Patrick shines to finish 2nd on FTS return, while Theo sprays first WS champagne of the season!
Faster Than Speed - Australia Report
Category: Press-release
Patrick De Wit made his comeback to Faster  "Patrick 2nd on FTS return!"
Ernesto De Angelis took FTS NetRex's first points with 7th, while Theo Gort finished third in WS Pro and clinched the team's first WS podium finish of the season.
World Championship
Patrick De Wit, Sergio Casalins and Ernesto De Angelis comfortably went through Q1 setting the 7th, 8th and 13th fastest times respectively. Giuseppe Marconi was unable to and qualified 22nd. The team had a shocking result in Q2, however, as all FTS drivers were knocked out from Q3 and missed the top-ten shootout for pole. Patrick, struggling for grip in the last sector, qualified 12th, followed by Ernesto in 14th and Sergio 18th.
Qualifying seemed to predict a difficult race ahead. However, Patrick and Sergio made great starts and quickly started climbing through the field, showing very strong pace on the FTS-P9 and producing some fantastic overtaking moves. Patrick was the only one, apart from race winner Roy Kolbe, to use a very agressive 3-stopper strategy. Before their last pitstops, both Patrick and Sergio were running in podium positions.
It looked like FTS could leave Melbourne leading the WC standings for the first time, as with 6 laps to go, Patrick and Sergio were in 2nd and 4th places respectively. Unfortunately, it all ended in a heartbraking feeling for Sergio, as he lost control of his car and smashed the barriers, ending his race there and then. Patrick went on to control the attack from Lee Morris and finish 2nd, leaving him and the team in the same position in the WC standings.
For FTS NetRex, Ernesto De Angelis made the best out of his few test kilometres, and drove a very steady race to 7th, taking the team's first points of the season. Giuseppe had a very disappointing race, as a wheel controls problem meant he had to start from the pitlane due to a stall, and was unable to see the checkered flag.
Patrick De Wit (2nd): "I am really delighted that the 2009 FSR season has started! I'm really happy to be back at FTS.
Everything went fine in Q1 but  "http://www.fts-racing.net"
The race start was really good, I had a good getaway with the new launch control system and could overtake some cars. I then started battling with Helsten, Keersmaekers and in the end Morris. That guy is not easy to overtake but went through a couple of times. Actually, the battle lasted the whole race, not always directly but indirectly because I was on a 3 stopper like Roy Kolbe, and it was the only way for me to do a good race today.
I would like to compliment all the drivers today for their very clean driving. Fair and hard racing, sometimes it was agressive, yes, but I think it's part of it. A real shame for the Hancock GP cars that where at the wrong place at the wrong time, unfortunately, but I am sure they will bounce back in Sepang. Also, congratulations to Roy for a perfect drive today, there was nothing I could do about it, but after driving 15th after my first pitstop I would never imagine that I could get on the podium today.
Many thanks to my team Faster Than Speed and Christian Smirnoff, I am really happy that I can give them yet another podium on my return to FTS! See you all at Sepang."
Ernesto De Angelis (7th): "I'll start from the best part of it: I had great fun driving this race! My congratulations go to everyone on the field as racing has been a real pleasure with each driver capable of driving close to each other with no crazy moves.
As for my own performance, I won't repeat the usual few practice story which should be quite well known, but I have to say that considering the amount of laps I had done before the race, I'm more than happy with the two points I got.
I will finish by thanking all my teammates, Patrick, Sergio and Giuseppe for providing me a precious help to be there on Sunday night."
World Series Ace
2008 WS Advanced Champion Florian Pechon made his Ace debut in Melbourne, qualifying 14th. Team mate Mauricio Gomez was 24th in Q1 while Gabriel Montanes  "Patrick De Wit (FTS-P9)"
Florian and Gabriel, unfortunately had short races, both retiring from the race before halfway distance. Gabriel was in the top-10 when he was hit by another car. Mauricio wasn't lucky either, as his car was heavily damaged from a first-lap incident. He managed to nurse his car home in 13th position, albeit 6 laps down on race winner Puumalainen, to score the team's first two points in the division.
World Series Pro
Theo Gort qualified his FTS-P9 in 12th position, while Pablo Tassano was unable to take part in Qualifying and started his first race for FTS at the back of the grid. Unfortunately, Pablo's car was retained in Parc-Fermé conditions without having his race fuel on, which meant he was unable to reach the pitlane and retired during the Formation Lap.
Theo, meanwhile, had a much better race, running steadily in the top 5 the whole race and even leading a pair of laps before his second and last pitstop. As a result of his very strong drive, Theo took the team's first podium finish of 2009 after crossing the line in 3rd place.
World Series Amateur
Nick Oldenhuis qualified 12th on his FTS debut, while team mate Heinz Vanderhoydonck, with technical problems, was unfortunately unable to take part in the event. Nick was making good progress in the race, but on lap 14, he lost grip while getting too close to a car he was battling with, and ended up going off track, ending his race prematurely.
The WS Advanced division, where Faster Than Speed defends its Drivers' and Constructors' titles from 2008, did not race its Australian event, and will do so during July. Roy Wachtmeester and Drazen Cokor will have their 2009 debut in the Malaysian GP at Sepang, where FTS will be hoping to continue fighting among the top World Championship teams while taking solid results in the World Series.
Faster Than Speed
Press Release
http://www.fts-racing.net
Article by: Christian Smirnoff, 2009-04-12 03:05:19
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