EU Megane: Valencia Friday summary

Derlot on top

Renaud Derlot (TP Competition) put in the best lap time of the free practice sessions today in Valencia. The TP Competition driver can look forward to the weekend's racing with confidence. Jan Heylen (Racing for Belgium), Jeffrey Van Hooydonk (Thierry Boutsen Racing) and Ludovic Badey (Pouchelon Racing) are also on top form and will be vying neck and neck for the honours, as always!

First out on track this morning was Nicolas Gianniberti (Oregon Racing). But the Italian was soon robbed of the best lap time by Ludovic Badey, then successively by Jan Heylen and Renaud Derlot, who lapped in 1'39''073.

The session came to a close with a coming together between Pascal Ballay (Energy Racing) and Equipe Verschuur drivers Bernhard Ten Brinke and Frans Verschuur. Thankfully, without too much damage --

The track wasn't as quick in the afternoon and Derlot's record stood throughout the second session. Cesar Campanico (Racing for Belgium), first to punch in a significant lap time, was beaten by Ludovic Badey then by - Renaud Derlot - once again!

Luis Miguel Reyes (Team Elias): "In spite of the fact we haven't run the car enough, I'm very pleased with our set-up, except for a slight understeer. The line-up is very competitive, with at least ten potential winners out there. It's going to make for a very interesting championship."

Cesar Campanico (Racing for Belgium): "It's been a very good day; we've done some good testing and tried out new set-ups on the car. I've been working on my driving too. We're in touch with the top 5 and I'm hoping to be battling for pole tomorrow."

Ludovic Badey (Pouchelon Racing): "I was feeling good after the testing early in the week, when I wasn't having any problems. But since yesterday I've had a lot of engine cut-outs. The lap times are pretty good when we can work, but it's not easy. We'll have to see how it goes in qualifying tomorrow."

Mike Parisy (Gemo Sport): "We've had our fair share of mechanical hitches because this is the car's first outing here. We're getting the times down second by second and we're definitely on the right track."

<pre> Cumulative free practice sessions classification

1  Renaud DERLOT          FRA   TP Competition          1'39.073        1'39.455        1'39.073
2  Jan HEYLEN             BEL   Racing for Belgium      1'39.404        1'39.474        1'39.404
3  Jeffrey V.HOOYDONK     BEL   Thierry Boutsen Racing  1'40.883        1'39.575        1'39.575
4  Ludovic BADEY          FRA   Pouchelon Racing        1'39.674        1'39.957        1'39.674
5  Angel BURGUEÑO         ESP   Team Elias              1'40.713        1'39.770        1'39.770
6  Jean Christophe RAVIER FRA   Epsilon Euskadi         1'40.361        1'39.834        1'39.834
7  Cesar CAMPANIÇO        POR   Racing for Belgium      1'40.381        1'39.924        1'39.924
8  Simon ABADIE           FRA   Tech 1 Racing           1'40.222        1'41.550        1'40.222
9  Frederic GABILLON      FRA   Team Lompech Sport      1'40.937        1'40.309        1'40.309
10 L.Miguel REYES         ESP   Team Elias              1'40.355        1'40.543        1'40.355
11 Santiago PORTEIRO      ESP   Porfesa Competicion     1'41.092        1'40.375        1'40.375
12 Mathieu LAHAYE         FRA   Tech 1 Racing           1'40.639        1'40.392        1'40.392
13 Renaud KUPPENS         BEL   Thierry Boutsen Racing  1'41.871        1'40.864        1'40.864
14 Mike PARISY            FRA   Gemo Sport              1'40.991                        1'40.991
15 Jean-Claud COPPENS     FRA   TP Competition          1'42.064        1'41.109        1'41.109
16 Nicol a GIANNIBERTI    ITA   Oregon Team             1'41.170        1'41.605        1'41.170
17 Antonio ARISTI         ESP   Epsilon Euskadi         1'41.290        1'41.465        1'41.290
18 Bernard TEN BRINKE     NED   Equipe Verschuur        1'42.439        1'41.400        1'41.400
19 Pedro PETIZ            POR   Oregon Team             1'41.452        1'41.687        1'41.452
20 Marc BENZ              SUI   Iris Racing             1'41.531        1'42.596        1'41.531
21 Frans VERSCHUUR        NED   Equipe Verschuur        1'42.768        1'41.536        1'41.536
22 Wim COEKELBERGS        BEL   Racing for Belgium      1'43.543        1'41.893        1'41.893
23 Philippe MACE          FRA   TP Competition          1'42.977        1'42.284        1'42.284
24 Jean Yves MALLAT       LBN   TP Competition          1'42.297        1'42.844        1'42.297
25 Sebastien DHOUAILLY    FRA   Team Lompech Sport      1'42.576        1'42.389        1'42.389
26 Pascal BALLAY          FRA   Energy Racing           1'44.118        1'43.262        1'43.262
27 Andreas MAYERL         AUT   Senn Motorsport         1'44.384        1'43.432        1'43.432
28 Victor FERNANDEZ       ESP   Saturn Motorsport       1'46.159        1'45.580        1'45.580
29 Rafael UNZURRUNZAGA    ESP   Blue Jumeirah Team      1'48.842        1'48.409        1'48.409
30 Juan MORALES           ESP   Hervas                  1'56.056        1'53.617        1'53.617

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