Race Report

Formula 1 Ing Magyar Nagydij Grand Prix 2014
GP3 SERIES

Circuit: Hungaroring (HU), Length 4,381 km, 26^th/27^th July 2014, Rounds 9 & 10
www.hungaroring.hu

JENZER MOTORSPORT 2014:
Pal Varhaug (NOR), Mathéo Tuscher (CH) and Christopher Höher (A)

EDisappointment in Budapest

The GP3 Series met up for their fifth race event on the fluid and demanding Hungaroring Circuit near Budapest, racing as one of the support races for the Formula 1 ING Magyar Nagydij 2014. Adderly Fong was replaced for this race by Christopher Höher.

Race One Qualifying

Saturday, 26/07/14, 09.45 – 10.15, Weather: Sunny, 25°C

For Friday evening’s free practice the temperature had soared to 27°C and Mathéo was able to set a very good time to claim 6^th, while Pal was 15^th and Chris was 25^th.

On Saturday morning it was still very hot, and none of our drivers were able to set a good time, Mathéo even managing to spin on new tyres, while Pal got stuck in traffic. Chris was getting to grips with the Pirelli tyres but was improving steadily. Just before the end of the session Celis caused a red flag stoppage which meant that at the restart there was only enough time left for a single flying lap. In the hectic few minutes that followed Mathéo and Pal both fell further back, with Mathéo ending the session 19^th, Pal was 21^st and Chris improved to 24^th.
After the Hockenheim race several penalties for causing avoidable collisions were handed out. This meant Pal had a five place grid penalty from then. Mathéo, on the other hand, got a new penalty after qualifying for failing to go to be weighed as instructed. He would therefore start from the pitlane.

GP3 Series

Race One (30 Minutes)

Saturday, 26/07/14, 17.20, Weather: Sunny, 27°C

The race was run in the afternoon heat. It is very difficult to overtake on this flowing circuit, especially if most of the field is covered by a few tenths, so it was not surprising that our drivers couldn’t make too much of their unfortunate starting positions. Comparing lap times they were just as quick as the top ten runners, but the qualifying positions pretty much determined the result. Mathéo started from the pitlane and soon caught up with the pack, fetching up behind Chris. He got past him, but Chris launched a successful counter attack and it took Mathéo the rest of the race to get the place back from Chris. Pal was just in front of both of them and didn’t take too many risks so couldn’t challenge Gilbert, who was just ahead of him. That meant our drivers took the chequered flag in line astern at the end of a very speedy race. Pal was 21^st, Mathéo 22^nd and Chris 23^rd. Chris did a good job and showed that he that he could drive as fast as the others, and also that he could overtake. It was just a pity that all this happened so far back in the pack.

The grid for the second race of the weekend was set by reversing the order of the first eight finishers in the first race, with the rest of the places set according to the finishing order in the first race.

GP3 Series

Race Two (30 Minutes)

Sunday, 27/07/14, 09.25 Uhr, Wetter: Sunny, 23°C

Despite the sunshine, the temperature was not yet as high as it had been on Sunday morning. A massive crowd of spectators had already gathered trackside to watch the race. The first lap was exciting, because everybody knew that after that there would very few opportunities to overtake. Pal was up in 16^th by the end of the first lap and further improved his position to 14^th before he got stuck behind Fontana, who was desperately trying to overtake De Beer. Mathéo was soon 18^th and then moved up several more place. Once he passed Sa Silva he was behind Pal in 15^th, both of them crossing the finish line in this order. Chris made a good start and again was able to achieve his goal of finishing the race having driven the full distance, and to stay close to the driver ahead of him. Today there was no damage to the cars and no penalties for our drivers, and for that we can be positive.

The next race will take place after the summer break in four week’s time at Spa-Francorchamps (B).

Championship standings after 10 out of 18 races:

1^st Alex Lynn (GB), 134 points; 2^nd Richie Stanaway (NZ), 103 points; 3^rd Jimmy Eriksson (SWE), 85 points; 4^th Emil Bernstorff (GB), 85 points; 5^th Marvin Kirchhofer (D), 80 points; 6^th Nick Yelloly (GB), 74 points; 11^th Mathéo Tuscher (CH), 25 points

2014 GP3 Series

For more information:

• www.gp3series.com
• www.italiaracing.net