Race Reports

Budapest 03/08/2007

Budapest Qualifying

Super Nova arrived at the Hungaroring Circuit this week just 10 miles from Budapest in Hungary for the next round of the GP2 Championship, where the team qualified this afternoon, in 7th and 18th amongst twenty-six cars.

Young Italian Luca Filippi looked set for a place in the front two rows of the grid, but unluckily for him yellow flags in the closing minutes of the 30-minute run, abandoned any chance of Luca going out his the last set of new tyres & improving his time. Luca will start 7th in tomorrows Feature race, hoping to challenge for a podium finish.

Mike Conway used free practice this morning to familiarise himself with this challenging track, having never raced here before. Unfortunately Mike missed the chequered flag & past it twice, getting penalised three places for tomorrows race.
Between sessions the team made some adjustments to his No.17 car, and found some speed. Frustratingly Mike too, was unable to put in a good lap between yellow flags, leaving the young British driver somewhat further back on tomorrows starting grid, than his qualifying pace has previously proved. He will now start 21st.

Team Principal David Sears “In qualifying today Luca looked strong, but unfortunately a late yellow flag meant Luca was not able to use the last set of new tyres to improve his time, dropping to 7th.  Mike Conway did not like his car on the bumps. This was his first visit to the Hungaroring circuit and ended up 18th on the grid. Mike needs a softer set up to give me more confidence for the race tomorrow.”

Mike Conway “We struggled with the car in practice, and then I missed the flag, past it twice and got a penalty for tomorrows race, so we’re starting towards the back. The set up in qualifying for the first lot of tyres was the same as practice, so we made a few small changes for the second set. It was better, but I still couldn’t put in a lap, for the yellow flags. However even though we lost time, we did go quicker, and although it’s difficult to overtake here, I’m sure we can get something tomorrow.”

Luca said of this afternoons qualifying “I think our biggest problem was traffic & the yellow flags at the end of the session. I think our potential was better than what we’ve done before but just wasn’t able to get a clear lap. However I am confident for tomorrows race, we have a very good system set up.”