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PSM
Racingline continued to gain valuable experience in the third round of the 2002
International Formula 3000 Championship. Nicolas
Kiesa completed 21 laps of 32 before retiring with gearbox failure and Tony
Schmidt bought his car home in thirteenth position having struggled with a
handling problem for the second half of the race.
QUALIFYING
Nicolas
enjoyed a trouble free qualifying and was looking very strong for a top ten grid
position, holding down 11th position
for most of the second session. Unfortunately his last run on new tyres did not
gain any time for him and he dropped to 14th
for the qualifying.
Tony
was not so fortunate here in Barcelona, suffering a broken exhaust in the first
session and never being able to string a clear lap together due to traffic. He
did start the race from 19th position..
RACE
From
the start Tony made a clean get away and lapped with a pack of cars enjoying a
few moments where he looked strong to gain a number of places on the road. Then
his car developed a handling problem which ended into terminal under steer and
he could not challenge for position. My
start was very good and I was enjoying the first laps very much, then the car
just began to under steer more and more and I could only go at a certain pace.
But I am very pleased to have gained the experience of completing another race
distance and I am looking forward to Austria in two weeks as this is a circuit I
know well and enjoy. : Tony Schmidt
Nicolas
also made a good start and was in the thick of the action before loosing fourth
gear, but once he had learned to drive the car without it – he continued to
challenge for position and set some very competitive times.
I
had a god start and was right on it, then I lost a position when fourth gear
failed and had to drive around this which was OK but then when I lost two more
gears it was all over : Nicolas Kiesa.
Although
our grid positions where not the best and we had handling problems with Tony and
mechanical with Nicolas in the race, I am very pleased with both drivers, they
are gaining experience and there times are very good at this stage of a Formula
3000 career and for sure as our experience grows in Formula 3000 we will get the
best from the team and them in the
qualifying sessions and the races. Overall I am
happy with our progress, but for sure we will improve more :
Siegfried Mueller Team Principal.