2001 Round 10 Qualifying report FIA Formula 3000 International Championship

August  18 HUNGARORING more info Hungary Hungaroring Sport Rt. Pf.10., Mogyoród 2146, H Tel : +3628 444 444 Fax : +3628 441 860

FIA F3000 International Championship.
Round 10 (of 12).
Hungaroring, Hungary.
August 17 – 18^th.

WILSON PROVES A POINT

After a three week hiatus the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile Formula 3000 International Championship returned to action at the Hungaroring circuit, located just outside of Budapest, Hungary. At the end of the weekend, Briton Justin Wilson held a 20-point lead over nearest rival Mark Webber, having won his third race of the season. 

QUALIFYING.

Coca-Cola Nordic Racing driver Justin Wilson knew that if he was to keep his championship dream alive, then he needed to be as near to the front of the grid as possible. “I started here from second on the grid last year,” said Wilson, “but that is the dirty side of the circuit and I found myself caught with too much wheel spin. The best place to start here is on pole and that is what I have managed to secure today.” 

Wilson more than secured the pole. In fact, he managed to put it out of everyone else’s reach by a country mile. In the first session he took the pole with a time of 1:28.267, with championship rival and Super Nova Racing driver Mark Webber second. Webber, fresh from an F1 test with the Benetton Formula One team managed to set a time of 1:28.414. However, in the second session, Wilson managed a time of 1:27.695 on his third lap, with 1:28.354 being the best that Webber could manage to hold second. 

“I am not too sure where that lap came from,” explained Wilson, “as it did not feel any different from the others. I just seemed to be in total control of the car throughout the lap and even I am a little surprised by the gap if I am honest with myself.” 

The gap between Wilson and Webber was a huge 0.659s, almost unheard of in this one-make formula. “That was a pretty special lap from Justin today,” said Webber, “and although my car was getting better as the session wore on, there was no real chance of me getting anywhere near it. I am happy with second place as it means that I am on the front of the grid for this race, but I am not too happy about the side of the circuit that I am on as it is the dusty side of the track.” 

Brazilian Ricardo Mauricio claimed third for the Red Bull Junior Team, the same position that he finished last years Hungarian race in. “It is good to be so near the front of the grid for this race,” said Mauricio, “and I am sure that I will be able to finish on the podium in the race tomorrow. My problem is that I have not had a great deal of testing as I came back into the series late. However, I know this circuit well and I will be looking to make the most of this knowledge in the race.” 

Silverstone race winner Sebastien Bourdais was fourth for the French DAMS team with Coca-Cola Nordic Racing driver Tomas Enge fifth.

Enge had been running in 11^th position for most of the second session, yet managed to claw his way back into fifth in the final minutes of the session. “Tomas was in 11^th place,” explained Nordic team boss Derek Mower, “yet with around just ten minutes of the session left, when the circuit was at it’s worst, he managed to move into fifth place and the third row of the grid. Given that he shall be starting on the best side of the circuit, I am confident of a good points finish from Tomas in the race. Who knows? If he can move into second or third then there is every chance that we shall win the team championship title tomorrow.” 

Austrian Patrick Friesacher gave the Red Bull Junior team sixth place, despite a couple of excursions across the gravel during the two sessions. Darren Manning (Arden Team Russia) was seventh with F3000 journeyman Marc Goossens eighth. Belgian Goossens was a very cautious 17^th at the end of the first session, but some clear thinking helped him move into eighth at the end of the day. “At the end of the opening session I was 17^th and Fabrizio Gollin, my teammate, was 10^th,” said Goossens. “I came into the pits and told my team that I was not happy with some things on the car. They told me that Gollin was tenth and that he had said that there was nothing wrong with the car. I stood my ground and made them change some things, although the team felt that I was wrong. Now I am eighth and Gollin is 18^th. I think that says a lot about drivers with experience as opposed to young drivers who cannot give the team proper feedback, which is the reason they wanted me to drive for them in the first place.” 

Fellow Belgian driver David Saelens qualified ninth on his return to F3000 following his accident at the Silverstone race five weeks ago. “It is good to be back in the car and I feel fit and rested,” said the European Minardi driver.