The Euroformula Open season ended at Monza with a dramatic 1-2 for Red Bull Juniors Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda. Victory in Race 2 gave 17-year-old New Zealander Lawson second in the points table and top rookie.
It was equally an excellent weekend for Tsunoda as the 19-year-old Japanese had 2nd in Race 2 after grabbing 3rd in Race 1, two superb drives, both from back in the grid.
Jack Doohan survived a nasty crash after being hit in Race 2 while chasing a fourth place finish following a good P5 in second Qualifying and a good race pace.
Lawson fast all weekend
“That’s brilliant, a very nice way to end the season,” enthused Lawson. “It was not an easy race at all. The Carlin cars were running less downforce so it made them very hard to pass in a straight line but we were all over them through the rest.”
“Yesterday we had good pace in Qualifying, to be honest I should have got pole,” admitted the Motopark driver who just missed out by 0.039 seconds.
“In Race 1 I was just trying to stay out of trouble in the early laps. But that didn’t work out so well and then trying to come back I got hit and suffered damage so that was the end of that.”
“It was great to turn things around today. Again the Qualy pace was quite good and the race was very tight, a tough battle all the way. All credit to Yuki, he made a great drive through and passed me for the lead just before the Safety Car came out. I then managed to pass him on the restart and hold on for the win.”
“It means a huge amount to win the last race of the season, to take second in the championship and the rookie title. Thanks to the Motopark guys for a superb car and I’d like to dedicate the win to John Fairhall, a great supporter of mine who died earlier this year.”
Tsunoda told too late
“The weekend was OK but it really should have been better,” explained the Honda Formula Dream Project driver who put in two great drives, cutting through the pack both times. “Again it was the Qualifying on both days that limited the possibilities.”
“On Saturday I was in a big group of cars and just did not have the right position for the slipstream when I needed it, we just did not get the lap time we should have.”
“Then in Race 1 I didn’t get a good start, there were a lot of cars going everywhere and I had to avoid them,” explained the Motopark driver who dropped to 15th before things settled a little and he could begin his charge.”
“It was a good race and good pace, if I had made a normal start from a good grid position the result would have been better than third.”
“In Q2 today I needed another lap, I had to give up a good lap and we hoped I had time for another push but the session ended so again we were not where we should be on the grid.”
“Again the Race 2 start was not good but again I was able to pass guys and get through to P1. Then there was a long Safety Car period and at the restart Liam passed me.”
“We were told that the race was extended because of the Safety Car and I planned to pass Liam on the last lap. But the officials then changed and stopped the race on time. I was only told by my engineer that we were on the last lap at turn 8 so it was too late to do anything. That was a shame,” added Tsunoda as something of an understatement.
Doohan walks away
“Not a good end to the weekend but it certainly could have been worse,” explained Doohan who escaped uninjured from the flipped Dallara. Actually the last time this car will save a driver like that, as after 8 years of service for the Dallara F312/317, it is being replaced for next season by the brand new 320.
“The pace wasn’t bad through the weekend, in Q1 on Saturday I didn’t get the slipstream, just didn’t have the right track position. So though the time was 7 tenths off, that wasn’t the true picture. In the race it was all very tight, close and hard to make progress. I had contact early and didn’t get ahead,” stated the Double R driver.
“Today I was also chasing a slipstream in Q2 but in the end did my best time alone which was pretty good to get P5 like that. So there were some quick cars behind us on the grid and from the start I was having to hold them off as well as trying to go forward. Yuki came past really quick and I could see from the way he was going that it wan’t good to try and hold him up.”
“I had a good rhythm going though and good pace, we were all in a bunch at the front, not far off the lead and when Hahn went wide I was ready to take advantage and go for fourth but he spun around and took me out. Kind of a case of what could have been, but… could also have been worse,” concluded Doohan.
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