Eurocup Mégane Trophy
After failing to win from pole yesterday, Mirko Bortolotti (Oregon Team) got back to winning ways in the weekend’s second Eurocup Megane Trophy race at Spa-Francorchamps. Making a superb getaway when the lights went out, the championship leader scored his third win of the season, with Mike Verschuur (McGregor by Equipe Verschuur) taking second and Max Braams (Las Moras by Equipe Veschuur) third.
For the first time this season Mirko Bortolotti did not start on pole, that honour going to his team-mate Kevin Gilardoni, who posted the best of the second-fastest laps in yesterday’s qualifying session. Taking their places behind him on the grid were Kelvin Snoeks (Oregon Team), Erik Janis, Mirko Bortolotti and Mike Verschuur.
Kevin Gilardoni made a clean start to the race, while Mirko Bortolotti jumped up two places at the expense of Kelvin Snoeks and Erik Janis, with Mike Verschuur holding on to P5. Then at the chicane Mirko Bortolotti outbraked his stablemate to dive into the lead.
As the front five pulled away, Mike Verschuur heaped the pressure on Erik Janis. To their rear Steven Palette (Team Lompech Sport) had an entertaining joust with Max Braams (Las Moras by Equipe Verschuur) and Vladimir Lunkin (Oregon Team). Jean-Charles Miginiac (Team Lompech Sport) was the first of the drivers to refuel on lap six, and though pit strategies varied, the race positions stayed the same through to the closing stages, with Kelvin Snoeks puncturing on lap 12 and Kevin Gilardoni suffering the same fate three laps later.
Mirko Bortolotti was untroubled up front, however, and took the flag from Erik Janis, who was later disqualified for having less than three litres of fuel in his tank, and Mike Verschuur.
Following them in were Max Braams (Las Moras by Equipe Verschuur), Vladimir Lunkin (Oregon Team) and Jeroen Schothorst (McGregor by Equipe Verschuur), victorious in the Gentlemen’s Trophy again. Kelvin Snoeks came home sixth and was joined in the points by Kevin Gilardoni, Marguerite Laffite (Oregon Team) Jean-Charles Miginiac and Enrico Bettera.
What they said
Mirko Bortolotti: “I’m delighted. It felt like a win to finish fourth yesterday after the problems I had, and winning today from the second row feels even better. I had my sights set on the podium but my pace was really good. It’s a great result in terms of the championship.”
Erik Janis: “Second place is one better than I managed yesterday. The team’s progressing and I hope I can make the most of it. If we can keep on improving, we’ll be in with a chance of a win in Moscow.”
Mike Verschuur: “It was a difficult race. I tried to shake off Erik by refuelling earlier but there was quite a bit of traffic when I came out of the pits. I was last in yesterday and that startegy worked, but coming in first today wasn’t enough to get the win.”
Eurocup Megane Trophy standings (provisional): 1. M. Bortolotti 87; 2. M. Verschuur 53; 3. M. Braams 47; 4. K. Gilardoni 42; 5 K. Snoeks 41
Official Renault Sport Press Release.