The 2010 season of the OWRL F1 was going to be the biggest compared to their three previous seasons with the largest grid. Especially on the small tracks the two-part qualifying and the 305km races will be a challenge for the 28 drivers. But the seasons’ first race was on the Aston GP circuit with as much room for all cars as needed. The top 10 of the first qualifying will be driving in the second part with race settings and the amount of fuel they intend to start the race with, so strategy plays a key role here.
The first part however was all about the speed and getting into the top ten. NordicUK Racing driver Jarl Teien set the fastest lap in front of both Redline Racing drivers Pasi Juvani and Quentin Benoît. The important tenth place was held by Peter Hopkins, who drove the same time like ninth Maciej Wójcik. Both were just two hundredth of a second faster than Patrick Kreutz on eleventh and therefore were able to take part in the second qualifying. Loaded with fuel the cars were quite different to handle and therefore a few drivers went off the track, but both SPDO Racing drivers reserved a spot in the first row with the current world champion Adam Wisniewski in second and Mantas Brazinskas on pole position, followed by both Sonicrealms Racing members Sascha Riegler, who hit the wall in his outlap, and Peter Hopkins. Teien, the fastest driver in Q1, didn’t get a proper time and was ninth in front of Lucas Araújo, who had problems with his car setup.
The man on pole position, Brazinskas, also had a problem with his car setup and knew, that his lead won’t last for long, so the plan was nothing but attack to get the lead as big as possible before doing the first pit stop. That may be also the reason why Wisniewski backed down after being next to his teammate before turn one, but that gave Riegler and Hopkins the chance to get into second place and they would not give in until the door was closed. It was closed a few times by Wisniewski before Hopkins had to stay on third while Riegler was being overtaken by Benoît and Teien a few corners later. The first lap was thrilling as always. Araújo moved up to seventh until split one, in the back of the grid Michael Leisterer underestimated the loss of downforce in turn one and spun Matt Maslen and András Szabó tried to brake before the first hairpin on the grass, nearly pushing out his teammate Rob Logtenberg and Dominik Möhrle. On the other hairpin Logtenberg went too late on the brakes and sent Markus Gomel in the gravel, who later is involved in an incident with Matt Maslen that ends his race at the fast left hander before the second split. At the same turn fifth placed Wójcik went wide, lost his car on the curbs and fell back. Lars Ole Storhaug got a piece of him and lost a few places as well. In the final chicane Logtenberg loses his car, as well as Storhaug and Leisterer. Juvani however was fighting back by overtaking Marlon Göese and Tariq Gamil on the outside.
But his joy didn’t last long when he was hit slightly by another car that sent him to an early pit stop in lap two. Brazinskas also had to pit now with a gap of more than five seconds in front of Wisniewski, but he dropped back to 19th. At the front Teien tried to overtake Hopkins for third, but in the heat of the battle Hopkins touched in turn one the grass with his wheel and went into the gravel. Unfortunately he got stuck in there, so he had to retire. Wisniewski in the lead got a light hit by Benoît that handed over the lead to the latter, Teien slipped through also. Wisniewski got then under pressure of Riegler, and when Riegler was in front of him, Riegler lost his car in the last chicane and left Wisniewski without a chance to avoid the tyres. Teien couldn’t keep his position also after running wide in turn one, but he managed to get back on track. Now Kreutz was in second and already ten seconds behind Benoît shortly before the first set of pit stops, but he had to battle with Riegler who came from behind, though Riegler lost his car at the same place where Wójcik and Gomel lost their cars and has to retire as well. Benoît went to the pits as the leader which gave Raptor-Gaming positions one and two for Kreutz and Möhrle, followed by Tariq Gamil, until all three went to the pits as well.
Teien and Wisniewski went to the pits before that and worked their way up again. Brazinskas was following Snogard.Racing driver Holger Arndt until the last chicane where he ended up in the tyre wall and had to do a pit stop. After rejoining the track he received a hit by Logtenberg and went off the track where he got stuck in the gravel. Wisniewski got back to fifth until midrace, but after an incident with Gamil on a straight he has to retire as well. At that time no one of the top four of Q2 was still in the race. Benoît, who started fifth, was still at the front of Kreutz and Göese, who overtook Möhrle, with a comfortable lead. Gamil was fifth, but after his incident with Wisniewski his times dropped significantly.
Kreutz didn’t choose to be the first to pit for a second time, but he had to after avoiding a spinning Matt Maslen next to pit entry, which destroyed all his chances for a win by receiving a Stop & Go penalty. His teammate Möhrle could stay out as long as he planned it and stopped a few laps later than Göese, who also made a mistake shortly before his stop so Möhrle took over easy the second place from the Brazilian. Thanks to the Stop&Go Penalty of Kreutz it was Maciej Wójcik who finished fourth in front of Kreutz, who did benefit of the struggling Gamil. Juvani was seventh until he had to stop again after crashing into the tyres at the last chicane, after that he ended up in tenth to get the last point. Adrian Bakaj came into seventh, but he couldn’t do much against Araújo who came from behind in the final laps, Teien finished exactly where he started on ninth after an eventful race. Benoît finished the race in style by driving the fastest laptime in his final lap instead of taking it easy.
Of course he leads now the Drivers’ Championship, but due to his teammate’s fourth pit stop Redline Racing is trailing Raptor-Gaming in the Teams’ Championship by two points. The next race will be held on 24 April at Kyoto National reversed at 19:30 CEST.
Q1 | Q2 | Race
Standings (Clear your cache if necessary)
Replay Race (members only)
Full screenshots at owrl.de
The first part however was all about the speed and getting into the top ten. NordicUK Racing driver Jarl Teien set the fastest lap in front of both Redline Racing drivers Pasi Juvani and Quentin Benoît. The important tenth place was held by Peter Hopkins, who drove the same time like ninth Maciej Wójcik. Both were just two hundredth of a second faster than Patrick Kreutz on eleventh and therefore were able to take part in the second qualifying. Loaded with fuel the cars were quite different to handle and therefore a few drivers went off the track, but both SPDO Racing drivers reserved a spot in the first row with the current world champion Adam Wisniewski in second and Mantas Brazinskas on pole position, followed by both Sonicrealms Racing members Sascha Riegler, who hit the wall in his outlap, and Peter Hopkins. Teien, the fastest driver in Q1, didn’t get a proper time and was ninth in front of Lucas Araújo, who had problems with his car setup.
The man on pole position, Brazinskas, also had a problem with his car setup and knew, that his lead won’t last for long, so the plan was nothing but attack to get the lead as big as possible before doing the first pit stop. That may be also the reason why Wisniewski backed down after being next to his teammate before turn one, but that gave Riegler and Hopkins the chance to get into second place and they would not give in until the door was closed. It was closed a few times by Wisniewski before Hopkins had to stay on third while Riegler was being overtaken by Benoît and Teien a few corners later. The first lap was thrilling as always. Araújo moved up to seventh until split one, in the back of the grid Michael Leisterer underestimated the loss of downforce in turn one and spun Matt Maslen and András Szabó tried to brake before the first hairpin on the grass, nearly pushing out his teammate Rob Logtenberg and Dominik Möhrle. On the other hairpin Logtenberg went too late on the brakes and sent Markus Gomel in the gravel, who later is involved in an incident with Matt Maslen that ends his race at the fast left hander before the second split. At the same turn fifth placed Wójcik went wide, lost his car on the curbs and fell back. Lars Ole Storhaug got a piece of him and lost a few places as well. In the final chicane Logtenberg loses his car, as well as Storhaug and Leisterer. Juvani however was fighting back by overtaking Marlon Göese and Tariq Gamil on the outside.
But his joy didn’t last long when he was hit slightly by another car that sent him to an early pit stop in lap two. Brazinskas also had to pit now with a gap of more than five seconds in front of Wisniewski, but he dropped back to 19th. At the front Teien tried to overtake Hopkins for third, but in the heat of the battle Hopkins touched in turn one the grass with his wheel and went into the gravel. Unfortunately he got stuck in there, so he had to retire. Wisniewski in the lead got a light hit by Benoît that handed over the lead to the latter, Teien slipped through also. Wisniewski got then under pressure of Riegler, and when Riegler was in front of him, Riegler lost his car in the last chicane and left Wisniewski without a chance to avoid the tyres. Teien couldn’t keep his position also after running wide in turn one, but he managed to get back on track. Now Kreutz was in second and already ten seconds behind Benoît shortly before the first set of pit stops, but he had to battle with Riegler who came from behind, though Riegler lost his car at the same place where Wójcik and Gomel lost their cars and has to retire as well. Benoît went to the pits as the leader which gave Raptor-Gaming positions one and two for Kreutz and Möhrle, followed by Tariq Gamil, until all three went to the pits as well.
Teien and Wisniewski went to the pits before that and worked their way up again. Brazinskas was following Snogard.Racing driver Holger Arndt until the last chicane where he ended up in the tyre wall and had to do a pit stop. After rejoining the track he received a hit by Logtenberg and went off the track where he got stuck in the gravel. Wisniewski got back to fifth until midrace, but after an incident with Gamil on a straight he has to retire as well. At that time no one of the top four of Q2 was still in the race. Benoît, who started fifth, was still at the front of Kreutz and Göese, who overtook Möhrle, with a comfortable lead. Gamil was fifth, but after his incident with Wisniewski his times dropped significantly.
Kreutz didn’t choose to be the first to pit for a second time, but he had to after avoiding a spinning Matt Maslen next to pit entry, which destroyed all his chances for a win by receiving a Stop & Go penalty. His teammate Möhrle could stay out as long as he planned it and stopped a few laps later than Göese, who also made a mistake shortly before his stop so Möhrle took over easy the second place from the Brazilian. Thanks to the Stop&Go Penalty of Kreutz it was Maciej Wójcik who finished fourth in front of Kreutz, who did benefit of the struggling Gamil. Juvani was seventh until he had to stop again after crashing into the tyres at the last chicane, after that he ended up in tenth to get the last point. Adrian Bakaj came into seventh, but he couldn’t do much against Araújo who came from behind in the final laps, Teien finished exactly where he started on ninth after an eventful race. Benoît finished the race in style by driving the fastest laptime in his final lap instead of taking it easy.
Of course he leads now the Drivers’ Championship, but due to his teammate’s fourth pit stop Redline Racing is trailing Raptor-Gaming in the Teams’ Championship by two points. The next race will be held on 24 April at Kyoto National reversed at 19:30 CEST.
Q1 | Q2 | Race
Standings (Clear your cache if necessary)
Replay Race (members only)
Full screenshots at owrl.de