Formula European Masters

Guillaume Moreau Lausitz race notes

Guillaume Moreau could have won... Signature driver Guillaume Moreau qualified a disappointing 13th, recovered 7th in Race 1 and therefore started from the first row of the grid in Sunday's race. The Signature-Plus driver was unchallenged off ...

Edited: May 4, 2006, 12:04 AM

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Guillaume Moreau could have won...

Signature driver Guillaume Moreau qualified a disappointing 13th, recovered 7th in Race 1 and therefore started from the first row of the grid in Sunday's race. The Signature-Plus driver was unchallenged off the line and began to pull away, but soon, the stewards decided to impose a drive through penalty to him for jumping the start.

A drive through glory and disillusion

Lauzitsring is not a good place to overtake. It's bad news when you start 13th, like Guillaume Moreau in Race 1. But it's good news if you are on the front row of the grid, and rocket away to a clear lead. This also happened to Guillaume, in Race 2. Unfortunately, victory was not to follow.

Poor qualifying meant difficult racing on Saturday but the Frenchman managed to recover 7th. The consequence was a front row start for the next day's race, according to the new reversed grid regulation. On Sunday, the Signature-Plus driver was unchallenged off the line and began to pull away.

But soon, the stewards decided to impose a drive through penalty to him for jumping the start. Guillaume drove with an incredible fury and set a couple of fastest laps despite talking at the same time on the radio with team boss Philippe Sinault. But the decision was final, and Guillaume sadly drove his car back to the pits to retire.

"We did a good job since the qualifying session and I was confident in the set-up we had chosen for Sunday" said a disappointed Guillaume after the race. "I have also been working hard during test days to make good starts and avoid wheelspin. And indeed, I did a flying start, while Nakajima beside me completely missed his. Is this difference responsible for the doubt of the stewards concerning my start? After the race, they showed me a film proving that I had moved approximately one tenth of a second before the lights were switched off. So I admit I did wrong and do accept the penalty. But for sure, it would be easier to accept if any driver, doing the same mistake, would always get the same penalty. The truth is that it happens frequently, but a human eye can hardly detect it. The problem is that I was on the front row, I did the best start in my life, and my Japanese neighbour didn't. I learned a lesson today."

Guillaume and his team will now concentrate on the next event, at Oschersleben (May 20th and 21st), on another circuit where overtaking is difficult. Therefore, improving the pace in qualifying is a priority, to get a good result in Saturday's race, which pays more points than Sunday's. "I could have won this week-end, so we might still be able to go for the gold in three weeks. The situation is wide open in the series standings, and my motivation is bigger than ever."

-www.guillaumemoreau.com

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