Month: October 2017

OPEN class: Van Kalmthout wins last season race

Van Kalmthout wins last season race 2017 in the OPEN class.

Heavy change of the weather conditions im Imola over night lead to another exciting race on Sunday morning. The last race of the BOSS GP season 2017 brought another face on the P1 than Ingo Gerstls – young Dutch Rinus van Kalmthout won his second podium of the season.

Just two OPEN class drivers were left in the start grid of the BOSS GP season final: Rinus van Kalmthout (Mansell Motorsport) and Phil Stratford (Penn Elcom Racing). Ingo Gerstl, who actually had secured his Championship title 2017 already a couple of races ago, stepped back from the race and didn’t compete. “There are technical issues related to these weather conditions. I don’t wanna risk driving the race without the necessary technical tests”, Gerstl told us.

So it was a free lane for van Kalmthout. And the young Dutch did very well, driving his sixth race in his BOSS GP debut season in Imola. Van Kalmthout left no doubt about his sovereignty and aimed a start-finish-victory. “It was a good race and a good weekend, I really like the track here in Imola”, van Kalmthout said after the podium ceremony. “I’ve never driven that car before in rain, so it felt different and much slower. So I gained a lot of experience this weeekend, which is good for the future.”

Phil Stratford drove a souveign rain-race as well and even managed to overtake FORMULA class driver Florian Schnitzebaumer after lap 3. The gap between van Kalmthout and Stratford indeed was 1:22,972 min, so P1 for the Dutch was never questioned.

Final of the season 2017.

 

Finally Ingo Gerstl defended the BOSS GP Championship 2017 more than successful with eight P1 out of nine races and 200 points in total. A victory, that was never questioned. Runner up – in his first BOSS GP season and making his debut in this car – is Rinus van Kalmthout with a total of 116 points. He is followed from third ranked Phil Stratford with a total of 111 points. Find the full standings of the whole grid on our ranking table.

Results of race 2 of OPEN class at “Peroni Race Weekend”:

Position No. Name Nat. Team Car Time Fastest lap (min) In Gap Laps km/h
1 11 Rinus van Kalmthout NED Mansell Motorsport Dallara GP2 Evo 25:59,057 1:44,209 8 13
2 7 Phil Stratford USA Penn Elcom Racing Bennton B197 F1 27:22,029 1:50,717 12 1:22,972 13
3 1 Ingo Gerstl AUT Top Speed Toro Rosso STR1 F1

MORE:

Picture gallery of Imola 2017: bossgp.com/gallery/imola-boss-gp-superprix

Schedule Imola 2017: bossgp.com/timetable-for-the-peroni-race-weekend-in-imola-ita

OPEN class: Race 1 in Imola 2017: bossgp.com/open-class-clear-win-for-gerstl-in-imola

OPEN class: Qualifyfing in Imola 2017: bossgp.com/open-class-gerstl-chasing-new-track-record-again

OPEN class: Second free practice in Imola 2017: bossgp.com/open-class-van-kalmthout-improves-time

OPEN class: First free practice in Imola 2017: bossgp.com/open-class-gerstl-set-the-speed-at-first-free-training

OPEN class: Start list Imola 2017: bossgp.com/open-class-start-list-for-boss-gp-superprix-in-imola-ita-is-set

Standings of season 2017: bossgp.com/standings

01/10/2017

FORMULA class: Golden weekend for Raghunathan

Mahaveer Raghunathan - double-winner of the weekend and winner of the FORMULA class Championship 2017.

It was a golden weekend for Indian driver Mahaveer Raghunathan (PS Racing by Coloni Motorsport), who didn’t just win the race on Saturday in Imola, but also claimed the victory of the very last race of the season in Imola on Sunday again. With this result, Raghunathan not only won both races, but also the Championship 2017 of the BOSS GP FORMULA class.

As already reported, former leader of the FORMULA class, Johann Ledermair (Ledermair Motorsport), had to cancel his participation of the two last season races due to technical problems on early Saturday morning, as well as PETER, who stepped back from both races as well due to technical issues. So a thrilling battle was left between local hero Salvatore De Plano (MM International Motorsport) and Raghunathan for the overall victory of this years Championship.

After winning season race 13 on Saturday in Imola, Raghunathan started the race on Sunday highly motivated again. Weather conditions in Imola had turned over completely during the night. So rainy, wet weather awaited the grid on the track. After two safety car laps the grid finally started into the race and was – despite the rain – on fire.

It was indeed not a good weekend for Salvatore De Plano (MM International Motorsport). The Italian, as well as Raghunathan, had good chances, to win the Championshiop after Ledermairs cancellation of the weekend. But De Plano dropped out of the track in the beginning of fourth lap, which meant – all Championship chances were gone for him. So it was Raghunathans – holding position 2 of the overall grid – turn, to bring this race home safely.

 

Team "PS Racing by Coloni Motorsport" celebrating the Championship of Mahaveer Raghunathan.

Team “PS Racing by Coloni Motorsport” celebrating the Championship of Mahaveer Raghunathan.

 

Due to ongoing rain, conditions for all drivers were challenging. “I liked the rain and the wet track”, Raghunathan indeed explained after the race. “I love driving during such weather conditions.” The Indian, well known as a good rain-driver, showed a souvereign performance and finally finished on first position of the FORMULA class. “I am really happy with that win and todays race. It was a lot of fun, and I’m absolutely happy, that I could make it P1 and finally the Championship as well. This is amazing. I want to give a huge thank you to my team at PS Racing by Coloni Motorsport, who did a great job”, Raghunathan said after the podium ceremony.

Florian Schnitzenbaumer (Top Speed), having had some trouble at Saturday’s race, showed a great performance in Sunday’s race and secured P2. “I’m not really satisfied with my lap times today”, the German wasn’t totally happy despite his podium position. “It was not a good racing year for me at all. But I tick it off, next year will be better”, Schnitzenbaumer said.

 

Martin Kindler racing to P3 in Imola 2017.

Martin Kindler racing to P3 in Imola 2017.

 

For the first time this season, Martin Kindler (Jenzer Motorsport) raced onto the podium with P3, despite a significant gap to Raghunathan and Schnitzenbaumer. “We got along with the rainy weather conditions very well. It was a great race and driving to P3 with this car compared to the other cars of the grid is just amazing. I’m really happy with this result”, Kindler told us after the podium ceremony. “I wonder, what it could have turned out, if I wouldn’t have rotated on the track twice.”

Veteran Karl-Heinz Becker (Becker Motorsport), René Kouwenberg (De Boer Manx) and Nicolas Matile (PS Racing by Coloni Motorsport) completed the grid.

Walter Steding (Inter Europol Competition), who seemed to race for his first season spot on the podium (P3) for a long time finally was disqualified for rule violation (passing through the pit lane) and turned into the box after nine laps, actually owning the P3 spot at this time of the race.

 

Final of the season 2017.

Final of the season 2017.

 

So in the end it is Mahaveer Raghunathan, who is the new Champion 2017 of the BOSS GP FORMULA class. The young Indian, who finished 2016 season on fifth place with a total of 118 points, performed a constant season 2017. 16 points separate Raghunathan from runner up Johann Ledermair, who finishes the season on second position. The gap to third ranked Salvatore De Plano is little: Ledermair leads over the Italian only by four points. Find the full standings of the whole grid on our ranking table.

Results of race 2, seasonrace 14, of FORMULA class at “Peroni Race Weekend”:

Position No. Name Nat. Team Car Time Fastest lap (min) In Gap (s) Laps km/h
1 115 Mahaveer Raghunathan IND PS Racing by Coloni Motorsport Dallara Lola 27:13,847 1:50,481 4 13 253,3
2 888 Florian Schnitzenbaumer GER Top Speed Dallara GP2 26:11,863 1:54,942 6 1 lap 12  247,0
3 430 Martin Kindler SUI Jenzer Motorsport Nissan World Series  26:29,257 1:54,636 10 1 lap 12 251,0
4 323 Armando Mangini ITA MM International Motorsport Dallara GP2 26:43,699 1:54,846 12 1 lap 12 255,7
5 411 Karl-Heinz Becker GER Becker Motorsport Super Nissan World Series 27:12,990 1:59,503 12 1 lap 12 247,6
6  139 René Kouwenberg NED De Boer Manx Dallara GP2 26:03,186 1:59,944 10 1 lap 11 209,2
7 116 Nicolas Matile SUI PS Racing by Coloni Motorsport Lola Auto GP 26:34,226 2:08,699 11 2 laps 11 207,2
Not classified 999 Salvatore De Plano ITA MM International Motorsport Dallara GP2  08:29,172 1:58,373 3 10 laps 3 230,7
Disqualified 505 Walter Steding GER Inter Europol Competition Dallara GP2  20:25,959 1:56,462 4 4 laps 9 258,8

MORE:

Picture gallery of Imola 2017: bossgp.com/gallery/imola-boss-gp-superprix

Schedule Imola 2017: bossgp.com/timetable-for-the-peroni-race-weekend-in-imola-ita

FORMULA class: First race Imola 2017: bossgp.com/formula-class-raghunathan-catches-win-in-the-last-lap

FORMULA class: Qualifying Imola 2017: bossgp.com/formula-class-florian-schnitzenbaumer-drives-to-the-top

FORMULA class: Second free practice in Imola 2017: bossgp.com/formula-class-de-plano-chasing-best-lap-time

FORMULA class: First free practice in Imola 2017: bossgp.com/formula-class-fastest-lap-at-first-free-practice-for-raghuanthan

FORMULA class: Start list Imola 2017: bossgp.com/formula-class-start-list-for-boss-gp-superprix-in-imola-ita-is-set

Standings of season 2017: bossgp.com/standings

01/10/2017