Photo by: XPB Images
ANOTHER TOP TEN FINISH FOR COLETTI IN THE BUDAPEST SPRINT RACE
Scuderia Coloni clinched another top ten finish in Budapest: Stefano Coletti ended an hard-fought race in 9th place, while Fabio Onidi took the flag in P24 after a puncture that ruined his performance.
Coletti, who was starting from P10, managed to keep position at the start but right from the very first lap it was evident that his pace was quick enough for to try another great recovery. Before the end of lap 1 he had already passed Leimer for P9, then quickly closing the gap on the drivers ahead. On lap 3 he overtook Calado with a great inside move, and at the first corner of lap 4 he passed also Chilton taking 7th place.
Next to come was Valsecchi, and Coletti needed just one lap to clear the 1”5 gap. Stefano was much quicker than his rival but due to the Italian’s defensive driving it was impossible to find enough room to pass. Stefano completed many laps sticked to Valsecchi’s gearbox looking for a gap and made the most of the fighting in the pack to pass Van der Garde for P6, but then on the last lap he had to cope with tyre issues: so many laps fighting closely with another car stressed the monegasque’s rubber too much, accelerating tyre wear. Coletti managed the situation in the best possible way and took the flag in P9, giving the team the second top ten finish of the weekend.
Fabio Onidi, in the meantime, had a very unlucky race: the Italian dropped one place to P12 at the start but then his pace was very good. Lapping in the low 1’34s as the leaders he was holding position confortably when he was hit by Cecotto on lap 11. Fabio spun and the contact punctured his rear right tyre forcing him to enter the pits. After the pit-stop Onidi’s was quickest on track but he was 24th and one lap down, so his race was absolutely ruined.
Paolo Coloni: “Stefano did a really great race. He pushed a lot in the first laps to recover and then all those laps so close behind Valsecchi were really hard on the tyres, so we were expecting some wear to appear towards the end of the race. It’s a pity because it was a matter of just one lap, we could have been 6th, but it’s racing. We’re also investigating on Stefano’s car because it seems that something bent while taking a kerb, and probably that didn’t help tyre wear too. I’m also very disappointed for Fabio: he was driving well, he was quick and focused and I’m sure that he was going to make up some places later in the race”.
Source: Scuderia Coloni
Be part of Motorsport community
Join the conversationShare Or Save This Story
René Rast and Enzo Ide take win in spectacular main race
Four aces for Bhai Tech in Blancpain Sprint Series
WRT win qualifying race, but HTP Gravity Charouz show pace in Zandvoort
FIA dismisses Aston Martin protest over China F1 qualifying
2024 F1 Chinese GP qualifying results: Verstappen takes pole
F1 Chinese GP – Start time, how to watch, starting grid & TV channel
Espargaro considering Aprilia test rider role, but MotoGP future still open
Why Alpine’s rigorous training camp yields telling insights into its juniors
Can F2's relaxed title favourite prove a point to Alpine?
Why F1's junior logjam isn't entirely a product of current issues
The brightest lights in F2's departing six-year warhorse
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments