Cosworth Masters - Valencia

[fatcat]

Off to Spain tomorrow....hope its not too hot. I blistered a tyre at Snett last week and nearly melted myself so God knows what will happen if it is the predicted 10 degrees hotter in Valencia. Anyone driven the circuit, got any tips ? regards fc P.S. the cars have all gained additional cut-outs in both sides of the bonnet on instruction from CC. Apparently this will aid cooling in hot conditions and may also help the power a little, as previously the foam cover on the air intake was wedged up against the bonnet but now it can breathe freely. We will see. Edited by - fatcat on 29 Jun 2005 13:32:14

[Matthew Willoughby]

Good luck in Spain. Would love to come and see you but I'll have to wait a month until you come to Oulton in a month's time as it's only 5 miles from home

[fatcat]

official media release:

 

3 JULY 2005

 

BELL/FLETCHER & DESPREZ BEAT THE HEAT IN VALENCIA

Images from the race: http://www.imagevaults.co.uk/caterham/2005/valencia_masters.htm

 

A surprise debut win for Neil Fletcher and Nathan Bell, plus an emphatic second-race victory for Frenchman François Desprez, were the highlights of the Cosworth Caterham Masters visit to Valencia on Saturday (2 Jul).

 

Roadsport racer Fletcher and R400 pilot Bell were enjoying a Masters 'taster' weekend in Spain and had no thoughts of victory - a fact which probably aided their cause in a blisteringly hot event where outright speed had to be balanced against the need to preserve the machinery.

 

Saturday's first race had looked safe in French hands from its early stages. Twenty-year-old Damien Toulemonde hared into the lead from row two of the grid, taking advantage of the gap in front of him where pole-sitter Philippe Soulan should have been - the former French GT champion's car had stopped on the warm-up lap with electrical problems.

 

Toulemonde's first stint in the lead lasted only as far as turn two, however, Desprez outbraking him to assume control. Right behind the battling Frenchman was Luke Stevens, the reigning Caterham R400 Champion setting fastest lap of the race on his third tour, having seen off Richard Hay for third place on the previous lap.

 

But Stevens' progress soon faltered, a loose exhaust forcing him into the pits for time-consuming repairs just before one-third distance, this promoting Fletcher's sister Hyperion Motorsport-prepared machine to third. Stevens and his team-mate Jon Barnes got going again eventually, finishing seven laps in arrears in 14th place.

 

Desprez - who had slipped to second on lap five when Toulemonde blasted past him on the main straight - was the first of the leading trio to make his mandatory pit visit. Alas he threw away a likely race victory by breaking the pit lane speed limit. Summoned to return to the pits for a drive-through penalty, he then transgressed again by crossing the pit exit line prematurely, incurring a further drive-through.

 

There were no such unforced errors from Fletcher, who handed over to Bell a lap after Desprez's original stop, their car rejoining the fray in fifth place. Six laps later Damien Toulemonde pitted to hand over to his 41-year-old father, Bruno, who emerged just ahead of Bell. Nathan seized the opportunity to pounce and take the lead.

 

Bell proceeded to chime in with a closing-stint performance which belied his lack of experience of the new Caterham CSR and endurance racing in general, taking the chequered flag 12.7 seconds ahead of the Hay/Clive Richards Colards Motorsport-prepared machine, which had relieved French veteran Michel Mora of second with three laps to go.

 

Nathan had no idea he had been leading: "It was only when they put the flag out for me that I realised. I was playing it safe and steady, and thought I was in second place and was quite happy with that." Added team-mate Fletcher: "I think the fact that we came here just for the fun of it and felt no pressure on us must have helped us enormously."

 

The severe heat played havoc with several cars, not least that of Hay and Richards, which was several horsepower down as a result of cooling problems.

 

At 61 the oldest driver in the race, Mora performed brilliantly in the heat to finish third, less than half a second behind Hay/Richards, with his countrymen Desprez and Toulemonde claiming fourth and fifth respectively.

 

Philip Derby, eighth when he pitted for his mandatory stop, drove well for Team Parker Racing to fight through to sixth by the end, ahead of Alexis Delb and Serge Cazzani/Jacques Peltier. Steve Hindle, who was partnered at the wheel by Terry Clark, claimed his best-ever overall finish at the wheel of a Caterham with ninth, one place ahead of motorsport journalist Nick Phillips - another who fell foul of the pit lane speed gun - and his team-mate Nigel Bent.

 

Damien Toulemonde once again proved the fastest man in the early stages of race two, relieving Fletcher of the lead as they exited the sharp left-hander on to the main straight on the opening lap. The French youngster was not out front for long, however - he slipped to third behind the cars of Loïc Martinez/Philippe Simon and Desprez before pitting with a down on power engine after 13 laps.

 

Repeated breaches of the pit lane exit safety code cost Martinez and Simon their comfortable lead over Desprez, and a probable victory. Twice they broke the rules and were handed drive-through penalties; the third error brought out the black flag.

 

Thus it was Desprez, who had learned his pit etiquette the hard way in race one, who took over in front and led - save for a lap after his pit stop, when Malcolm Johnstone popped in front - all the way to the chequered flag. "There were no problems for me," said Francois, "apart maybe from a lack of brakes. The car was very good." It was Desprez's second Cosworth Caterham Masters race victory of the season.

 

The Fletcher/Bell car took over second spot at one-third distance and Nathan continued the good work started by Neil in closing the gap between himself and Desprez. The victory margin at flag fall was just 5.5 seconds.

 

A still down on power Hay slipped to sixth behind Philip Gladman in the early stages - Philip going great guns having found a fix for the first-race oil leaks which sidelined the CSR he shares with his wife Natasha - but Richards found himself promoted to a comfortable third after a slick pit stop to take over driving duties.

 

The Hay/Richards Caterham took the flag still holding third to maintain an unbroken podium finishing record and extend their championship lead. Olivier Guerin was a convincing fourth to make up for his first-race retirement with overheating problems.

 

Stevens and Barnes were down on power also and, despite a time-consuming spin by Barnes which cost him a place to Guerin, managed to stay fighting to the finish and fifth spot, the last of the unlapped runners.

 

From 14th place in the early stages, Derby's fight back to sixth was a highlight. The TPR man finished just ahead of the Johnstone/Esmond Smith car, with Mr and Mrs Gladman eighth, Bent and Phillips ninth and Hindle/Clarke 10th after a late-race spin by Terry.

 

The next rounds of the Cosworth Caterham Masters in association with Autosport take place at Oulton Park, Cheshire, on 23 July. In addition to the title sponsorship from Cosworth, the championship is backed by Comma and by Avon.

 

Provisional results

Round 3 Valencia, Spain 2 July

34 laps/84.66 miles

1, Nathan Bell/Neil Fletcher, GB, 1h 03m 25.596s, 80.0mph

2, Richard Hay/Clive Richards, GB, +12.7s

3, Michael Mora, FRA, +13.1s

4, François Desprez, FRA, +55.2s

5, Bruno Toulemonde/Damien Toulemonde, FRA, +56.7s

6, Philip Derby, GB, +1m 40.8s, etc

Fastest lap: Luke Stevens, 1m 44.587s / 85.7mph est rec

 

Round 4 Valencia 2 July

34 laps/84.66 miles

1, Desprez, 1h 03m 35.538s, 79.8mph

2, Bell/Fletcher, +5.5s

3, Hay/Richards, +20.1s

4, Olivier Guerin, FRA, +58.5s

5, Luke Stevens/Jon Barnes, GB, +1m 29.7s

6, Derby, 33 laps, etc

Fastest lap: Desprez, 1m 44.911s / 85.4mph

 

Provisional championship standings

1= Hay & Richards, 72 points; 3 Desprez, 69; 4= Stevens & Barnes, 59; 6 Derby, 58; 7 Damien Toulemonde, 44;

8 Nick Phillips, 43; =9 Mora, Esmond Smith, Malcolm Johnstone, Bell & Fletcher, 38 etc.

 

Championship website www.caterhamracing.com

 

 

Nick Carter

Telephone 01530 563200

 

Max Communications

14 High Street Packington Ashby-de-la-Zouch Leicestershire LE65 1WH

 

After hours telephone: 07803 274701

 

[Tight fart]

How do the CSR's lap times compare to the R400s ?

 

A7 RDP

pics here

[fatcat]

not sure there's been a proper comparison under similar conditions yet...

 

I reckon the CSR is faster but I could be biased as I dislike the R400 'cos I don't fit in it ! Certainly I didn't have great difficulty staying ahead of an R400 at Silverstone and (sadly) I'm not the worlds quickest driver..

In the hands of really good drivers there probably won't be a huge difference but the CSR will certainly be faster in the hands of average drivers precisely because it is easier to drive.

 

First round of the Masters at Nuremburg was wet, I don't think the R400 have ever been to Valencia. Next round at Oulton Park may provide better evidence.