Catsburg closing fast on Thiriet
At the end of a race with as many twist and turns as the Hungaroring circuit, TDS Racing’s Nick Catsburg claimed his third win of the season over teammates Jean-Philippe Madonia and Pierre Thiriet. By taking third place, Thiriet manages to hold on to his championship lead in the Eurocup Mégane Trophy by just three points.
Relegated from third to fourth place by a ten second penalty received in the first race for a collision with a competitor, Nick Catsburg made good this morning’s in qualifying by claiming his sixth pole of the season, ahead of Oregon Team’s Stefano Comini and Niccolo Nalio. Initially third, the Eurocup Mégane Trophy championship leader, TDS Racing’s Pierre Thiriet found himself at the back of the grid for failing to respect the rules of the parc fermé.
Nick Catsburg got a perfect start, but Stefano Comini kept pace with him, having decided not to let him get away that easily. The Swiss driver also managed to get the better of TDS Racing’s Nick Catsburg, Oregon Racing’s Niccolo Nalio, and Boutsen Energy Racing’s Dimitri Enjalbert, McGregor by Equipe Verschuur’s Hoevert Vos, and Boutsen Energy Racing’s Jean-Philippe Madonia and Fabien Thuner.
The positions of the Oregon Team drivers were soon lost as Catsburg attacked Comini, while Dimitri Enjalbert searched for the opening he needed to get past Niccolo Nalio. Hoevert Vos and Jean-Philippe Madonia kept a weather eye on proceedings, waiting to take advantage of the slightest error by the leaders. It wasn’t until the start of the mandatory pitstops that things began to move. Catsburg, Enjalbert and Vos were the first of the front-runners to refuel, the rest of the pack biding their time.
Even though he pitted later than Nick Catsburg, Stefano Comini rejoined the track ahead of the Netherlander. The ding-dong battle between the two men would last several laps, making for some truly vintage racing. Behind them, Philippe Madonia kept up admirably while Niccolo Nalio, Dimitri Enjalbert and Pierre Thiriet fought for 4th place. Finally Thiriet was able to unseat Nalio and Enjalbert, before getting stuck into the lead trio of Comini, Catsburg, Madonia.
Patience, as always, paid dividends. Nick Catsburg, having lain in wait for a full six laps, took advantage of an error by Stefano Comini to snatch the lead. Victim of a puncture, the Swiss driver limped back to the pits. Catsburg was now race leader, ahead of Jean-Philippe Madonia. Niccolo Nalio fought hard for the honor of the Oregon Team, overtaking Pierre Thiriet, to claim third place. But Thiriet wasn’t giving up without a fight and took back his position from the Frenchman to hold onto his championship lead in the Eurocup Mégane Trophy with just three points advantage Nick Catsburg.
Quote, unquote:
Nick Catsburg: “It was an unbelievably tight race. Yesterday I missed out on the podium; I’m still not sure why, so today’s win is very important. Comini was ahead of me, and I thought it would be easy to get past him during the pitstops. It turned out to be anything but! Pierre’s having a great season, and even starting from last place today he put on an incredible show. We both have a lot of racing left to do.”
Jean-Philippe Madonia: “I spent the entire race with Nick Catsburg. He did an amazing job to win; he really earned it. I just held in there today, hoping that things would change to my advantage. It paid off!”
Pierre Thiriet: “Starting from last place it was an amazing result. In the last lap I could tell that Nicolo Nalio thought it was all over, but he made an error in the last turn and I took third place. It means I’m still championship leader. I can breath easy during the summer break.”
Relegated from third to fourth place by a ten second penalty received in the first race for a collision with a competitor, Nick Catsburg made good this morning’s in qualifying by claiming his sixth pole of the season, ahead of Oregon Team’s Stefano Comini and Niccolo Nalio. Initially third, the Eurocup Mégane Trophy championship leader, TDS Racing’s Pierre Thiriet found himself at the back of the grid for failing to respect the rules of the parc fermé.
Nick Catsburg got a perfect start, but Stefano Comini kept pace with him, having decided not to let him get away that easily. The Swiss driver also managed to get the better of TDS Racing’s Nick Catsburg, Oregon Racing’s Niccolo Nalio, and Boutsen Energy Racing’s Dimitri Enjalbert, McGregor by Equipe Verschuur’s Hoevert Vos, and Boutsen Energy Racing’s Jean-Philippe Madonia and Fabien Thuner.
The positions of the Oregon Team drivers were soon lost as Catsburg attacked Comini, while Dimitri Enjalbert searched for the opening he needed to get past Niccolo Nalio. Hoevert Vos and Jean-Philippe Madonia kept a weather eye on proceedings, waiting to take advantage of the slightest error by the leaders. It wasn’t until the start of the mandatory pitstops that things began to move. Catsburg, Enjalbert and Vos were the first of the front-runners to refuel, the rest of the pack biding their time.
Even though he pitted later than Nick Catsburg, Stefano Comini rejoined the track ahead of the Netherlander. The ding-dong battle between the two men would last several laps, making for some truly vintage racing. Behind them, Philippe Madonia kept up admirably while Niccolo Nalio, Dimitri Enjalbert and Pierre Thiriet fought for 4th place. Finally Thiriet was able to unseat Nalio and Enjalbert, before getting stuck into the lead trio of Comini, Catsburg, Madonia.
Patience, as always, paid dividends. Nick Catsburg, having lain in wait for a full six laps, took advantage of an error by Stefano Comini to snatch the lead. Victim of a puncture, the Swiss driver limped back to the pits. Catsburg was now race leader, ahead of Jean-Philippe Madonia. Niccolo Nalio fought hard for the honor of the Oregon Team, overtaking Pierre Thiriet, to claim third place. But Thiriet wasn’t giving up without a fight and took back his position from the Frenchman to hold onto his championship lead in the Eurocup Mégane Trophy with just three points advantage Nick Catsburg.
Nick Catsburg: “It was an unbelievably tight race. Yesterday I missed out on the podium; I’m still not sure why, so today’s win is very important. Comini was ahead of me, and I thought it would be easy to get past him during the pitstops. It turned out to be anything but! Pierre’s having a great season, and even starting from last place today he put on an incredible show. We both have a lot of racing left to do.”
Official Renault Sport Press Release