner-up to him, Martin Rump, who also took second overall in Formula Renault 1.6 NEC Junior.
Invited to Barcelona by Renault Sport Technologies, CIK-FIA KZ karting world champion Max Verstappen (KTR) was the first to show as the day’s opening session got under way, with Gustav Malja then setting the pace. The Swede posted four more fastest laps before the midway point, his best time of 1:43.957 proving unbeatable as he ended a session featuring no fewer than six red flags ahead of 2012 European KF3 karting champion George Russell (AV Formula) and Max Verstappen.
The afternoon’s three-hour session was even more keenly contested. Matevos Isaakyan (AV Formula) and Levin Amweg (ART Junior Team) were the first to fight it out for top spot before Gustav Malja went fastest again in the final hour. On this occasion, however, Steijn Schothorst (Manor MP Motorsport) and Levin Amweg both trumped the Swede, though they were unable to eclipse his morning benchmark.
Max Verstappen was the quickest of the rookies in the morning, beating Martin Rump and Anthoine Hubert, while Rump came back in the afternoon to post the fastest lap of the day by a guest driver ahead of Anthoine Hubert and Max Verstappen.
What they said
Max Verstappen: “The morning went well but we had some problems to sort out in the afternoon. I wasn’t happy with the balance of the car, and when I bolted new tyres on there was traffic in front of me, which stopped me from having a clear lap. It’s a category I’m really interested in for next season, and I’m used to working in a single-seater team. Let’s see what happens.”
Anthoine Hubert: “I’d never driven here before, apart from in video games, so I had to find my bearings. Finishing tenth and ninth on my first day wasn’t bad. Tyre wear is a bigger factor here than anywhere else. Renault Sport Technologies offered us an extra set of new tyres, and I feel I could have got more out of them. I’d like to thank Renault Sport Technologies for the opportunity they’ve given me.”
Martin Rump: “I came in fifth, two tenths off first place, which is a sign of how well the day went. It’s a big jump from Formula Renault 1.6 to Formula Renault 2.0 but it’s a natural step and I’d be thrilled to be driving here next year.”
