Magny Cours - 2nd May 2004

Official Race Report

Report:© Copyright Renault Sport Technologies 2004 - All rights reserved

May 1st Circuit of Nevers/Magny-Cours Round 3 Race 1, Bright and dry 14 laps = 61,75 km

The home crowd spurred the French drivers on in yesterday’s free practise and qualifying here at Magny-Cours. And they continued to dominate on Saturday morning, as two local boys took first and third place in race one. Poleman Clairay (SG Formula) raced home first ahead of the American Fleming (Jenzer Motorsport) and Guillaume Moreau (SG Formula). The French armada was completed by Pagenaud and Pilet (Graff Racing) who finished 4th and 5th. It was a smooth and trouble-free race for the leaders right from the start. But it was disappointment at the green light for Speed (Motopark Academy), the American letting many cars get past him on the grid and losing his 4th place advantage. As they completed lap 1 Clairay was leading, followed by Fleming, Pilet, Moreau, Pagenaud and Olivier. While the leaders snaked their way around, they were battling it out further back. In the end, Maldonado, Claessens and Duran, who hadn’t qualified on Friday, were allowed to start the race at the back of the grid. Maldonado, the current championship leader, went out all guns blazing, but as they reached the water tower it was cold showers all round! Contacts and crashes rained down, with no fewer than six cars spinning off. The safety car was called out and the wreckage cleared away. After two laps of follow-the-leader, the race could get back underway. As the safety car peeled off, Fleming was climbing all over the back of Clairay. But to no avail, as the SG Formula driver and French championship winner confirmed the excellent form he’s been displaying since the start of the season. He would be untouchable for the rest of the race, keeping a good distance ahead of Fleming and Moreau. Pagenaud was unable to catch the leaders, and his team mate Pilet stayed tucked in behind him. But Pilet still found time to put on a show for the crowd, treating us to some fantastic slides. At the chequered flag it was cheers from Stéphane Guérin, SG Formula team manager, as well as his drivers. And the home crowd was rewarded with the first Marseillaise of the season.

The atmosphere was electric in the grandstand at Magny-Cours on Saturday afternoon, as France’s Simon Pagenaud (Graff Racing) took the chequered flag ahead of Paul Meijer (AR Motorsport) and Scott Speed (Motopark Academy). Starting on pole, Pagenaud stood firm, taking an early lead of nearly XX seconds while perfectly controlling his rivals and himself. “Though half-way through the race,” the driver said later, “the car became a little harder to handle. But I stayed focused as I wanted to win this one after missing out on scoring points in race two at Valencia.” Behind Pagenaud, Speed and Meijer were having their own ferocious race, while further back there were plenty of battles going on. “It was rough all the time and everywhere,” said Pilet (Graff racing). Right from the start, Ammermuller, Fleming (Jenzer Motorsport) and Pilet were putting on an amazing show as they braked late into turns and switched trajectories in a bid to intimidate each other. This was good hard racing, and the looks on their faces as they climbed out of their cars at the finish left us in no doubt that they’d given 100%. Out on the track the leaders had no major troubles, though at the finish Scott Speed seemed the slightest bit disappointed. “I tried everything to pull up to Pagenaud,” he said, “but it was impossible; we were lapping at the same speed every time around.” And so two renditions of the Marseillaise rang out at Magny-Cours for round three. With his victory and the two points that pole position earned him, Simon Pagenaud’s total now stands at 98 points, half that of Maldonado. But close behind them on the leaderboard comes Moreau. All of which promises to make this a championship to remember.

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