Formula V8 3.5
Magny Cours: Round three race report
Franck Montagny stretched his championship lead in the Superfund World Series by Nissan with victory in both races at Magny-Cours. The Gabord Competicion driver was in a class of his own in the first race, which was held in treacherous wet ...
Edited: May 20, 2003, 2:33 AM
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Franck Montagny stretched his championship lead in the Superfund World Series by Nissan with victory in both races at Magny-Cours.
The Gabord Competicion driver was in a class of his own in the first race, which was held in treacherous wet conditions, passing polesitter Bruce Jouanny at the Adelaide hairpin on the first lap before disappearing into the lead to take the flag 41 seconds ahead of the chasing pack.
From sixth on the grid Montagny had to work harder to win race two, but it took just five laps for him to take the lead on the now predominantly dry track. The Frenchman also set the fastest lap in both races, to haul a maximum 42 points from the third round of the series.
"I was confident that I could be quicker than the others in the wet, because I know the wet line around here," said Montagny, "but I was surprised that I was so much faster in the dry, because my car was oversteering quite a lot after I was hit from behind on the first lap. I'm not thinking about the championship ? for me every race is the championship and I want to win them all."
Saulnier Racing's Bruno Besson is now second in the championship, after a stellar weekend at his home race. The Frenchman drove steadily in the first race to claim second place, while those around him were spinning off. He started from pole for race two and led for the opening laps until Montagny charged through. Thereafter he enjoyed a race long battle with Racing Engineering's Stephane Sarrazin, but had to cede to his countryman in the end, but nonetheless took a well-earned third place.
"It was a very nice race for me and the team, because this is the biggest event of the year for us. The first race wasn't that hard, I just concentrated on keeping the car on the track."
Sarrazin should have taken second place in the first race, but a driving error with just three laps to go but him in the gravel. He made amends second time out, twice passing Besson on his way to second ? and his first podium finish of the year.
RC Motorsport's Polo Villaamil spun but recovered to take third in the first race, but a poor qualifying session left him 18th on the grid for race two. He drove a charging opening part of the race and worked his way into a commendable seventh.
Montagny's Gabord team-mate Heikki Kovalainen took two top six finishes fifth in race one after a last corner clash with Bruce Jouanny, and sixth in race two. Jouanny took sixth after the contact and was eighth in the second, longer race.
Carlin Motorsport's Narain Karthikeyan lies third in the standings, despite ending race one in the gravel. He made a fantastic start in race two, banged wheels with front row starter Enrique Bernoldi, and held second over the opening laps before dropping back to fourth, where he finished the race.
It was a day weekend for Adrian Campos Motorsport and Marc Gene failed to finish either race, while team-mate Santiago Porteiro was a distant 15th in race one and a non-finisher in the second race.
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