SG Formula On the podium already!

SG Formula won its first ever F3 Euro Series podium place in style in Mugello when Yann Clairay came 2nd in race 2 from the same position on the grid.

"I take my hat off to you, Monsieur Clairay!" was SG team boss Stéphane Guérin's reaction after a fine drive took the French driver into second place on the rostrum. After qualifying 13th, Yann Clairay laid the foundations for this great result on the Saturday by getting up to 7th in race 1, which earned him a front line start in Sunday's race in which the eight fastest drivers started in reverse order.

Eventual race winner Mika Mäki, who had the benefit a set of new tyres, got past Yann at the start of race 2 but the SG Formula driver drove a fine race to finish 2nd with a 5 seconds margin over the chasing pack led by Edoardo Mortara.

"I know we had the advantage of the reverse grid but the size of the lead over the 3rd placed man shows that we didn't steal this result," enthused Stéphane Guérin.

"The hardest part of the job is done now. The first two meetings were run on what was unknown territory for us. We picked up some points in Hockenheim and won our first podium place in Mugello. This only serves to heighten our expectations for the first street race and comforts our hopes of making an impact during the second half of the season."

Dutchman Henki Waldschmidt drove two good races. He was 11th during qualifying but started in 16th place in Saturday's race because of the penalty he had picked up in Hockenheim for running into a stationary car on the grid. He came 13th in race 1 and was lying 4th in the Rookie Cup.

He put in a sound performance on the Sunday with some excellent lap times but was bugged by a technical problem which put him out of the race close to the end. Remember that this is Henki's first genuine blooding in Formula 3 because he had to drop out of the race in Hockenheim without completing a single lap.

Tom Dillmann had a very rough time this weekend. After starting race 1 in 18th position he had to be content with 16th at the finish. Then, with the finishing line in view in race 2, he suffered a battery failure. He can't wait for the next Grand Prix in Pau, a track on which he proved to be very quick in Formula Renault 2.0 two years ago.

SG Formula will also be hoping to repeat in the F3 Euro Series the success with which the team met in the lower grade. For instance, Guillaume Moreau's victory in 2004 and those of Romain Grosjean in 2005. Rendezvous next May 31/June 1 in the streets of Pau.

www.sgformula.com

Romain Didier, future racing commm