Auto GP - Charouz and Guerrieri scored points in first race at Magny-Cours
(12.07.2010)
Jan Charouz and Esteban Guerrieri got points for the Charouz-Gravity Racing after finishing 5th and 6th in the first AutoGP race at Magny Cours. Adrien Tambay had to retire from the lead on the penultimate lap.The Charouz-Gravity Racing line-up was strengthen by Esteban Guerrieri before the Magny Cours round and it was clear from the first practice that the Argentinian will be a welcomed boost for the Czech-Luxembourg team. Winner of three Formula Renault 3.5 races, which is his priority this season, was seventh in the first practice and was quicker than his two more experienced team-mates in the AutoGP. “The first impressions from the car are positive it is very good racing tool,” said Guerrieri on Friday. “The most impressive is the engine that is really strong and every racing driver likes to play with a lot of horsepower with his right foot. I need to change the setting a bit to use the potential of the car better.”
The best proof that the setup was improved brought the qualifying which was ran in the wet after rain in the morning but the track dried relatively quickly. Guerrieri was just 0,196s behind the winner Romain Grosjean who raced in Formula 1 last year. The Argentinian therefore secured front row position for his debut AutoGP race. Great performance showed also Tambay on his home track. The nineteen years old Frenchman was just 0,156s slower than his team-mate which meant third place on the grid of the first race. Jan Charouz finished 9th and started from the 5th row.
Tambay made a great start and jumped to the lead from the third and also Guerrieri overtook Grosjean and the Charouz-Gravity Racing pair led the field until the mandatory pitstops. Also Charouz improved and was seventh after four laps.
Guerrieri was the first Charouz-Gravity Racing driver in the pits for the mandatory stop. Unfortunately there were problems with the right rear wheel and the Argentinian lost several seconds. Both Charouz and Tambay had trouble free stops.
Tambay was back in the lead after all drivers completed their stops but was under pressure from Grosjean. Charouz moved up to 6th and Guerrieri was down to 7th after troubled stop. All hopes for the second win for the young Frenchman were alive until the penultimate lap. Tambay’s car suddenly slowed and disappointed driver had to retire due to fuel problem.
Charouz got points for 5th place and Guerrieri followed behind. The first race determines grid of the second race in the AutoGP, the first 8 are reversed. The Charouz-Gravity Racing drivers will lockout second row with Guerrieri third and Charouz 4th.
Jan Charouz: “Morning’s qualifying was not ideal. The track was drying slowly and fastest laps were set at the end. I did not put in a perfect lap and my grid position was not best one. I managed to move up to 5th in the race which means not only important points but also a good grid position for tomorrow. I hope to capitalise on it and get another good result and points.”
Esteban Guerrieri: “We were fighting for the pole in the qualifying and we had good pace also in the race. It is pity that we did not have a good stop in the pits where I lost approximately six seconds. If it had not happned I would have fought with Grosean for podium and maybe even a win. Overall I like the AutoGP car, I quickly got used to it and I am happy to be part of such professional team like Charouz-Gravity Racing. I will have a good starting position tomorrow and I will do my best to finish on the podium.”
Adrien Tambay: “I had really good feeling in the qualifiyng and the race because the car was working like it should after our problems at Spa. Unfortunately the car stopped in the penultimate lap and we lost a victory. That is racing. We lost very valuable points in the championship but the most important is that we were again very quick.”
PHOTOGALLERY
For hi-res photo click on the thumb
Photographer: Paolo Pellegrini
Free to media use (please note the mention the name of photographer)
Esteban Guerrieri
Adrien Tambay
Jan Charouz
Esteban Guerrieri
Adrien Tambay
Jan Charouz
2010 AUTO GP SCHEDULE
| 24-25/04 | Brno | (CZE) |
| 22-23/05 | Imola | (ITA) |
| 26-27/06 | Spa-Francorchamps | (BEL) |
| 10-11/07 | Magny-Cours | (FRA) |
| 25-26/09 | Navarra | (ESP) |
| 02-03/10 | Monza | (ITA) |
USEFUL LINKS
| Charouz Racing System | www.racing.charouz.cz |
| Gravity Sport Management | www.gravity-sport.com |
| BPA sport marketing | www.bpa.cz |
| Jan Charouz | www.jan-charouz.com |
| Esteban Guerrieri | www.estebanguerrieri.com |
| Adrien Tambay | www.tambay27.com |
| Auto GP | www.autogp.org |