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Mardenborough On Top As ETEC Mix It At Taupo
The 2013 Toyota Racing Series moved onto the North Island for the first time this season and ETEC hoped for a move North in the results as the team assembled at the Taupo Motorsport Park on the outskirts of the pretty lakeside town.
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The two days of testing had turned in some strong performances with Tatiana Calderon looking strong on day 1 and Andrew Tang topping the timesheets on day two. Mardenborough after initially finding things tricky was improving and had things to his liking as practice concluded.
Qualifying
As the cars lined up for Saturday mornings session, the team and drivers knew that qualifying was gaining in importance in this years championship and the ETEC drivers took to the track hoping to repeat the testing performances.
Session 1 proved frustrating as Lucas Auer spun off the track on 3 separate occasions, ruining the best laps for Mardenborough and Calderon just as the Michelin tyres were coming good. A further spin by Damion Leitch dirtied the track and put paid to any late improvements.
So at the flag Mardenbough was again quickest for ETEC and posted the best result to date 5th, Calderon 10th, an improving Tang 14th. Nandy and Tanart not enjoying their best results in 15th and 17th respectively.
Race 1
Round 7 of this years TRS championship and ETEC’ drivers enjoyed a belter! Led by Mardenborough, who flew into 5th off the start, Tatiana starting tenth was 6th, along with everybody else as the first corner looked to be heading for disaster, Jan lost out to Auer on the exit and Tatiana kept her foot well in as she muscled Leitch and ran 7th and set off after her team mete.
Behind, Nandy as usual made up for a poor qualifying by overtaking his customary 3 cars off the start, getting in front of Tang and running 12th. A real battle ensued with the Asian neighbour’s swapping places and pulling audacious moves on each other.
Back in front Jann ad Tatiana battled on with Leitch and Auer, the Austrian getting back in front of the Welshman only for the Jann to pull a great move into the final chicane to regain the place. And so it went on. A missed gear let Leitch back past Tatiana who was banging in fast laps whilst Nandy behind was running at the pace of the leaders closing in on the back of Olson and the battling group ahead.
At the flag ETEC had 3 cars in the top ten, led once again by Mardenborough with a fighting 6th, Tatiana with her best result 8th, and Nandy 10th. Tang scored his best result thus far with 11th and Tanart who didn’t really hook it up today came home 13th.
Team Manager Trevor Sheumack , watching from the pit roof with his family had a birdseye view of his teams efforts “Our guys have got some fight in them, some great moves and good results, Tatiana was lapping at front running pace and Jann looked really racy, I’m pleased and surprised that the cars came back with all the bits they started with!”
Jann Mardenborough (6th) “ I enjoyed the fight with Auer, he squeezed me a bit when I got the run into the chicane but I got through, I tried to fight him until the end but I had an awful vibration in the front from my lock up at the start so it was difficult (to race him)”
Tatiana Calderon was all smiles after the disappointment from qualifying; she was determined to get stuck in and she delivered, setting 4th fastest race lap along the way.
Akash Nandy is hard to suppress even when things go badly so he too was delighted with his fast run into 10th place, “ It was a good race, I fought with Andrew who pulled a great move on me in turn 4 after I had hung him out earlier in the lap, but I got him back on the back straight and then kept pulling away”
Andrew Tang delivered his best result but was disappointed not to break the top ten “ I was that close to the top ten’ he said pinching his fingers together, ‘Akash was so quick he had a great race from the start and I could not stay with him after he passed me. I am really pleased with move on him earlier though”
Tanart Sathirnthirakul was less pleased “ That was my worst race ever” said the Thai. He will definitely be looking for better I tomorrow’s races.
The Toyota Racing Series resumes tomorrow, Sunday 27th January with rounds 8 and 9 of the 15 race championship at the Taupo Motorsport Park.
PaddockTalk Perspective
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