FR 2.0 – Lando Norris titled at Spa

After contributing to Tech 1 Racing's double the day before, Dorian Boccolacci (Tech 1 Racing) won this Sunday in Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 on the Spa-Francorchamps Circuit (Belgium). The Frenchman won against Lando Norris (Josef Kaufmann Racing) and Hugo de Sadeleer (Tech 1 Racing). The second place of Lando Norris combined with the problems of Max Defourny (R-ace GP) allowed the Briton to be crowned winner of the 2016 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0.

Max Defourny started his Sunday perfectly by taking pole position in 2'18''039. At the end of a session prematurely interrupted by Ghislain Cordeel (GMMA Formula Racing), the Belgian was ahead of Jehan Daruvala (Josef Kaufmann Racing), Hugo de Sadeleer and Dorian Boccolacci. Lando Norris finished sixth in a session where the top sixteen were within less than a second.
 
Despite a good start, Max Defourny saw Hugo de Sadeleer take control away from him while losing an element of his front wing in a contact at Les Combes. If the Swiss escaped in the lead, the Belgian fell in the standings before becoming the collateral victim of an incident involving Robert Shwartzman (Josef Kaufmann Racing), Ferdinand Habsburg (Fortec Motorsports) and Gabriel Aubry (Tech 1 Racing).
 
Behind Hugo de Sadeleer, the peloton appeared lively, taking advantage of the omnipresent slipstream on the Belgian track. Dorian Boccolacci emerged in second position ahead of Lando Norris, Sacha Fenestraz (Tech 1 Racing) and Harrison Scott (AVF by Adrián Vallés).
 
Two laps from the finish, Dorian Boccolacci overtook Hugo de Sadeleer, then surprised by Lando Norris. The Frenchman won two laps later. Sacha Fenestraz and Harrison Scott finished just off the podium. Initially sixth, wild card Nikita Troitskiy (Fortec Motorsports) was ultimately penalized two places at the expense of Julien Falchero (R-ace GP) and Henrique Chaves (AVF by Adrián Vallés) for not having returned his positions won outside the limits of the track. Will Palmer (R-ace GP) and Ferdinand Habsburg completed the top ten. Max Defourny finally ranked fifteenth.

They said
 
Dorian Boccolacci: “It’s always a great pleasure to win! Yesterday my engineer told me second place was good, but first place was even better. I took it as a challenge and that’s what I did! It was a pretty crazy race, I started fourth and managed to take the lead after a great fight with Hugo, my teammate, whom I congratulate on his weekend. The team did an incredible job and I hope we can be just as strong in Estoril! »
 
Lando Norris: “I am satisfied to have secured the title. My neck has been stuck since this morning, and that hasn't made it any easier! I wasn't 100% and I was even surprised to be sixth in qualifying. In the race, my main objective was to get closer to Max Defourny who was starting on the front row. I knew how to avoid problems in Les Combes, which was not his case. I thought I would secure fourth place, but opportunities presented themselves and I was able to move up to second. The next event at Estoril will be quite exciting because I don't know this circuit! »
 
Hugo de Sadeleer: “The team has done a fantastic job when you see the performance of all four cars throughout the weekend. I think I could have had pole position this morning if I had been able to benefit from the slipstream, but it is better to start slightly behind at Spa to benefit from this same phenomenon! I got a good start again, but Dorian was faster. It would have been difficult to maintain the lead even if I had been more aggressive, but I'm looking forward to this weekend! »
 
Provisional general ranking: 1. Lando Norris (Josef Kaufmann Racing) 235 2. Dorian Boccolacci (Tech 1 Racing) 176 3. Max Defourny (R-ace GP) 163,5 4. Harrison Scott (AVF by Adrián Vallés) 158 5. Sacha Fenestraz (Tech 1 Racing) 86,5