FORMULA RENAULT 2.0
MAIDEN VICTORY FOR IGNAZIO D’AGOSTO-
Ignazio D’Agosto (KTR) claimed his maiden Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 victory today at the Red Bull Ring. The Italian placed ahead of William Vermont (ARTA Engineering) and Ed Jones (Fortec Motorsports). Poleman Alexander Albon (KTR) led for the entire race and crossed the line first, but was stripped of the victory for having earlier jumped the start.
On Friday, Alexander Albon took his first pole position in the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0. The Thai driver was fastest in qualifying at the Red Bull Ring with a time of 1:30.920. William Vermont and Ignazio D’Agosto lined up on the grid in second and third respectively. Pierre Gasly (Tech 1 Racing) started on the fifth row, having been penalised for rejoining the track dangerously at Moscow. Alongside him was championship leader Oliver Rowland (Manor MP Motorsport).
At the start, Alexander Albon held his advantage from pole. In a lively chasing pack, Aurélien Panis (Prema Powerteam) retired on lap one, while Ed Jones passed Oscar Tunjo (Josef Kaufmann Racing). On lap five, Ignazio D’Agosto overtook William Vermont to move up to second. Alexander Albon, meanwhile, received a ten-second penalty for jumping the start of the race. From there, it was effectively a race against the clock for the KTR driver.
Albon pushed hard, but in doing so made a mistake four laps from the end. This prevented him from building a big enough gap to retain the race lead. And although he crossed the line in first place, his team-mate, Ignazio D’Agosto, was awarded the victory. The Italian, who also finished on the podium at Moscow Raceway, was followed by William Vermont and Ed Jones. Jake Dennis (Fortec Motorsports) came fourth after successfully holding off the challenge of Oliver Rowland, who was fifth. It was a similar story for Steijn Schothorst (Josef Kaufmann Racing) and Pierre Gasly, who finished sixth and seventh respectively. Oscar Tunjo, Jack Aitken (Fortec Motorsports) and Alexander Albon completed the top 10.
What they said
Ignazio D’Agosto: “Alex was in front of us and he deserved the victory, but his mistake can’t be undone. I’m very happy with this result, which rewards all the work I’ve done on the track with my team, and with my dad at home. It’s very hard to get to the top in this category. Since Moscow, the car has really improved and we’re competitive. A big thank-you must go to my engineer.”
William Vermont: “I got away to a good start but made a mistake a few laps later, which allowed Ignazio to pass me. My aim was to win, but KTR had great pace.”
Ed Jones: “I really love this circuit. I remember it from winter testing, and its long straights make it one of my favourite tracks. We found a good rhythm yesterday but we struggled a bit in qualifying. In the end, though, we’ve come out of it well.”
Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 – provisional championship standings: 1. O. Rowland 94; 2. P. Gasly 84; 3. E. Ocon 71; 4. J. Dennis 64; 5. M. Vaxivière 57 […]