Eurocup Mégane Trophy
Stefano Comini (Oregon Team) polished up his already impressive statistics in the final race of the Eurocup Megane Trophy season. With 12 pole positions, 12 race wins and the championship safely secured, the Swiss has written his name in the discipline’s record books in a year to remember. Taking second in Sunday’s race was team-mate Niccolo Nalio, as Oregon Team completed another double to underline their supremacy at the end of a championship-winning campaign. Gentleman Drivers’ champion David Dermont (TDS Racing) completed the season’s final podium.
Comini claimed the final pole of 2012 ahead of Bas Schothorst (TDS Racing), Dermont and Oscar Nogues (Oregon Team). And there was to be no repeat of Saturday’s start as the Swiss champion led from the lights, while Jean-Philippe Dayraut (Equipe Verschuur) and Alvaro Barba (Equipe Verschuur) made mischief back in the bunch.
The battle for third was unfolding behind Comini and Schothorst, as Nalio and Nogues went head to head, the Spaniard finding a way past the Italian before the end of the first lap, only for Nalio to respond by moving back into third on lap three.
There was little to choose between the leading nine cars as refuelling approached, with Comini leading from Schothorst, Nalio, Nogues, Dermont, Gregory Guilvert (Team Lompech Sport), Michele Faccin (Boutsen Energy Racing), Toni Forne (Pujolaracing) and Fabien Thuner (Boutsen Energy Racing). Guilvert dropped out of the leading bunch after picking up a drive-through for cutting corners, while an untimely spin saw Thuner out of the reckoning.
Nalio and Faccin were first into the pits, soon to be followed by Comini and Schothorst, while Nogues and Dermont decided to stay out for longer. Comini and Schothorst found Nalio’s pace to hot to handle after emerging from the pits, however, the Italian ducking past both of them on the same turn, though champion Comini responded quickly, regaining his lead just a few turns later.
With all the drivers having made their obligatory stop, it was Comini who led the field from Nalio and Schothorst, with Dermont and Forne completing the top five. Schothorst found way past Nalio with just a few minutes remaining only to run short of fuel, forcing him into the pits for a second time and handing Oregon Team another one-two to round the season off in style.
Stewards' decision : Having received a report from the race director regarding the behaviour of Stefano Comini at the end of the race, the stewards have found that the driver was in breach of parc fermé regulations and caused a major safety risk. After hearing from the driver and the other driver involved, the stewards have decided to disqualify him from the race.
What they said:
Stefano Comini: “I’d like to thank Oregon Team for the hard work they’ve put in. Since Silverstone I’ve been preparing for the test drive that Renault Sport Technologies have offered me with NISMO. I’ll need to be quick and, more than anything else, focused.”
Niccolo Nalio: “It’s been an incredible season. We changed the gearbox this morning so I’m delighted with the result, which is a great reward for the whole team. I finished second overall and the goal now is to try and win the Eurocup Megane Trophy in 2012.”
David Dermont: “The whole season has been fantastic for me. The Gentlemen Drivers’ title is the first of my career and it’s one I’m going to savour. To finish off with a podium placing is just perfect. I’ve loved 2011.”
Official Renault Sport Press Release.