Science and technology are constantly evolving, proving to us that the impossible is possible.
The sun revolves around the Earth. Disproved by Copernicus.
Parallel lines do not intersect. Disproved by Lobachevsky.
On the Zandvoort track it is almost impossible to overtake. Disproved by Tsunami RT.

 

Free practice began as usual and very successfully: both our drivers, Alessio Rovera and Tommaso Mosca, located themselves at the very top of the table: Mosca - the first, Rovera - the second. Isn't it great?!

 

 

Nobody could have foreseen what would happen in the second training session. Our drivers - both (team solidarity!) - fly out in the same corner. As a result, Mosca's car can be restored till tomorrow's qualification. Rovera's car can not be restored until tomorrow - it's just impossible to be in time.

Alessio is already packing his stuff: the weekend will pass without him. But you do not know our mechanics! They have a completely different opinion on this issue. They work all night, and by seven in the morning Rovera gets a workable car. Impossible is possible ...

 

 

Alessio Rovera in the first qualifying gets a place on the front row of the grid - with only the polemane Julien Andlauer in front of him. Tommaso Moska meets the traffic and shows only the sixth time (although, in fact, the sixth result of 34 participants is very good!).

After the first qualifying, Alessio Rovera complains about wheel problems and vibration. To drive in such conditions is just dangerous. The team decides to make Alessio miss the qualification (which will put him at the very end of the peloton). But Tommaso Mosca shows the third time.

And in the evening of this long, long day the first race in Zandvoort starts.

 

 

Alessio Rovera was able to start well, but he immediately gets on the dirty section of the track, spins - and here he is again on p2.

 

Alessio Rovera (#112): "My start was good, the problem was that what I gained in reaction I lost it in spinning as I was on the dirty side of the track. After that, it's so difficult to overtake in this track, it's even difficult to stay close to the car in front because you can't see the corners. I tried to disturb Julien Andlauer a bit, not to overtake him, expecting for a mistake from his side but he proved very good.

 

In the first laps I was faster with new tyres but later I had a lot of understeering on the left corners – probably there is something with the car. Tomorrow it will be tough, it is so difficult to overtake..."

 

 

Meanwhile, Tommaso Mosca's car was jealous of the mechanics attention to Rovera's car, around which they jumhave danced all the previuos night, and began to be capricious, changing the oversteering to understeering and vice versa. The frustrated Tommaso, having spent all 30 racing minutes in a battle with his own car more than with his rivals, finishes on the sixth place.

 

 

And Alessio Rovera takes the cup for second place overall! This is not only the triumph of our driver, it is the victory of our mechanics who fought all night long to make the car reach the track - and the podium!

 

 

Porsche Carrera Cup France & Benelux. Race 1. Zandvoort.

1. Julien Andlauer (Martinet by A lméras) 16 laps
2. Alessio Rovera (Tsunami RT) + 0.736
3. Valentin Hasse-clot (Sébastien Loeb Racing) + 4.084
...
7. Tommaso Mosca (Tsunami RT) +6.834

 

 

Sunday's race - and we are relaxed beforehand, realizing that Rovera today is hardly up to the prize podium. The peloton is so long that Alessio does not even see the starting lights from his position, and the team gives him information ("red-red-green") from the pit lane.

Tommaso Mosca mistakes at the start, loses two positions, now he is the fifth.

Rovera - the 32nd.

 

 

Nicolas Misslin and Jeremy Sarhi collide.

Rovera - the 27th.

Sarhi's car is pulled out on a rope from the gravel. But the organizers have forgotten one small detail - to start a safety car! On a narrow track cars have to avoid the broken Sarhi's car, left in the middle of the road, just with a yellow flag warning!

 

 

When finally the safety car goes out on the track, Rovera is already 24th.

As soon as the restart is given, Tommaso Mosca immediately overtakes Xavier Maassen and begins to attack Valentine Hasse-Clot.

Rovera's 18th.

 

By the time of the second safety car appearance (nobody said it would be an easy race!) Mosca is the third, Rovera - the 15th.

 

 

The safety car leaves the track three minutes before the finish, giving us the opportunity to admire the hot struggle for victory between Julien Andlauer and Ayhanchan Guven. And here it is - the finish! Tommaso Mosca is the fourth overall and the bronze prize-winner among the PCCF pilots. Alessio Rovera - the 10th overall and the seventh - among the participants of the French Cup.

 

Alessio Rovera (#112): "it has been a nice race right from the start. Actually, at the grid I couldn't even see the lights – it was Andrii Kruglyk who told me 'red-red-green' on the intercom. I did a good start and immediately gained 4-5 positions.

 

After that I could overtake at least 1-2 cars in every lap – it was only one lap in which I didn't overtake anybody. The second safety car helped because regrouped us. I finished in 6th for the French PCC so we didn't lose too many points.

 

As far as the whole weekend, I am sorry because we could have made it much better but considering the car's situation on Friday, it's all right!"

 

 

Tommaso Mosca (#19): "I did a mistake at the start and lost two positions that I regained immediately. The rest of the race was quite good, just a little bit of chaos with the safety car, after which Xavier Maassen overtook me, when Valentin Hasse-Clot pushed me a bit and we touched in the corner – I could do nothing actually. Maassen was a little bit aggressive but I am quite satisfied with my driving".

 

Porsche Carrera Cup France & Benelux. Race 2. Zandvoort.

1. Julien Andlauer (Martinet by A lméras) 16 laps
2. Ayhancan Guven (Attempto Racing) +0.331
3. Xavier Maassen (DV B Racing) + 1.054
4. Tommaso Mosca (Tsunami RT) +1.486

....

10. Alessio Rovera (Tsunami RT) + 5.093

 

Ahead again is the old and narrow track. The most legendary, the most famous - we are waiting for Monza and the Italian Porsche Cup! Follow the news!

 

 

 

 

Gallery: Zandvoort. Porcshe Carrera Cup France 2018 - Round 2.

 

By: Irina Boyarskaya
Photo: Akis Temperidis