Comini takes the win, Catsburg takes the lead
At Hockenheim today, Stefano Comini (Oregon Team) claimed his second race win of the season in Eurocup Mégane Trophy. By finishing second, Nick Catsburg (TDS Racing) takes the lead in the overall standings and will go to Silverstone in two weeks time two points ahead of his teammate, Pierre Thiriet (TDS Racing).
On Sunday morning, at the very end of the qualifying session, Stefano Comini picked up his third pole position of the season in the Eurocup Mégane Trophy.
So it was the Swiss driver on the front row, ahead of Nick Catsburg, Pierre Thiriet and Niccolo Nalio (Oregon Team).
Nick Catsburg got off to a flying start, taking command of the race ahead of Stefano Comini, Pierre Thiriet, Niccolo Nalio and Renaud Derlot (Boutsen Energy Racing). But Stefano Comini had no intention of allowing Nick Catsburg to speed comfortably on to another win. On the second lap, the Oregon Team driver launched a fiercely effective attack and went first.
Comini, Catsburg and Thiriet pulled away irretrievably, while Renaud Derlot attempted to get the better of Niccolo Nalio. The French driver was looking for an opening, but the Italian was having none of it. There was slight contact between the two Mégane Trophy on several occasions. Meanwhile there was an exciting contest raging between Stefano Comini and TDS Racing drivers, Nick Catsburg and Pierre Thiriet.
Just before the pit stops, the situation got even more tense for Niccolo Nalio because now there were four drivers chasing his fourth place: Renaud Derlot, Dimitri Enjalbert (Boutsen Energy Racing), Hoevort Vos (McGregor by Equipe Verschuur) and Bas Schothorst (McGregor by Equipe Verschuur). Renaud Derlot was first to pit.
The drivers filed into the pits one after the other, except Nalio Niccolo, who span out and dropped way down the rankings. After the pit stops, Stefano Comini still led the race ahead of Pierre Thiriet, Nick Catsburg, Renaud Derlot and Bas Schothorst. Comini’s lead was slender, but Thiriet, Catsburg, Derlot and Schothorst were all wheel to wheel.
On lap 17, after several attempts, Nick Catsburg managed to find the opening and move up to second place. One lap later Renaud Derlot followed suit. With Comini still leading, Catsburg was second ahead of Renaud Derlot. Pierre Thiriet was in fourth, followed by Bas Schothorst and Hoevert Vos, first of the Gentlemen Drivers.
At the end of a thrilling race, Stefano Comini claimed his second win of the season after his victory at Brno in June. In second place, Nick Catsburg stakes a provisional claim to the Eurocup Mégane Trophy title, though just two points better than Pierre Thiriet, 4th on the day, behind Renaud Derlot, in 3rd place on the podium.
Stefano Comini: "Over the last few races, we’ve not had a lot of success and I’ve made a few mistakes. So this win will do us a world of good. I don’t have much hope in the overall standings, my only goal is to win more races before the end of the season."
Official Renault Sport Press Release