QUAIFE-HOBBS FOURTH AND FIFTH IN HUNGARY

QUAIFE-HOBBS FOURTH AND FIFTH IN HUNGARY 

Rising British single-seater racer Adrian Quaife-Hobbs added to his recent tally of points with a superb fourth and fifth place in the Formula Renault 2.0 Italia Cup. The 17 year-old from Tonbridge competed in the third and fourth rounds of the series at Hungaroring and now lies in fifth place in the series. 

Heading into the event, his first time racing at the Hungaroring track, the BVM Minardi racer was once again instantly on the pace, setting the fourth quickest time in both free practice sessions.  However the BRDC Rising Star, in his first season in Formula Renault, was unable to get the best out of his new tyres in qualifying.  Nevertheless, the teenager was able to post the eighth quickest time in the session. 

“Free practice had gone really well,” said Adrian.  “Then in qualifying the new tyres just didn't work and badly affected the set-up so I had to pit and switch back to the old ones. Without that, I'm confident we could have been on the first couple of rows.” 

Race one was held on Sunday and on a track on which it is notoriously difficult to overtake, Adrian drove a storming opening tour, passing three cars before the completion of the first lap. Running in fifth and on the tail of Genis Olive, Adrian tried several times to pass, but despite posting the races' second fastest lap, had to settle for fifth at the flag. 

“It was a difficult race really as it's almost impossible to overtake here.  Several times I got right up on the back of Olive, but the trouble is when you get too close you end up losing downforce and I had to drop back.  I managed to catch him again, and that was when I posted my fastest lap, and the second quickest in the race.” 

Another superb start in the second race on Sunday again enabled Adrian to move up the order quickly, running in fourth place as the pack entered the first corner.

However an incident brought out the safety car and as the race restarted, Olive, running in fifth overtook Adrian whilst the safety car was still on track, the pair running side-by-side.  “I really had to let him go, we were practically banging wheels and I thought safer to let him go as I was confident I had the pace to catch him again.” 

For several laps Olive played a defensive game, but he was no match for Adrian who pressured him all the way until a superb overtaking manoeuvre, gave him back his fourth place.  Over the remaining laps, Adrian tried valiantly to close down the gap to third placed Niky Sebastiani, posting the overall fastest lap of the race on his way. 

At the flag however, although Adrian had reduced the gap from five seconds to two and half, he had to settle for fourth place. 

“Race two was good, I really had the pace and was able to gradually close the gap down, but they were just too far ahead at the end.  It was a good weekend though and it's another good points haul.” 

The teenager now has two weeks off prior to his next race, the third round of the Formula Renault 2.0 Italia Cup at Brno in the Czech Republic. Adrian's next race in the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 Championship will take place at his only ‘home' round, at Silverstone over the weekend of 6-8 June. 

Results of Race One: 1. Pal Varhaug (Jenzer Motorsport); 2. Cesar Ramos (BVM); 3. Niky Sebastiani (It Loox Racing); 4. Genis Olive (Cram Competition); 5. Adrian Quaife-Hobbs (BVM); 6. Patrick Kronenberger (Facondini Racing) 

Results of Race Two:  1. Pal Varhaug (Jenzer Motorsport); 2. Cesar Ramos (BVM); 3. Niky Sebastiani (It Loox Racing); 4.Adrian Quaife-Hobbs (BVM); 5. Genis Olive (Cram Competition), 6. Daniel Zampieri (BVM) 

Championship positions after four rounds: 1. Varhaug 110; =2. Michele Faccin and Sebastiani 84; 4. Ramos 80; 5. Adrian Quaife-Hobbs 72; =6. Zampieri and Olive 64

Media contact:

Cathy Metcalfe, MPR Associates, Seventeen Rowan Close, Towcester, NN12 6XL Tel: +44 (0)1327 352199 On-event mob: +44 (0) 7802 332398 Email: cathy.metcalfe@btinternet.com

for more info see www.quaifehobbs.com and http://www.italiaracing.net/notizia.asp?id=19083&cat=12