Esteban Guerrieri still believes…
Decidedly, Esteban Guerrieri (ISR) has not said his final word this season! After winning pole position, the Argentinean dominated race 2 in Formula Renault 3.5 Series and took his fourth win of the season. Second to cross the finish line, Daniel Zampieri was disqualified from the race after scrutineering found the car to be below minimum weight. Stefano Coletti (Comtec Racing) therefore inherits second place and Nathanaël Berthon third. Fourth placed Mikhail Aleshin (Carlin) takes a precious few points back off Daniel Ricciardo (Tech 1 Racing), who could only finish 11th today, after picking up a drive-through penalty.
At Hockenheim this morning, after a close-run qualifying session disrupted by the red flag during the final rush, Esteban Guerrieri earned himself his second pole position of the season, ahead of Daniel Zampieri and Stefano Coletti. Mikhail Aleshin and Daniel Ricciardo got the raw end of the deal, only qualifying 7th and 10th respectively.
Daniel Zampieri took advantage of Esteban Guerrieri's slight hesitancy at the start to lead into turn one. But a few turns later, Esteban Guerrieri was back in front, completing the first lap in the lead, ahead of Daniel Zampieri, Stefano Coletti, Mikhail Aleshin and Daniel Ricciardo, both the latter two kicking off with a perfect first lap. The two men took full advantage of a mix-up between Greg Mansell (Comtec Racing), Jan Charouz (P1 Motorsport) and Albert Costa (Epsilon Euskadi) during an action-packed first lap.
Esteban Guerrieri gradually pulled away from the first chasing group with Daniel Zampieri, Stefano Coletti, Mikhail Aleshin, Daniel Ricciardo and Nathanael Berthon (International Draco Racing). In seventh position, Jean-Eric Vergne led the second pack. The pecking order remained the same until the time came for a wave of stops for the compulsory tyre change. Nathanaël Berthon was first of the leaders to pit. The others waited a few more laps. Daniel Ricciardo was the one to lose out, given a drive-through penalty for speeding in the pits.
Esteban Guerrieri emerged from the spate of pit stops still in the lead. The Argentinian by now had a lead of more than six seconds over Daniel Zampieri. The Italian was shadowed by Stefano Coletti and Nathanael Berthon, whose offset strategy had paid off. Mikhail Aleshin lay 5th and had to fight to contain Jean-Eric Vergne, in 6th. Meanwhile Daniel Ricciardo was out of the points, back in 12th.
For the fourth time this season, Esteban Guerrieri crossed the finish line victorious. Mathematically, the Argentinean driver can still hope to be crowned champion, even without having raced in Monaco or Budapest. Second-over-the-line Daniel Zampieri was disqualified from the race following scrutineering, for non-compliance with the minimum permitted weight, handing Stefano Coletti second place on a platter and while Nathanaël Berthon moves up to third.
Mikhail Aleshin, in the end ranked 4th, earns himself a little more of an air gap in the overall Championship rankings, with Daniel Ricciardo failing to score this time. Four races remain this season however, and only ten points separate the Russian leader from the Australian.
Official Renault Sport Press Release