SPEED EuroSeries News - May 2012

SPEED EuroSeries – Technical Bulletin: 29/05/12

Fuel Cell break away coupling

Further to regulation 3.15.2:

3.15.2 – All cars must be fitted with a self-sealing connector which can be used by the scrutineers to remove fuel from the tank. This connector must be FIA approved (cf. technical list n°5) and fitted on the feed line to the engine fuel rail. It must be possible for a pipe to be fitted to this connector.

These items must be fitted to cars in time for the next SPEED EuroSeries race.

These items are available both in the UK and from the Goodridge Group in Europe.

The UK pricing for these items is as follows:

The above prices exclude carriage and VAT, and will remain valid for a period of 90 days.

For competitors wishing to place an order contact James Wills at Goodridge direct: james.wills@goodridge.net

Details of other distributors including those across Europe can be found on the Goodridge website by clicking here

Trevor Johnson

SPEED EuroSeries Technical Delegate

29/05/2012

Guess Racing Europ, based near Brussels in Belgium , is the latest new team to sign up for the SPEED EuroSeries as grids continue to grow. The former ELMS entrant has signed an agreement with Italian manufacturer Wolf to run a GB08 chassis from Imola onwards.

Team principal, Patrick Taymans : “We discussed with a number of manufacturers and settled on the Wolf for our first foray into the world of CN sports prototype racing. We will be testing the car in June prior to the Imola event and we plan to contest the final four rounds of SPEED.”

SPEED EuroSeries organiser, Oli McCrudden: “We are delighted to welcome the Guess outfit to the growing SPEED paddock. With entries from across Europe, new manufacturers getting onto our package and grid numbers rising, SPEED is now well-established as the premier European 2ltr sports car championship.” More new teams participating at the Imola event will be announced shortly.

Team driver Wolfgang Kaufmann will be testing the car and Guess Racing is seeking drivers looking for a competitively priced seat in a winning chassis. For more details contact the team direct:

Taymans, Patrick
Guess Racing Europ
Mobil : 0032 / 486.37.81.17. – 0032 / 486.62.55.98.
Mail : guess.racing.europe@skynet.be

When running in a control fuel formula it is important to recognise the importance of purging the fuel system before using the control fuel to avoid fuel testing issues.The SPEED EuroSeries fuel partner, Sunoco, has issued important guidelines for competitors  to follow to avoid issues arising when giving fuel samples for testing.

For competitors that run different fuels in other series or testing, notice should be paid to the Sunoco advice regarding the properties of fuels and their effects on fuel tank foam, rubbers and bladders.

Download the informatuon sheet by clicking here: Fuel testing notes and avoiding fuel issues

The eagerly awaited chassis from the well-known Italian race car manufacturer has completed succesful tests in Vairano (Italy) on 10th and 14th May, covering 145 laps of the circuit handling and high-speed straight line test with experienced test driver Raffaele Giammaria at the wheel. Giammaria will be in charge of development and testing and the racing debut. The car is expected to be included in the entry list for the SPEED EuroSeries round at Imola in June.

The test comes on the back of the joint  announcement by Tatuus and Mugen of a technical and supply partnership on the chassis.

Tatuus Racing Gianfranco De Bellis: “I’m obviously very happy for the agreement, this official collaboration will allow Tatuus and Mugen to better respond to the requirements of teams which will participate in the Championships, providing a quality service for the purchase of cars and motors. I also thank Autotecnica Motori, which has concluded an agreement with Mugen in order to create a competitive combination. It is a common goal of expanding the combination Tatuus – Mugen in new markets.”

Mugen Euro’s Hiro Toyoda also commented: “The PY-012 is probably the most radical and sophisticated CN Sports Prototype yet designed, and consequently I am extremely pleased and proud that MUGEN EURO was invited by Gianfranco De Bellis to collaborate with TATUUS via our new associate Autotecnica Motori in the optimisation of the K20 engine installation in the chassis and the provision of MUGEN race-prepared engines to TATUUS teams.’

‘The record of TATUUS as a successful racing car manufacturer goes almost without saying, and we know the ability of Giovanni Delfino’s company to prepare engines to the exacting standards set by MUGEN in all categories or racing. We are also confident in Autotecnica Motori providing with integrity a logistically convenient high-quality customer support and engine rebuild service for TATUUS teams.’

‘This 3-way alliance also enhances Mugen’s support for Honda Motorsport Europe’s backing of the SpeedEuroSeries, always an important aspect in our business and sporting strategy given Mugen’s longtime association with Honda and its motor racing activities generally. The TATUUS-MUGEN combination has great potential for development in European and overseas markets, and we are looking forward very much to working with our technical partners to achieve this. First however is to demonstrate the potency of the new collaboration in the forthcoming races!”

Giovanni Delfino from Autotecnica Motori said “The opportunity to cooperate with TATUUS and MUGEN Euro is at the same time a real emotion and a great honor: TATUUS must be considered one of the main car manufacturers in the motorsport panorama and MUGEN Power is the name itself of a racing engine.’

‘In particular I would like to thank TATUUS who involved and trusted me concerning the PY012 project, as well as Mr. Hiro Toyoda and all the MUGEN staff that has given me the opportunity to realize the association that will allow AUTOTECNICA MOTORI to build engines following the MUGEN standards sharing all the engine design, project and tuning.’

‘TATUUS Staff has designed a magnificent car that will mark a turning point in all the CN Series and maybe more. Signing such an agreement with these two brands of the Motorsport World could really represent a milestone in the history of AUTOTECNICA MOTORI”

GrandAm.com – Bellarosa Bounds Ahead

Chequeredflag.co.uk – Sunoco Daytona Challenge Update

Chequeredflag.co.uk - Driver of the Day award

Omnicourse.it – Bellarosa lascia il segno a Spa

Paddock.it - ANCORA UNA VITTORIA PER IVAN BELLAROSA

Megamodo.com - Ivan Bellarosa, nona vittoria consecutiva nella Speed Euroseries

Enduranceinfo.com – Fred Mako : “Nous avons été performants de bout en bout!”

aaoil.co.uk – Speed EuroSeries opens with strong grids and strong performances

ItaliaRacing.net- Speed Euro Series a Spa

eSportsracer.com – Avelon Wolf and Pegasus Ligier Score Wins at Spa

Megamodo.com – Wolf pronte per la Speed Euroseries a Spa

If visitors are aware of any press reports featuring the SPEED EuroSeries which are not featured on these pages, please send the hyperlink url to media@speedeuroseries.com to keep us up to date.

Please note – SPEED EuroSeries.com is not responsible for content found on external websites

Check out some great shots from onboard with Lars in the Pringbox Ligier JS51 from both races at Spa:

Testing Opportunity for SPEED EuroSeries Competitors at Donington Event

ELMS Organisers have offered SPEED five hours of testing on the Donington circuit for the Friday of the meeting.

SPEED will underwrite the costs of the test session based on the response by competitors.
The cost will be 500 Euros per car + vat.

There will be two sessions for SPEED drivers in a programme as follows:

Session 1: 09.05hrs – 11.05hrs

Session 2: 13.20hrs –16.20hrs (subject to change)

If you wish to take part in the test session, please complete and return the attached form to SPEED EuroSeries organisers straight away to enable us to inform ELMS that we will take the track time.

Download booking forme here: SPEED – Donington Test Booking Form

Your booking does not become binding until there are sufficient cars entered to cover the track costs. Payment must be made by transfer. SPEED will issue an invoice for immediate payment on confirmation of the sessions.

Wolf driver Ivan Bellarosa dominated round 3 of the SPEED EuroSeries event at Spa Francorchamps on Friday afternoon, winning from the Pegasus Racing Ligier JS53 of Julien Schell and Fred “Mako” Makowiecki and the TFT Norma of Jean Lou Rihon and Nick Padmore. It was the third succesive race win for the Italian.

On Saturday, a wet race saw the Pegasus car handle the treacherous conditions better than the field to score the team’s first SPEED victory ahead of series debutants Federicho Vecchi and Ronnie Valori in the Line Race Wolf in second and the promising young French racer, Anthony Gandon in the other TFT Norma third

The SPEED EuroSeries arrived at Spa Francorchamps for the FIA World Endurance Championship event with increasing numbers of challengers for points including Fred Makowiecki and Julien Schell in a works’ Ligier JS53 prepared by Pegasus Racing and the 2011 race winning TFT Norma of Nick Padmore and Jean Lou Rihon looking to upset the dominance of Ivan Bellarosa in his Wolf GB08, winner of the opening two races at Le Castellet.

Qualifying saw other new faces on the grid. The Springbox team, with four Ligiers in their equipe for the event, featured returning SPEED racers Christophe Burrick and Lars Viljoen. Without any time in the car prior to the event their learning curve was as steep as the legendary Eau Rouge hill at the circuit but both acquitted themselves well. Also in the paddock for the first time was Italian F3 specialists, Line Race. The team, with two Wolf GB08 chassis to their name, arrived with one car for this event and two young Italian drivers in Federico Vecchi and Ronnie Valori who immediately impressed with a third place in qualifying just behind the Pegasus Racing Ligier in second. Neither could get close to Bellarosa however. The Italian was 1.9 seconds quicker around the legendary track than his nearest rivals and picked up another valuable Pole Position. Runner-up at Le Castellet, the Darren Burke/Duncan Williams Team Excool Juno was suffering some significant handling issues which Burke skilfully drove around to put the car fourth.

In the one incident of note during the session, Jean Pierre Mothe, driving an Ibanez Racing Wolf GB08, was unfortunate to be involved in an incident which put his car out of the event and saw him join Sarah Reader (TFL Racing Juno) on the sidelines, her car having suffered technical problems in the week prior to the meeting. Mothe’s driving partner, Stefane Raffin, jumped into the D.B.Auto Wolf for the second half of qualifying and would race with Daniel Bassora for the weekend.

The FIA World Endurance Championship event preparation was thorough and the venue looked magnificent, but the one variable – as is so often the case at Spa – that even the FIA/ACO collaboration could not control, was the weather. With rain forecast throughout the weekend, SPEED drivers and teams were fortunate then to get a dry, if cloudy, qualifying session – and they were even more fortunate when the clouds cleared and the sun shone for the start of the Round 3 of the 2012 SPEED EuroSeries.

At the rolling start, Bellarosa was picked off by Burke who lead the pack from La Source down the hill and into the imposing Eau Rouge but by the time the field came past next, the Italian had re-established the lead from a hard charging “Mako’ with Valori in third and Burke fourth. Philippe Alliot, who had qualified 6^th, dropped back at the start but clawed his way up the field to have an net increase of one position by the end of lap two, great stuff from the veteran star who would run as high up as fourth during the race.

For the opening 10 laps, Bellarosa tried to get away, building a lead over Mako and Valori and posting the races’ fastest lap on lap 5 with an average speed of 181.6kph. The challenge from Valori suffered a set-back on lap 10 when the car pulled into the pits and remained there for two laps whilst the team worked to cure a problem. Once it was back on course, the early promise did not return as the car carried the issue and a 7^th placed finish was a good result in trying circumstances.

French youngster, Anthony Gandon, was making steady progress all this time. Driving the #96 TFT Racing Norma he has started 8^th and quietly got on with the job of making up places. When the pit stop window opened for single drivers and Bellarosa pitted on lap 17, Gandon had moved up to 5^th. With his own 45 second stop done, Gandon rejoined in 9^th place and fought hard to post an excellent 4^th place finish.

After the pitstops, Schell briefly headed Bellarosa but it was short-lived. On lap 45, the Wolf was back in front and heading comfortably for the ninth straight SPEED victory for Bellarosa, extending the championship lead. He was joined on the podium by the Pegasus drivers and Rihon & Padmore who showed strongly.

After the race, the stewards applied the race win success ballast regulation which saw the Wolf receive an extra 20kg of weight for race 2.

Race 2

Having evaded the promised monsoon conditions to get dry practices and race 1 it was only to be expected that Saturday would be dull, cold and wet and getting wetter. With no time available in the WEC schedule for even two familiarisation laps or a chance for the second driver to feel the wet surface, the 18 car Speed EuroSeries grid followed the new Honda Civic pace car away from the green flag and into the murk and spray. Safely round the lap and the Civic pulls in as the red lights go out and we have the 60 minute race underway.

Ivan Bellarosa got the inside line at the first corner but Julian Schell and the Ligier were already showing a menacing stance and the blue machine was in front at the end of lap one. Duncan Williams had the Juno in third with Nick Padmore in the TFT Norma next ahead of the young Italian Federico Vecchi in the Line Race Wolf and the similar car of Greg Caton next up.

Sadly, the Williams Juno went off, was damaged and stopped on lap 3 and the Mastroberadino Wolf only completed 6 laps in the event before the engine gave way.

By lap 5 Schell had a 2.7 seconds advantage over Padmore and Vecchi with Bellarosa struggling with the water down in fourth. However at the halfway mark the advantage was less than a second and with pitstops to be had it was going to be tight. Bellarosa carried out his mandatory 45 second stop with 27 minutes left and the others followed suit over the next 10 minutes. With five laps to run Ronnie Valori had the lead in the Line Race car ahead of the two TFT Norma’s of Jean Lou Rihon and young French ace Anthony Gandon with the Ligier, now with Fred Makowiecki at the helm next and Bellarosa.

Makowiecki was lapping nearly 5 seconds quicker than the field and actually set the fastest lap of the race on lap 20 just before the chequered flag. He passed Valori for the lead on lap 17 and proceeded to draw away as the 60 minutes ran down to the flag. A delighted Gilles Allegoet from Ligier praised the team for speed and accuracy to take the first ever race victory for the new carbon chassis JS53. Second position for Line Race’s young Italians was another first time entry and Anthony Gandon took his first car racing podium in third place making is also a three different chassis makers podium as well.

With four rounds completed, Bellarosa leads the championship from Gandon with Belotti in third place. The next round of the championship is at Imola on June 22-24 as part of the European Touring Car Championship event.