In the temple of speed, DUQUEINE Team did a very good race weekend
This weekend, the ELMS came to the circuit of Monza next to Milan in Itlay. After rather hot and rainy conditions on Wedneday, everybody was looking forward to a little less warm and sunny event. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Tifosi could unfortunately still not be admitted.
The Friday practice session went well and all three drivers improved their laptimes. The race simulation was on a good way. Saturday morning, with some problems on the car, we had a difficult session and not perfect preparation for the qualifying. The data collected during the FP allowed us to have good setting for the race. Fortunatly for us, the qualifying session was better and René Binder did a very good quali and finished P9 only 0,4s of the first row.
For the race on Sunday, DUQUEINE Team chose Memo for the race start. He managed to gain immediately three places in the first lap which helped to stay in front of the race. Unfortunatly for us, the first safety car did not play in our favor and that a battle for the podium quickly flew away. But thanks to a good strategy and a perfect job from the mechanics during the pit stops, Rene and Tristan continued on this rhythm, enabling DUQUEINE Team to finish in Fifth place of the LMP2 class. With this place, DUQUEINE Team is now Fifth in the ELMS championship.
Max FAVARD - Team Manager : "Monza was the fourth race of the season. We make a lot of improvement on the car to close the gap with the front team. 3 team from the FIA WEC join the ELMS for the race week. We achieve our best Qualifying of the season with only 0.4 sec to the front row. For the race The three drivers as usual where on the top of their skills and made a very strong performance. The first safety car put us away from the podium battle. We secure a top five. Let's look forward to le Mans 24h in one month."
René BINDER : "Not everything went well for us in the 4th Round of the European Le Mans Series at Monza’s Temple of Speed, but at the endwe were able to celebrate another top result. We had a few problems with the radio during this race, which annoyed us fromstart to finish because Greg, our race engineer, couldn’t hear us at times and vice versa. However, we still managed to make more vital progress with our car set-up. This fifth place shows that we are on the right track, for sure as we are looking forward to our season's highlight at Le Mans."
Tristan GOMMENDY : "This week in Monza was intense. We have done a lot of work which has allowed us to considerably reduce the gap with the leaders. The championship has never been so strong with the 18 best lmp2 in the world. We must continue this work and remain calm for the 24 hours of Le Mans because I am sure we will have the level to fight for victory."
Memo ROJAS : "I am happy with the progress we have been making each race, Monza was not the exception and we were able to have our best qualifying of the season and a great race pace. Our race result in P5 is quite solid and puts us in the fight for top 3 in the championship, although I have to say we had the car to finish in the podium, but unfortunately we were very unlucky with the first safety car. Nevertheless I am quite happy with the work we’ve been making as a team that will certainly will be very important for Le Mans 24!"
