350cc Class
Lap record : Guy Bertin (FR)
Categorie 250cc
Lap record : Yves Hecq (BE)
350cc Class
Lap record : Guy Bertin (FR)
Categorie 250cc
Lap record : Yves Hecq (BE)
ICGP – ROUND 6 – MAGNY COURS, FRANCE – SEPTEMBER 2011 By Mandy Jordan We arrived at the Magny Cours F1 track, 150km south of Paris with sunny conditions for setting up camp for round 6 of the ICGP championship. A pleasant surprise after the forecast for the weekend was to be showers. 2 practices were scheduled for the Friday and then just the one Qualifying session on Saturday morning, with Race 1 in the early evening, and Race 2 on Sunday morning. The top two men in the 350 section: Bertin and Simmo would be fiercely contesting their places in the championship with only 17 points dividing them – Simmo on 197 points and Bertin with 180. With the track being on home soil for Bertin, the races promised to be highly competitive. Bishop lying third in the championship was still seeking that top podium position and would be riding hard with the front men. In the 250 section Hecq has already secured first place in the overall championship, now being 123 points clear of 2nd position man Gouin, with only 100 points left in the two remaining rounds. Only 26 points separates 2nd place to 5th place, so the 250 section would be as highly contested as the 350’s with all 5 riders present at Magny Cours to try to gain those much needed points. Grid postions decided from the one qualifier on Saturday morning, Simmo, Bertin, Notton and Hoffman lined up on the front row with dry sunny conditions. The lights went out and Simmo headed the pack with Bertin, Bishop, Glausier, Hoffman and Notton in close formation behind. Hecq, Gouin and Sleigh leading the way for the 250’s. By Lap 3, Notton had overtaken Hoffman and Glauiser, with Simmo still leading the race, with Bertin and a determined Bishop putting the pressure on. Bertin overtook Simmo on the last lap and Simmo determined to take the lead back fumbled on the last chicane before the straight and watched Bertin take the chequered flag just ahead of him. Bishop fractions of a second behind took 3rd podium position and the 250’s had stayed in their grid positions from the start with Hecq topping the podium again, Gouin 2nd and Sleigh 3rd. Peers-Jones did not start race 1, after having the engine cut out on the Qualifier after only 2 timed laps. He should have started unusually for him on row three, but having worked on the bike and resolved the problem, the engine cut out again on the warm up lap, and he dejectedly watched the race from the side of the circuit. Saul’s engine seized on Lap 1 and he too watched from the side-lines. The conditions for Race 2 were vastly different to the sunshine filled day of Saturday, riders and mechanics scanned the grey filled skies for signs of rain, and just before the race was due to begin, the track was misted with rain, but nothing so severe as to need a change of tyres. The riders lined up in their same grid positions and as the lights went out, the pack set off in similar formation to the previous day. Bertin took the lead around lap 2 with Simmo winning it back in the ensuing lap, but by half distance, Bertin was back at the front and led the race to the end. Bishop close on Simmo’s heels, still seeking that top podium finish, but he could not match the speed and dexterity with which Bertin and then Simmo negotiated the twists, turns and chicanes of the challenging track. Newcomer Glauiser was ahead of old-hand Notton until his bike broke down in the penultimate lap. Gouin failed to finish due to mechanical problems, and Boam who had skipped Race 1 to give himself a better chance at the Endurance race the previous day, got the jump on Barry Neal and finished 3rd in the 250’s, with Hecq 1st and Sleigh 2nd. Peers-Jones having finally resolved the cut-out problems with a new ignition managed two laps until the engine over-heated and he pulled off to find the head bolt sheared. Howarth his DNF companion this season also failed to finish Race 2 after his engine seized and he collected the kitty litter in his fairings on one of the right-handers. Saul’s bike was unrepairable from Race 1 and he failed to start alongside Dorfner, whose bike had overheated on Race 1 but he kept going to the end anyway, but could not then start the next day. The penultimate race for the season will be at Brands Hatch the weekend of 8th and 9th October, with the BSB final. One race on the Indy Circuit and then Sunday on the Grand Prix track. All to play for with the top 2 350 men, and Bishop seeking that top podium position will be on his home track. Also joining the circus will be Bernard Fau who made his debut at Magny Cours, and previous contenders Spike Edwards and Alan Carter returning for this UK round.