EU 2000: Estoril qualifying notes

Kobayashi and Clairay on pole

Rivals in the fight for second place in the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0, Kamui Kobayashi (Prema Power Team) and Yann Clairay (SG Formula) each finished qualifying with one pole position. Michael Ammerm0x00fcller (Jenzer Motorsport) has some stiff competition ahead of him in each race!

Session 1

With hot conditions having brought the surface temperature up to a sticky 550x00b0c, the Portuguese track was initially far from inviting for the Eurocup drivers. J0x00e9r0x00f4me d'Ambrosio (Euronova Racing), absent from the Eurocup since the Zolder meeting, held the session's best time for a long time. The young Belgian driver, who took his first victory in the Italian Championship last week, was preparing for the final meeting of the season in Monza.

He was dislodged from top spot by Yann Clairay (SG Formula), who also picked up a warning for having zigzagged his car on the track in an attempt to warm up his tyres. It was then the turn of Michael Ammerm0x00fcller (Jenzer Motorsport) to move into the lead before the session was interrupted when Mihai Marinescu (Prema Power Team) crashed off. The cars had only been back out for just over two minutes, but that was long enough for Filipe Albuquerque (Motopark Oschersleben) to take the best time ahead of Ammerm0x00fcller and Clairay!

It was then not until the tenth minute of the second series that Carlo Van Dam (SG Formula) dipped under the 1'38'' mark. The Dutch driver held provisional pole until Kamui Kobayashi (Prema Power Team) grabbed it from him in a time of 1'37''563! Alan Hellmeister (JD Motorsport) took the session's third best time.

Session 2

Carlo Van Dam put himself clear of his group B rivals very early on in session 2. He was in front of teammate Julien Jousse, who subsequently slipped back to fourth, forced to give way to the attacks of Kamui Kobayashi and Alan Hellmeister. Van Dam improved again on his last attempt -- surely, it cannot be long before the Dutch driver claims his first pole position.

Michael Ammerm0x00fcller and Adrian Zaugg dominated the opening exchanges in group A until the SG Formula drivers moved into action five minutes from the end of the session. Clairay and Grosjean set the two best times, beating Van Dam's effort in the process. Ammerm0x00fcller muscled in between the SG drivers into second place, whilst Clairay went quicker again on his second flying lap. His time of 1'36''387 was 7/10ths better than Ammerm0x00fcller. Zaugg then took second place from his teammate, but remained a good way off Clairay's time.

With thirty seconds to go until the chequered flag signalled the end of the session, Filipe Albuquerque grabbed second place, a mere 15/1000ths quicker than Ammerm0x00fcller and 68/1000ths better than Zaugg!

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