FIA Formula 2 Championship front-runner Will Bratt maintained his position in the top four of the driver standings at the Nurburgring in Germany this afternoon, Saturday, 2nd July, after salvaging a seventh place finish during an incident-packed first race of the weekend.
Off the back of a sensational, career-best F2 event just a few days ago at Spa-Francorchamps, Will continued his tremendous mid-season run by setting the fastest time in testing at the Nurburgring on Friday, 1st July, with a stunning lap of 1m50.024 seconds (168.44 km/h). Placing him almost 0.4 seconds clear of his closest rival, more impressive was the fact it was his first ever run at the track.
This morning’s round seven qualifying session resulted in a second row start for the opening encounter, the 23-year-old posting the third best time of 1m48.725 seconds (170.45 km/h) to get within just 0.1 seconds of the front row.
Confident of challenging for another race win today, just a week removed from his maiden category victory in Belgium, Banbury-based Will knew he had to get a good, clean start. His chances of that were compromised though when he unfortunately spun the back wheels too much as he attempted to fend off out-of-position starter Ramon Pineiro just behind.
Slipping to sixth from third, the Briton focused on making his way back through the order while Pineiro was handed a drive-through penalty for being a long way out of his grid slot at the beginning, less than a car length behind Will.
Recovering well and moving into the top five on lap four, the Oxon racer harried Alex Brundle but on lap six contact between the pair – as Will delivered a superb pass around the outside at the final corner – resulted in a worrying 360-degree spin for the 2009 Euroseries 3000 Champion.
Exiting the turn, Will’s car was turned across the front of his rival’s Williams JPH1B and he was lucky to avoid the pit-wall and also only slip to seventh place. Even though he managed to continue, Will’s car sported significant bodywork damage and, it later transpired, a slow puncture to his right-front tyre. With that in mind, seventh place under serious pressure was a highly impressive result.
“We were awesome on Friday during the test but in qualifying we didn’t hook-up the sectors which was crucial and did cost us pole”, said Will, “I was confident of fighting for the win though but my start was compromised by (Ramon) Pineiro being way too far over his grid box, really close behind.
“I was disappointed to drop to sixth, I just got too much wheelspin, but the race wasn’t going too badly until the contact. I decided to go around the outside at the final corner and I’d got the move done, but then I was pushed up on the kerbs and turned into a big spin. It was pretty dramatic and we picked up quite a lot of damage – including a puncture – but to finish at all after that was ok.”
Qualifying for round eight of the 2011 FIA Formula 2 Championship will get underway at 09.00 (local time) tomorrow, Sunday, 3rd July, with the race itself scheduled to commence at 12.55.
Provisional 2011 FIA Formula 2 Championship Standings (after Rd7):
1st Mirko Bortolotti, 134pts; 4th Will Bratt, 74pts