FRENCH F4 CHAMPIONSHIP - VAL DE VIENNE - PRESENTATION

17/06 - Turnover of leaders – but very close to each other

Matthieu Vaxivière © DPPI

After a stopover in Pau for the 70th edition of the Grand Prix where Matthieu Vaxivière signed a wonderful double victory, the competitors of the F4 French Championship will be joining the GT Tour at Val de Vienne, stage that will be synonym of mid-season. Already three events competed and as many leaders to have followed one another. Andréa Pizzitola, victorious of the second race in Lédenon, Pierre Sancinéna, author of a double victory in Nogaro and finally, Matthieu Vaxivière, king of the day in the streets of Pau (33 points pocketed out of 34). Will he remain at the head of the championship after this event? The other drivers have definitely decided that this was not going to be the case…

A few days before, the academicians discovered the Val de Vienne track during a test day set up by JYP Racing FF, the only structure authorized to organise test days outside of those scheduled for the 2011 F4 French Championship (only the Belgian Kévin Balthazar and the British Josh Fielding were absent). The layout of this track is very useful for the young trainee drivers as it is both fast and technical. It has several fast straight lines with corners that follow relatively quickly.

After having pocketed a podium in Lédenon and then a second during race 2 in Nogaro, Matthieu Vaxivière was inflexible in the streets of Pau. He won both races, pinching the leadership away from Pierre Sancinéna, now 2nd of the classification and only seven points away from him and a 4th podium in Pau. For this coming event, Matthieu Vaxivière will be presenting himself with a big advantage: that of his present position and also because he is the only driver, with Andréa Pizzitola, to have not yet used his two jokers (withdrawal of their two less good results at the end of the season). We can be certain that he will be doing all his possible to dig the difference as much as possible in the general classification. The three young drivers will be flinging themselves into a battle for power and many others will want to join. Twenty units away from the trio, the equally placed Alexandre Mantovani and Cyril Raymond are our best bet. The first was able to get out while the going was good in Pau in order to maintain his position. All he needs to do now is pocket a first victory in the discipline. As far as the second is concerned, he was able to step back onto the podium in Pau. 2nd at the end of the first race, he was able to climb a rank in the classification and hopes to continue his rise.

After two Top Fives in Pau, the Finn Patrick Kujala confirmed we could rely on him to defend the foreign delegation and as he comes closer to the podium each time, he could possibly make it there sooner or later. Aurélien Panis has already succeeded as he climbed onto the 3rd step of the podium at the end of the last race in Pau. Panis, father and son, obviously appreciate urban tracks… It is certain he will want to confirm in Val de Vienne. Even more so that only one point away from him, Tristan Papavoine is watching very closely. After a rather difficult beginning, Tristan is now collecting Top Tens. He will have to strike hard to make a real difference, especially face to the five drivers behind him who are only a maximum of 5 units away from him.

Equal in points with the Andorran Alex Loan Ventura (three sixth places in six races), the Spaniard Victor Colomé lost a lot in the streets of Pau in spite of his fighting spirit (best foreign driver during free and qualifying sessions). The same goes for his compatriot, Francisco-Javier Suárez who passes from 8th to 13th place, four points away from the equally placed Jordan Perroy and Pierre Gasly. Jordan has always been able to leave the circuits with a few points in his pocket but needs to gain big points as from now on. He has the potential and must become more forceful. The former driver of the French FFSA Go-kart Team comes from far. After having left Lédenon with no points and Nogaro with only two, he was able to give a good performance in Pau during qualifying before finally stepping onto the 3rd step of the podium at the end of the first race.

For the Belgian Kévin Balthazar, equal in points with the Indian Parth Ghorpade who opened his counter of points in Pau with no less than 6, but also the English driver Josh Fielding and the Polish Tomasz Krzeminski, the main aim is to go over the ten points in the classification. Concerning the feminine Marie Baus-Coppens, Paul Petit and the German Alexander Boquoi, they will have at heart to open their counter of points as soon as possible.

After the event in Pau, the Cardiac Surgery Association will be bearing its colours on the single-seaters of the training centre who has decided to put a charity in the highlights whenever possible.

Friday 24th June: collective tests at 1.30 pm >>> Saturday 25th June: qualifying session at 9.00 am and race 1 at 2.55 pm >>> Sunday 26th June: race 2 at 11.40 am >>> Races to be followed on live (live timing and videos) on www.gt-tour.fr ; videos available 48h later on www.ffsa.tv