Hungaroring Race Two
DiSabatino wins chaotic second race
14 June 2009
Having opted for a very early change of tires, Pasquale DiSabatino took advantage of an incident-packed race to claim his first win in Formula Renault 3.5 Series, ahead of Marco Barba and Julian Leal, the three on the same winning race strategy. Despite retiring, Marcos Martinez holds onto his overall leadership of the championship and will therefore get to drive in the ING Renault F1 Team exhibition at Silverstone.
For the first time of the season, Martinez started from pole position ahead of countryman Miguel Molina. Martinez and Molina held their positions as the race got underway. It was Bertrand Baguette who made the best start, slotting into third place, ahead of Charles Pic, James Walker, Brendon Hartley and Jaime Alguersuari. The first lap was marked by a multiple collision, which forced the Safety Car out. For Adrian Zaugg, Adrian Valles, Filip Salaquarda, Greg Mansell and Oliver Turvey, the race was over while Edoardo Mortara got off more lightly and had to pit to change his front wing.
As the green flag was shown, Martinez was held up at the side of the track with a gearbox sensor failure, and had to leave his rivals to resume the fight without him. Bertrand Baguette made the perfect restart and got past Miguel Molina at the end of the pit straight. The Belgian led from Miguel Molina, Charles Pic, James Walker and Brendon Hartley, Hartley pressed by Jaime Alguersuari. As the Spanish driver tried an overtaking manoeuvre, they came into contact, resulting in Brendon Hartley dropping back to last place, while Jaime Alguersuari took the advantage to move up to fifth.
More drama followed with James Walker crashing at the entrance to the pit lane and Edoardo Mortara crashing out of the race at the same moment. The safety car came out action ahead of Bertrand Baguette, Miguel Molina, Charles Pic and Jaime Alguersuari. The race positions stayed the same as the race restarted, but the leaders now had to pit for tire changes, unlike drivers who'd gone for the early change. By pitting before the Safety Car neutralized the race, DiSabatino, Marco Barba, Julian Leal, Chris Van der Drift and Michael Herck executed the perfect - if unwitting - race strategy. Baguette now found himself back in 6th, ahead of Fairuz Fauzy and Charles Pic, while Miguel Molina retired with a faulty accelerator sensor.
Pasquale DiSabatino took his first win in this Formula Renault 3.5 Series. Despite having to retire, Marcos Martinez stays top of the overall standings, on equal points with Bertrand Baguette. But with three wins to his credit, it's the Spanish driver who gets to drive in the ING Renault F1 Team exhibition at the next meeting in Silverstone.
The List:
1 P. di Sabatino RC Motorsport 46:54.069
2 M. Barba Draco Multiracing USA + 0.926
3 J. Leal Prema Powerteam + 11.991
4 C. van der Drift Epsilon Euskadi + 12.445
!!!!
5 M. Herck Interwetten.com + 15.306
6 B. Baguette Draco Multiracing USA + 17.044
7 F. Fauzy Fortec Motorsport + 17.346
8 C. Pic Tech 1 Racing + 18.329
9 D. Move P1 Motorsport + 19.177
10 J. Alguersuari Carlin Motorsport + 19.622
11 J. Lancaster Red Devil Comtec + 27.696
12 M. Marinescu Interwetten.com + 35.775
13 B. Hartley Tech 1 Racing + 36.273
14 J. Martin Red Devil Comtec + 40.046
15 F. Leo Pons Racing + 40.613
16 S. Pentus Fortec Motorsport + 40.836
Did not finish
17 M. Molina Ultimate Signature + 6 laps
18 F. Salaquarda RC Motorsport + 7 laps
19 A. Nebylitskiy SG Formula + 10 laps
20 J. Walker P1 Motorsport + 18 laps
21 E. Mortara SG Formula + 18 laps
22 M. Martínez Pons Racing + 21 laps
23 O. Turvey Carlin Motorsport + 24 laps
24 G. Mansell Ultimate Signature + 25 laps
25 A. Zaugg Interwetten.com + 25 laps
26 A. Valles Epsilon Euskadi + 25 laps
GP Update
Hans
