Taponen tops the times again in qualifying for FREC race two

Photo: Dutch Photo Agency

Tuukka Taponen took pole again in qualifying for Formula Regional European Championship race two at the Hungaroring.

The R-ace GP was driver was top of the times in Group B for most of the 15-minute session, starting off with a 1m49.392s and improving to 1m47.405s on his second lap to initially lead Race Performance Motorsport’s Noah Stromsted by 0.914 seconds.

MP Motorsport’s Nikhil Bohra then went fastest by 1.044s, but Taponen responded on his third lap with a 1m41.441s. That was soon beaten by Stromsted and then Van Amersfoort Racing’s Brando Badoer, who set a 1m40.363s to go top. Sainteloc Racing’s Matteo de Palo reduced his advantage to 0.945s, then G4 Racing’s Kanato Le slashed it further to 0.507s.

Two of the last drivers to set their third laps were Trident’s championship returnee Michael Belov and Bohra, and they went third and fourth fastest by lapping within 0.8s of Badoer’s pace.

Taponen returned to the top with his fourth lap, a 1m40.210s, with Badoer improving to sit 0.051s behind. He exceeded track limits at turn 11 though and his lap was deleted, although it did not impact his position. In third was Wharton, with Sainteloc’s Enzo Peugeot, Belov and Deligny filling the next places.

After a cooldown lap for most, there were more improvements on drivers’ sixth laps. Taponen lowered the pace to 1m40.020s, with de Palo and Deligny 0.195s and 0.216s behind. Belov and Peugeot left it late to go fourth and fifth fastest, and it meant they only had time for one more lap.

An improvement of 0.003s did not lift Belov up the order, instead slipping down it once other drivers set an eighth lap. Taponen improved to 1m39.620s to secure pole by 0.239s over Badoer and 0.357s over Deligny, with Wharton 0.502s back in fourth.

R-P-M’s Edgar Pierre started Group A on top, then Prema’s Ugo Ugochukwu set a 1m46.266s to go fastest by 1.525s on his second lap. He improved to 1m40.973s on his third, but was shuffled down to fifth place as VAR’s Pedro Clerot lowered the pace to 1m40.466s.

Ugochukwu briefly reclaimed top spot next time by, setting a 1m40.393s, but was in third shortly after as team-mate Rafael Camara set a 1m40.046s and R-ace’s Zachary David went second fastest.

ART Grand Prix’s Alessandro Giusti went third fastest with his fifth lap, and on the one after Camara improved to 1m39.939s to lead Ugochukwu by 0.028s and David by 0.151s. Sainteloc’s Theophile Nael slotted into fourth with a minute to go, and after the chequered flag waved Giusti went fastest by 0.077s on his seventh lap.

VAR’s Pedro Clerot was 0.001s off matching Camara, who still had time for an eighth lap and set a 1m39.676s to reclaim top spot by 0.175s over Ugochukwu. After having several laps deleted over track limits abuse, ART GP’s Evan Giltaire went from last to fifth, 0.339s off the top, with his final effort.

As Camara came 0.057s short of beating Taponen’s benchmark, it meant the latter secured pole.

Qualifying results