Losing an FIA title at the last race obviously makes you feel regret, but at the same time being European Vice-Champions and having many competitive drivers in the OK direct drive top class, above all offers many reasons for satisfaction for the CRG colours. Gabriel Gomez’s season was exceptional in the FIA European Championship and only in the last decisive race the Brazilian driver did fail to express himself on podium levels like he did in the first 3 Rounds, when he had often dominated the scene. As in the exceptional race in the Czech Republic, when he got on the top step of the podium, after obtaining the Pole Position and dominating all the Qualifying races. A Heat lost due to a technical problem and an unlucky start in the Final influenced the Cremona weekend, but above all a feeling with the setup and the circuit that has never been exceptional during this appointment. As mentioned, however, the balance of his season remains very positive and being Vice-Champion of Europe will have to be the impetus to go to the FIA World Championship in October among the favorites for the title.
At CRG, in addition to the satisfaction with the performance of the Brazilian driver, there is the awareness that all the drivers of the OK category have been very competitive during this first part of the season, confirming this trend also in Cremona. The very young Louis Iglesias, author of the Pole Position in the Qualifying Practices and then very fast throughout the weekend, shone above all, as well as Francisco Macedo and Mattia Colnaghi, with the latter who is growing with each race in terms of performance. All CRG drivers of the OK class qualified for the Final, in which for various reasons between contacts and technical problems, results were missed, but not the certainty of having a technical worthy-podium package and very competitive drivers.
The race weekend was more complicated for the CRG drivers in the Junior category, where Bernardo Gentil and Javier Herrera paid for a little inexperience in such a high-level race, while the Brazilian Gabriel Koenigkan compromised his weekend with a negative performance in the In Qualifying Practices and in the Heats he was unable to make up ground again to conquer a place in the Final.
For the direct drive categories will now begin the long wait for the FIA World Championship and the program of tests and races in preparation for this event that will take place in Italy, on the Franciacorta track, from October 5th.
CRG drivers’ post-race reactions:
Gabriel Gomez (OK): “I am the European Vice-Champion and this is a great result for me and for the team. This weekend we lacked something, a bit of feeling with the track for me and something with the setup, but our season remains exceptional so far and I would like to thank all the CRG team staff for the great work done, as well as BM Engine by Nicola Boscaini for the exceptional support with Iame engines that he is guaranteeing us. Soon it will be time to move on and start preparing for the World Championship with the awareness of our strength and our chances. Obviously I would like to congratulate Lammers for the title and I do hope to get my revenge soon”.
Francisco Macedo (OK): “This weekend I’ve also always had the speed to fight for the top positions and I’m very happy with my performance in the Heat, where I closed the Super Heat in P2 and earned the 4th row on the grid in the Final. Unfortunately, a contact in the Final took me out of the top ten, but if I look at my best lap, I have the confirmation that the race pace was equivalent to the best and the outcome of the weekend remains positive. I want to thank the whole team and I can’t wait to start preparing for the World Championship, because I’m sure we can be among the protagonists”.
Mattia Colnaghi (OK): “It was a very positive weekend and after the Heat and Super Heat I obtained my best position on the grid for the Final, with P6, but above all I was aware of being able to fight for the top 5 and probably also for the podium. However, after the chaotic first laps of the race, when I restarted from slow I gradually lost pace, perhaps due to a technical problem that we will have to investigate after the race. In any case, the outcome of the Final does not compromise the good things we have done since the Qualifying Practice. This season I have learned a lot and my performances have constantly improved race after race, for this reason I really have to thank the team with which I have found a very good feeling. The positive results of this weekend give me an extra boost to prepare for the World Championship, which will take place in Italy on the Franciacorta track, where I have always felt very comfortable”.
Louis Iglesias (OK): “There are my first international races in a category as competitive as the OK one, so I’m very happy with the Pole scored on Friday, but also with the race pace I had in the Heat. This weekend, due to a contact in the race, I didn’t get an important result in the Final, but it gave me a lot more experience and also greater confidence in my possibilities, looking towards the next important round of the World Championship. Having Jeremy by my side as a special coach helps me a lot, as does the experience of my mechanic and the work of the whole team. If on the one hand I am disappointed, because I could have finished the Final in the top ten among the big names in this category, on the other one, I am happy because my performances are already at a high level and we can only improve in the next races”.
