EU 2000: Donington Park race two notes

The perfect weekend for Kobayashi

Two pole positions, both race wins and a fastest race lap: Kamui Kobayashi (Prema Power Team) has had a perfect weekend here at Donington, allowing him to make up most of the ground lost to Michael Ammerm0x00fcller (Jenzer Motorsport) earlier in the season. The German was nevertheless able to limit the damage by taking the third podium spot in this second race. Junior Strous (Mr. Glow Motorsport) once again came home in second.

While Kamui Kobayashi got off to another perfect start, there was plenty of pushing and shoving in the main field in the opening metres. Xavier Maasen (JD Motorsport) took Pippa Mann (Comtec Racing) with him into the pit wall. Then, Benjamin Hanley (Cram Motorsport), who had mistimed his start once again, span his car taking out Michael Aleshin (Lukoil Racing Team) in the process. Yann Clairay (SG Formula) and Atte Mustonen (Koiranen Bros Motorsport) also both ended up in the gravel trap. The safety car obviously had to come out at the end of lap one to allow the race marshals to do the necessary!

After this action-packed opening lap, Kobayashi remained in front ahead of Junior Strous, Alan Hellmeister (JD Motorsport), Filipe Albuquerque (Motopark Oschersleben), Kasper Andersen (Team Formula Sport) and Michael Ammerm0x00fcller. From the restart, Andersen managed to pass Albuquerque, who could see Ammerm0x00fcller looming in his mirrors. Mustonen then made a mistake ending his race prematurely in the gravel trap!

At the front, Kobayashi was building a lead over Junior Strous, who was busy putting himself out of Hellmeister's reach. Ammerm0x00fcller moved up to 4th on lap six. The Eurocup leader then stole third away from Hellmeister!

The safety car had to be called out a second time after a collision which took both Kasper Andersen and Walter Grubm0x00fcller (Team Jenzer) out of the race.

The race then resumed for two more laps. Junior Strous was the next to come under pressure from Michael Ammerm0x00fcller. Alan Hellmeister meanwhile made a mistake which cost him dear, allowing Albuquerque to move back up to fourth. Junior Strous however managed to hold on to second to the chequered flag.

This completed a perfect race for Kamui Kobayashi who took both the win and the fastest lap.

Kamui Kobayashi: "It's been another fantastic race for me. The car was perfect and I was good from all three starts. Even if I've pulled back plenty of points on Ammerm0x00fcller this weekend, I'm not really thinking of the overall standings. I take things race by race and try and do as best as I possibly can. It'd be great if I could take the title but it's no longer really my objective."

Junior Strous: "We had a difficult day yesterday but things have improved since we changed the engine. It's good to get a podium finish to mark the start of our cooperation with AR Motorsport."

Michael Ammerm0x00fcller: 0xb267m happy to be back on the podium again today. Yesterday I didn't really understand what Yann Clairay was trying to do when he ran into me. These points enable me to maintain a good lead in the overall standings."

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