Somehow Sacha Fenestraz managed to get through the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 series weekend at the Hungaroring without stepping onto the top step of the podium, with the French-Argentine driver securing second, third and eighth place finishes across the three races.
The Josef Kaufmann Racing driver appeared to have the fastest car all weekend long, with Fenestraz breaking the lap record for a 2.0-litre Formula Renault car during Friday’s Collective Test sessions, and he went onto set the fastest time in his section of first qualifying, only for Daniel Ticktum to go faster in more favourable conditions in the second section.
Despite staying close to the Briton, he could not find a way through and was forced to settle for second in race one, the fifth time in 2017 that he has finished as runner up!
He started from pole position for race two but found himself shuffled to third on the opening lap, and was unable to regain his positions from Gabriel Aubry or Will Palmer, but the biggest disappointment was to come in race three.
Despite taking the chequered flag first after a great pass on Aubry into turn one on the safety car restart, he was relegated to eighth after being handed a ten second penalty for a jump start, with Fenestraz also losing the chance of heading the championship standings as a result.
“We had one of the fastest cars on the grid this weekend,” admitted Fenestraz. “The team did such a brilliant job. I was really happy to get the track record, especially by a second in the end. Then to get two podiums was even better.
“It was just a shame to end the weekend in this way. If I hadn’t made a couple of little mistakes, I could be sitting in first place in the Championship. But I have to be pretty satisfied with the weekend overall.
“I had closed the gap right up at the top of the Championship after the second race. That’s why the third race was so frustrating. We had the speed but not the victory to go with it. It’s just one of those things.
“I’m already moving on and thinking about the next race. Hopefully we can be this fast again and I can keep working hard and make the most of it next time.”
