F4 EUROCUP 1.6 - MAGNY-COURS - PRESENTATION

11/06 - On French grounds

Stoffel Vandoorne © DPPI

Magny-Cours is the only French stage of the World Series by Renault calendar and most of Auto Sport Academy’s drivers are eager to start this event, each one of them secretly wanting to win as many of their fans and supporters will be present. Also, it would be time to contest the Belgian supremacy that Stoffel Vandoorne holds on the F4 Eurocup 1.6 and has definitely begun an exceptional season. With four podiums – out of which three victories – three pole positions and two best laps in four races, he is well ahead with 18 points advance.

This weekend, there will not be 20 but 21 drivers as Cécilia Asquini, a third girl, will be present. Winner of the ‘Défi Kart Jeunes’ set up by the FFSA, Cécilia Asquini won a test day at Auto Sport Academy. A promising event… but nothing outcomes competition and she has therefore decided to measure herself to the F4 Eurocup 1.6 group. After a few supplementary training days, she is ready to seize her chance.

Since the second race at Motorland in Spain, Stoffel Vandoorne has never stepped down from the highest step of the podium. On his grounds, at Spa-Francorchamps, he was master of the weekend. He definitely intends to reiterate at Magny-Cours. Face to him, competition is organising itself with at its head: Paul Lanchere. Even if he has not yet tasted victory, he has monopolised all the podiums which allowed him to make the best out of Norman Nato, 3rd in the provisional classification and very first winner of the F4 Eurocup 1.6.

Jean-Baptiste Lahaye is in 4th position and since the beginning of the season, the Limousin Regional Committee driver has never stopped surprising. With only three training days since the beginning of the year due to his late inscription to the Championship, he is showing to be very efficient. Whether in qualifying or in race, he has always been in the Top 8 and is now only four units away from the provisional podium. Doubled points for Franck Matelli who, after his pole position at the first stage in Spain, has finally signed a good result - a 2nd place with also the best lap in race during the last event competed in Spa. Seven points away from him, Pierre Sancinéna has not yet fulfilled the hopes placed on him in spite of two pocketed Top Fives. A podium would be a first step and he sincerely hopes to climb on one, if not two, this weekend. Behind him, Paul-Loup Chatin, Mathieu Jaminet and Alexandre Mantovani are equal with 13 points. Which one of them will outcome the other this weekend?

Author of a nice 4th place in the first race in Spa, Sébastien Le Bras is three points behind them… maybe he will be the one who will change the deal! At the end of the Belgian stage, Alexandre Jouannem-Sivan opened his counter of points and entered into 11th position in front of Tristan Papavoine and Nicolas De Moura. These three drivers are held within a pocket of points and each one of them hopes to gain more. In particular the latter who will have at heart to shine during the weekend in front of the Grégory Lemarchal Association against cystic fibrosis. As a fact, he supports this association and on the occasion of this French stage, he wanted to invite them so that they can inform the public on their actions, the illness itself and also help them raise funds. Spectators will be able to find a booth of the association in the Renault Sport Village.

In spite of a certain progress, the two girls of this years’ promotion: Marie Baus-Coppens and the Italian Giada De Zen, member of the Draco Drivers Development, have not yet made the difference but intend to pocket their first points as soon as they arrive in Magny-Cours. An objective that their colleagues also aim for: Alexandre Anezo, Maxime Bourcet, the Moroccan Hamza El Fatouaki, Maxime Raphoz and Valentin Simonet.

SCHEDULE
Friday 18th June
Collective Tests at 12.25pm & 5.20pm
Saturday 19th June
Qualifying session at 11.55am
Race 1 at 6.05pm
Sunday 20th June
Race 2 at 10.50am

> Live-timing