Team title goes to TDS Racing
Though Stefano Comini (Oregon Team) took his third victory of the season here in Silverstone today, it was TDS Racing who were doing the real celebrating as they take the Eurocup Mégane Trophy 2010 Teams title, thanks to Nick Catsburg and Pierre Thiriet finishing in second and third respectively. Just four points now separate the Dutchman and the Frenchman in the Drivers’ standings, but they are now free to do open battle for the title.
After having already proved untouchable in qualifying yesterday, Nick Catsburg (TDS Racing) confirmed his fine form today by taking his eighth pole position of the season. The Dutchman lined up on the grid ahead of Stefano Comini and Bas Schothorst (McGregor by Equipe Verschuur). Pierre Thiriet meanwhile started from back in sixth.
From the start, Nick Catsburg got the better of Stefano Comini, Bas Schothorst, Dimitri Enjalbert (Boutsen Energy Racing) and Renaud Derlot (Boutsen Energy Racing), but the safety car was soon called out as the result of an impressive crash involving Caroline Grifnée (Boutsen Energy Racing). The young Belgian woman fortunately escaped unharmed but her car was completely destroyed.
The race was then suspended for quite some time to clear all the debris from the track. Most drivers took the opportunity to do their mandatory fuel stop while the safety car was out. When the safety car peeled off, the drivers who had not yet come into the pits found themselves at the front. At this stage, Bas Schothorst was leading ahead of Hoevert Vos (McGregor by Equipe Verschuur), Wim Beelen (Equipe Verschuur), Steven Gijsen (Equipe Verschuur) and Angelo Baiguera (Brixia Autosport). Stefano Comini took advantage of these first laps of real racing to get the better of Nick Catsburg. The battle for the virtual lead was now between those two drivers, with all the others still to come into the pits.
Once all the drivers had made their stops, Stefano Comini, as expected, took over the lead ahead of Nick Catsburg, Pierre Thiriet and Renaud Derlot. Right to the end, Nick Catsburg tried to find a way past Stefano Comini, but the Italian kept the door resolutely closed to hold on for his third win of the season.
Nick Catsburg had however done enough to achieve his main objective. Not only did he manage to finish ahead of his main challenger for the Drivers’ title, Pierre Thiriet, but by finishing second and third respectively, the TDS Racing drivers made sure that Xavier Combet’s team secured the Teams title. Nick Catsburg and Pierre Thiriet are now free to contest the Drivers’ title at their leisure. Meanwhile, Raymond Coronel (McG Fashion by Verschuur) took the win in the Gentlemen Drivers category ahead of Jean-Philippe Madonia (TDS Racing). The Dutchman thus claws a few points back on his French rival.
Quote:
Stefano Comini: “I keep on having the same problem at the start, even though it used to be one of my strong points. This is my first season and I’m having trouble getting away from start cleanly when the lights go out. After the safety car went back in, I managed to pass Nick Catsburg. We had exactly the same strategy and we both went into the pits at the same time. After that, he was quicker than me, but I managed to hold onto my lead.”
Official Renault Sport Press Release