EU3000: Hungaroring Free practice one notes

Speedy Nocera tames the raging Rodriguez

After the event in Spa, teams and drivers of the Euroseries 3000 championships are ready for the second European race of the season, at the Hungaroring. As always, the three Fisichella Motorsport "boys" are expected to light the fire: Giacomo Ricci, leader of the championship ranking with 43 points; Marco Bonanomi, who follows just 3 points behind; and Paolo Nocera.

The two drivers of the Minardi team, the Spanish Roldan Rodriguez and Juan Caceres are also true "gladiators". They are now third and fourth in the champion ships standing, but they are improving. Avelon will be in Budapest with the same duo of Spa, Ivan Bellarosa and Oliver Martini. Stefano Gattuso is in good shape, as well as his team mate, the south African Gavin Cronje (Autosport). The Traini-Vanni Team will show up with the Lola B02-50 of Matteo Cressoni and the Light of Tuka Rocha. Rocha will face a new entry in the Light series, the local hero Szàsz Làszló. The Euroseries 3000 band wagon is completed by the two Euronova guys, the Russian Petrov and the young Puglisi. Euroseries set a joint test day in Vallelunga, on June the 29th, as a warm up for the Italian race scheduled on October the 15th.

During the first free practice session in Budapest Paolo Nocera put down a great performance and signed the best time ((1'39"139), just before Roldan Rodriguez (Minardi) and Vitaly Petrov (Euronova). All the first eight stopped the clock within one minute and 40", and the expectations are really high for tomorrow. The roman driver of Fisichella Motorsport did well since the very beginning, with three fast laps in a row. Fourth place for Giacomo Ricci, ahead of Martini (Avelon) who after 20 minutes temporarily got the pole. The last of the "beautiful eight" is Matteo Cressoni, who did better than Cacereres and than the unlucky Bonanomi, stopped after few laps by a fuel-pomp failure (Puglisi suffered the same problem).

<pre> FREE PRACTICE SESSION 1

1.  Paolo Nocera        Lola B02/50      FMS            1'39"139
2.  Roldan Rodriguez    Lola B02/50      Minardi        1'39"243
3.  Vitaly Petrov       Lola B02/50      Euronova       1'39"293
4.  Giacomo Ricci       Lola B02/50      FMS            1'39"294
5.  Oliver Martini      Lola B02/50      Avelon         1'39"622
6.  Gavin Cronje        Lola B02/50      Autosport      1'39"876
7.  Stefano Gattuso     Lola B02/50      Autosport      1'39"876
8.  Matteo Cressoni     Lola B02/50      Vanni-Traini   1'39"952
9.  Juan Caceres        Lola B02/50      Minardi        1'40"395
10. Marco Bonanomi      Lola B02/50      FMS            1'40"873
11. Tuka Rocha          Lola Light       Vanni-Traini   1'41"158
12. Ivan Bellarosa      Lola B02/50      Avelon         1'41"199
13. Marcello Puglisi    Lola B02/50      Euronova       1'52"836

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