GP2 Series

Double Points Finish for Abt and Hilmer in Hungary

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The Hilmer Motorsport team’s improved recent form continued at the Hungaroring, with Daniel Abt securing two points-paying finishes, while Jon Lancaster showed good speed despite a mistake in qualifying costing the opportunity to join his team-mate in the fight up front.

Abt had one of his best weekends in GP2 by taking two fifth place finishes in Hungary, and is looking forward to the rest of the season as the team continues to grow in confidence.

“I am extremely happy about the two fifth positions,” said Abt. “Finally a bit of luck was on our side and we could score valuable points. The 16 points from Budapest are very important for everyone in the team.

“Although we will continue to work hard in order to close the gap to the top and to fight in the front again in Spa.”

Lancaster’s weekend was compromised by a mistake in qualifying that saw him start back in twenty-third. He was able to show some good pace and make a handful of places in both races but was not able to get close to adding to the points he earned last time out in Germany.

“I made a mistake in qualifying unfortunately and so I had to start from the back of the grid,” said Lancaster. “Because of that my weekend was literally already over. I was stuck in traffic and couldn’t have better results. I could have done better for sure.

“But as a team we made a big step forward and the car is finally there where it should be. I am looking forward to Spa and I hope that we will fight at the top again.”

Team Principal Franz Hilmer was delighted to see Abt score two fifth positions after a disappointing first half of the season. He was disappointed for Lancaster after his mistake in qualifying, but gave praise to the Briton for the input he has brought to the team since returning in place of Facu Regalia at Silverstone.

“We are very happy about the two fifth places that Daniel scored for Hilmer Motorsport in Budapest,” said Hilmer. “It is a great success and a big relief for us after we had a lot of bad luck in the first half of the season and after we had been involved in collisions which were not our faults but which destroyed our race weekends already in the beginning. That’s why it is even better that we were able to show in Budapest that we belong in the Top 5.

“After Daniel’s fifth place on Saturday he was allowed to start from the second row in the second race because of the reverse grid of the Top 8. At the start he nearly was in third place after the start. But the Championship leaders Jolyon Palmer and Felipe Nasr overtook Daniel.

“Jon lost a lot of time in qualifying because he made a mistake on his fastest lap. So he had to start from the back of the grid and wasn’t able to finish in the points. However, Jon helped the team incredibly much and his input and information have been very important for us so that we were able to develop the car in the right direction and make a big step forward. If Jon would have started further up he could have finished in the points easily, maybe even on the podium.

“We want to continue successfully in Spa and to be not less than in the Top 5 again. But before, we are going to use the small summer break to recover from the stress in the last weeks in order to attack again in Belgium.”

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