Motorsports Mondial

Robin Rules Ricard

 

  Photo. World Series by Renault

Winway. The Frijns Way. On a track where Ronnie Peterson scored his first Grand Prix win, Robin Frijns flew to success in the 2011 Formula Renault Euro Cup Championship.

Frijns wraps up Formula Renault Euro Cup Championship. Second come-from-behind success two years in a row for the Flying Dutchman and German team Josef Kaufmann Racing.

Robin Frijns. The Man from Maastricht is Man of the Moment. On Sunday at Paul Ricard, where the long straight is kissed by the Mediterranean Mistral winds, the 20-year old Dutch driver won the 2011 Formula Renault Euro Cup Championship in style; soaking up intense pressure from season-long arch rival, Carlos Sainz Jr, and his Red Bull supported Russian teammate Daniel Kvyat.

Frijns’ fifth win of the season assured the title before the season finale in Barcelona. The EU 500k first prize will bag a season of Formula Renault 3.5 -aka World Series by Renault – next season.

Lars Kaufmann, the ever-smiling team manager at Kaufmann Racing, has been impressed by his young Dutch charge ever since his first year in single-seater racing, claiming Frijns has “amazing race craft.” 

Frijns was Rookie of the Year in the 2009 Formula BMW Europe, and scored an impressive last lap victory at Silverstone to record his first motor racing victory.

In the same championship last year Frijns was taken out on the opening lap of the season opener in Barcelona; victory went to English driver Jack Harvey. Thus began an all-season long relentless pursuit by Frijns which culminated in him clinching the title at the season finale in Monza.

The story this season was all too familiar to Frijns. After the withdrawal of BMW from Formula 1 led to the demise of their junior series, the young driver decided to stay with the Kaufmann Klan as they planned to re-enter Formula Renault championship against several well established and successful teams.

Photo. World Series by Renault

Success in the stampede. Champion Robin Frijns with Red Bull drivers. On his right is Carlos Sainz Jr, son of World Rally and Dakar champion and, on his left, is Rome-based rising Russian star from Ufa, Daniel Kvyat. Herr Michael Bechel from the winning team, Josef Kaufmann Racing, joins the celebration at Paul Ricard.

Frijns said on World Series by Renault website, “I really wasn’t expecting to win the title this year. This is my team’s first year in the series and the level is very high, especially among the Red Bull Junior Team drivers.

“I struggled a little at the start of the year, but we really got it together from Hungary onwards.”

Getting it together and moving onwards has become a Frijns style of racing. It will not be long before this talented driver is knocking on the doors of Formula 1. The Dutch have much love for motorsports and, hopefully, in the near future they will celebrate success at the top level.

Robin Frijns will be putting it together.

 — Nasir Hameed

    Greetz and racing regards.