Catsburg makes a break for it
With his fifth Eurocup Mégane Trophy win of the year, TDS Racing’s Nick Catsburg gave himself some breathing space in the championship points in the run-up to the season’s grand finale at Barcelona. Oregon Team’s Stefano Comini finished second, but it was only on the last lap that the name of the third place driver was decided. In a pitched battle between no fewer than five drivers, it was Boutsen Energy Racing’s Dimitri Enjalbert, whose tenacity finally paid off. However, after the race, the Frenchman was awarded a 25-second penalty for pushing Hoevert Vos at the start of the race. Renaut Derlot therefore inherited his third place.
Nick Catsburg drove the perfect qualifying session, with one lap to warm up his tires, one to get the measure of the track, and one lap to set his time; the result, a ninth pole position of the season for the flying Dutchman.
The start of the race was no less perfect for the TDS Racing team, with Catsburg making the most of it to take control of the race ahead of teammate Pierre Thiriet. The Frenchman nevertheless had to contend with Stefano Comini who had taken it upon himself to make life difficult for the two stable-mates. In the pack, the action was intense, and McGregor by Equipe Verschuur’s Hoevort Vos’ race ended was to end in a tire wall after he made contact with Dimitri Enjalbert.
Stefano Comini lost no time in attacking Pierre Thiriet. Safely installed in second, the Swiss driver began to pile the pressure on Nick Catsburg. Pierre Thiriet, having lost his place to Comini, then succumbed to the advances of Oregon Team’s Niccolo Nalio, the Italian forcing his way into third ahead of Thiriet, Enjalbert and McGregor by Equipe Verschuur’s Bas Schothorst. Starting in last place, Boutsen Energy Racing’s Renaud Derlot staged an impressive fightback, catching up with the leaders before the first refueling stops, to hold seventh place.
In the countdown to the mandatory refuelling, Catsburg held a solid lead, while Comini, Nalio, Thiriet, Schothorst, Enjalbert and Derlot were busy fighting tooth and nail for third place.
After the round of pitstops was completed, the situation became clearer, with Nick Catsburg a good 13 seconds ahead of Stefano Comini, and Niccolo Nalio still in third with Renaud Derlot hard on his heels having got the better of Dimitri Enjalbert and Bas Schothorst.
If the first two places on the podium were as good as settled, the fight for third saw no quarter asked nor given. Enjalbert muscled his way into fourth place ahead of Derlot. Although the racing up until now had been nothing short of exciting, it was as nothing compared to the final lap, as Niccolo Nalio, Dimitri Enjalbert, Bas Schothorst and Pierre Thiriet fought their way through each and every turn, the five drivers overtaking each other time and again. In the end the third place on the podium was claimed by Dimitri Enjalbert, with Renaud Derlot, Bas Schothorst, Pierre Thiriet and Niccolo Nalio, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh respectively.
Quote:
Nick Catsburg: “This is a major result, because I’ve finished the weekend with a 11-point lead Pierre Thiriet. I kept pushing from start to finish and everything worked out perfectly. I can’t wait to get to Barcelona.”
Official Renault Sport Press Release