15.05.07 TECHINCAL ISSUES AT VALLELUNGA The Eurocup is our main focus but like a lot of the top drivers we are doing the Italian Championship as well as non the races clash. By doing two championships we obviously get more track time and learn more in a single year. The Italian Championship also visits some of the top European tracks that get used right up to F1 so it is a great opportunity to learn some more tracks. The first round of the Italian championship was a Vallelunga but we had a technical problem with the car during qualifying and the first race. The Catalytic Converter broke up which restricted the exhaust and caused a drop in performance. This meant that I qualified 13th for the first race and 14th for the second race. In race 1 managed to hold position and finish 13th. Overnight we diagnosis the problem and repaired the exhaust. Starting race 2 in 14th was always going to be a challenge and in the first few laps whilst overtaking trying to make up some places I knocked off the front wing which meant I had to pit for a replacement. When I rejoined the race (a lap down) I put in the 5th quickest time which was encouraging as it showed I had the pace. The next round was scheduled for Imola but due to track reconstruction the event was moved and run at Vallelunga again last weekend. Again a very large grid with 39 competitors. This made it very difficult to get two good qualifying laps in during the 30 minute session. On my first new tyre run I got caught out by a red flag just when I was going for a fast lap so that wasted the first set of new tyres. With only a few minutes remaining and on the second set of new tyres I managed to get two laps in which gave me a first race qualifying position of 10th and second race qualifying position of 12th. In the first race I managed to make up positions and finished 5th. At the start of the second race there was a massive accident at the first corner which brought out the safety car. Again in the second race I managed to make up position and finished 6th. With two good results in the races I was the third highest point scorer over the weekend. With a poor start to the championship due to the technical problem I need to be scoring points in all the remaining races to climb up the championship position. This weekend was a solid point scoring performance which if I can keep this consistency will give me a chance of the championship. I have moved from 16th to 11th in the championship. The next Italian Championship race is at the famous Spa circuit on the 15/16 June. Following this then is Valencia on the 30 June / 1 July. I am currently in 3rd place in the Eurocup with a long wait till the next race which is at the Hungaroring on the 14/15 July before then coming to Donington on the 8/9 Sept. << back to news