Red Bull duo set for race two battle
Wickens and Bortolotti lock out the front row
Robert Wickens and Mirko Bortolotti have gained the advantage in
the fight for second and third in the championship after locking
out the front row for the second race in Imola later today
(Sunday).
Realistically there are still seven drivers who can finish in
the top three and earn eligibility for an FIA Superlicence, which
is required to compete in Formula One Grands Prix. Wickens
currently leads the way, but by only one points from his Red Bull
Junior Team colleague Mikhail Aleshin. Bortolotti is only a further
two points back as Red Bull drivers hold second, third and fourth
in the current standings.
Wickens today took his first pole since the opening F2 round in
Valencia and he is now favourite to clinch the runner-up spot: "I'm
delighted to be back on pole," he said. "I've had other chances in
the year but just missed out. So far I have a 100% record starting
from pole, so fingers crossed for the race!
"It was a bit confusing initially because I was much quicker on
old tyres than I was in qualifying yesterday, and I thought I was
doing a pretty good job. Then I saw I was about six tenths off and
I was pretty confused, but I found out Milos Pavlovic started on
new tyres, which explained it.
"It was a great session. The whole weekend I have qualified
pretty well, I just didn't get it done yesterday which is why I
started fourth. There's still a battle for second, so I think the
goal is to go to Barcelona with a minimum five point lead over
third. It's looking pretty good right now; I just have to finish it
off."
Bortolotti has been consistently fast throughout his home race
weekend in Imola and the young Italian hopes to be fighting for
victory this afternoon: "For sure, the weekend was going quite well
up to now, and second position is not bad," he commented. "There is
a good chance I can win the race and we will see what happens."
Aleshin bounced back from some early mechanical dramas to take
sixth on the grid behind Kazim Vasiliauskas, but it was a miserable
session for Julien Jousse. The Donington Park race winner is
currently lying fifth in the overall standings but the Frenchman
will start today's race down in 13th.
So who will end up leaving Imola with the best chance of taking
second and third in the championship? The answer will come in race
two in just over an hour's time.