Forty-eight hours after free practice, the Formula Renault 3.5 drivers were back on the streets of Monaco for qualifying. Nico Müller, who had a quiet practice session on Thursday, pulled off a surprise by claiming his first ever pole position in the category. The Swiss will share the front row of the grid with Jazeman Jaafar (Carlin).

As always at Monaco, the 26 drivers were split into two groups for qualifying. The fastest time overall would earn pole position, with the rest of drivers from the pole-sitter's group lining up directly behind him on the starting grid. The drivers from the other group, meanwhile, would start the race on the other side of the grid.

Kevin Magnussen (DAMS), the overall championship leader coming into this round, led Group A on to the track for the first 25-minute qualifying session. The session started with threatening skies overhead, but the sun was able to pierce the clouds and gradually warm up the track.

Conditions, however, remained difficult, as Nigel Melker (Tech 1 Racing) proved by spinning at Rascasse. Jazeman Jaafar went quickest lap after lap, and set a benchmark time of 1:25.017 before returning to the pits for his second set of fresh tyres.

With only three minutes of the session remaining, Denmark's Kevin Magnussen launched his bid for the fastest time, and was the first driver to lap in under 1:25. Magnussen then improved once more, before Jaafar went fastest again with a lap of 1:23.648. Carlos Sainz Jr. came close to finishing the session fastest, but missed out after bouncing his car over the kerbs at the Piscine chicane. Jaafar held on to top the timesheets, with Norman Nato (DAMS) and Will Stevens (P1 by Strakka Racing) second and third respectively.

Shortly after, the Group B drivers made their way on to the track. Zoel Amberg (Pons Racing) went straight on at Rascasse and a few drivers locked up at the exit of the tunnel section, but there were otherwise no major incidents. After 10 minutes, Stoffel Vandoorne (Fortec Motorsports) lapped in 1:24.514, and the Belgian stayed top of the timesheets until the final ten minutes.

Marco Sorensen (Lotus) was first to beat Jaafar's benchmark time, while Antonio Félix da Costa (Arden Caterham), another contender for pole, was thwarted on what should have been his fastest lap. At the chequered flag, Nico Müller (International Draco Racing) snatched pole position with a lap of 1:23.453. He finished ahead of Marco Sorensen, Stoffel Vandoorne – who will receive a five-place grid penalty – Antonio Félix da Costa and Mikhail Aleshin.

Nico Müller: "It's an amazing feeling to have taken my first Formula Renault 3.5 pole at Monaco! I wasn't very comfortable on Thursday, but we worked hard as a team to improve our performance. Here, you have to take all your risks on the final lap. It paid off for me and I'm very pleased. Part of the work is done, but the hardest part is still in front of us."

Jazeman Jaafar: "This result builds on our performance in free practice, where we worked very well as a team. I'm a bit disappointed that I'm only second, but the second group was always going to be quicker. It's my first drive at Monaco, but I love the circuit. I'm improving with every lap and it's very exciting."

Today's free practice session gave the Formula Renault 3.5 Series drivers their only track time before qualifying, and offered the chance for them to acquaint and reacquaint themselves with the Monaco street circuit. It was the championship's rookies who stole the spotlight once again, with Stoffel Vandoorne (Fortec Motorsports) setting the best time before later receiving a five-place grid penalty for dangerous driving. Vandoorne's fellow newcomer, Norman Nato (DAMS), also impressed by finishing third fastest, behind Antonio Felix da Costa (Arden Caterham).

Monaco is no place for late risers – especially on the Thursday before a Formula One Grand Prix. The 45-minute free practice session got underway at 08.30 sharp, with all 26 of the FR 3.5 Series drivers eager to get out on the track. Some interesting pre-drive rituals were on display, with championship leader Kevin Magnussen (DAMS) arriving at 06.00 and kicking off his day with a jog through the streets of the principality. His team-mate Norman Nato, by contrast, took a more laid-back approach, turning up to the paddock just a few minutes before the start with a beaming smile on his face.

The moment their visors went down, however, the drivers' focus was set squarely on getting the most out of each and every lap. At the start of the session, every time was an improvement on the last. Competing this weekend in a one-off drive for Zeta Corse, Carlos Sainz Jr. enjoyed a prolonged stint at the top of the timesheets in the early stages. And apart from Mikhail Aleshin (Tech 1 Racing) going straight on at a corner, there were no major incidents before the cars returned to the pits.

Now on their second sets of fresh tyres, the drivers picked up the pace even further in the second half of the session. Jazeman Jaafar (Carlin) was the first to lap in under 1:26, before Britain's Nick Yelloly (Zeta Corse) – also making a one-off appearance – went a few thousandths quicker, a lap after cutting the chicane at the exit of the tunnel section.

Seven minutes from the end of the session, Stoffel Vandoorne made the most of a clear lap to record the best time of the session in 1:24.711. Mikhail Aleshin, who had been second until that point, then found himself leapfrogged by Antonio Felix da Costa and, later, Carlos Sainz Jr.

With three minutes remaining, Matias Laine (P1 by Strakka Racing) crashed at Sainte-Devote, with Zoel Amberg (Pons Racing), behind, also coming to a halt. A few moments later, Stoffel Vandoorne did not slow down sufficiently on his approach to the incident and also went off. This prompted the red flag and brought a definitive end to the session. And after an investigation by the stewards, Vandoorne received a five-place grid penalty for the start of the main race.

Stoffel Vandoorne: "I'm a bit disappointed after the accident at the end of the session. I didn't see the yellow flag and I was just as surprised as the driver in front of me. The most important thing, though, is that I set the fastest time. I thought it was going to be more difficult finish in front, as it was my first time on a street circuit. It's good for my confidence."

Antonio Felix da Costa: "Everything went well. It was important to put together as many laps as possible, even though the conditions weren't the same as they'll be on Saturday."

Norman Nato: "I was in awe of the circuit for the first few laps, but I managed to complete the programme set out by the team. We've prepared well for this meeting, working in the garage with the engineers and in the simulator. That's what allowed me to drive so naturally."

If there is one race a driver wants to win, it’s this one. An essential date on the Formula Renault 3.5 Series calendar since the category’s creation in 2005, Monaco is the one venue that has all drivers dreaming. Having already broken away at the top of the standings, Kevin Magnussen (DAMS) and Stoffel Vandoorne (Fortec Motorsports) will be out to prove their worth to the Formula One elite. But for Arthur Pic (AV Formula), Antonio Felix da Costa (Arden Caterham) and the rest of the field, the one-off race at Monaco represents an ideal opportunity to cut the gap before the series moves on to Spa-Francorchamps.

The eyes of racing fans across the world will once again be on the Formula One Grand Prix de Monaco this weekend. One of the greatest of all motorsport events, the race will be preceded by the latest round in the 2013 Formula Renault 3.5 Series, which occupies a deservedly high place on the weekend card. Won by Pastor Maldonado in 2006, Charles Pic in 2008 and Daniel Ricciardo in 2010 and 2011, the race around the streets of the principality could well reveal another future F1 star.

With four of the season’s races already run at Motorland Aragon and Monza, McLaren Young Driver Programme members Kevin Magnussen and Stoffel Vandoorne have pulled away at the top of the Formula Renault 3.5 Series standings, the Dane leading the Belgian by a mere four points. Both will no doubt be keen to impress their F1 backers over the next couple of days. And though Kevin Magnussen has the edge over his rival in terms of experience, he will be hoping to improve on his performance here last season, when he started on the second row only to retire early after hitting the guard rails at Sainte Devote.

Third overall, Arthur Pic lies 28 points behind Magnussen following his retirement in race two at Motorland, though that will not stop him from pushing hard again this weekend. With the support and shrewd racing brain of his brother Charles behind him, the AV Formula driver will aim to open his victory account at Monaco.
Regarded as a very warm favourite before the start of the season, Portugal’s Antonio Felix da Costa has endured two pointless races already and needs to stay out of trouble and score big soon to remain in title contention. Tucked in just behind him in the standings, the UK’s Will Stevens (P1 by Strakka Racing) and Russia’s Sergey Sirotkin (ISR) have the task of following up their excellent performances at Motorland Aragon.

In action here 12 months ago, Carlos Huertas (Carlin), Nico Muller (International Draco Racing) and Marco Sorensen (Lotus) return in the hope of drawing on their knowledge of the track, while Nigel Melker has the considerable resources of Tech 1 Racing – three-time winners at Monaco – to back up his challenge.
Meanwhile, 2011 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 championship runner-up Carlos Sainz Jr will be making his Formula Renault 3.5 Series debut, lining up with Mihai Marinescu for Zeta Corse.

The 26 FR 3.5s had the privilege of opening the meeting early on Thursday morning, when they ventured out for free practice. On a track offering little in the way of grip, the drivers’ first job was avoid making mistakes and getting as much data together as possible to allow their engineers to work on their set-ups for Saturday morning’s qualifying session. Tyre performance and grip will be difficult to gauge on the 3.34-kilometre track, especially if the weather proves unsettled, all of which makes Sunday’s race, which starts at 11.10, right before the 71st Formula One Grand Prix, a tough one to call.

Dominant in collective testing at Motorland Aragon three weeks ago, Italy’s Massimiliano Pedala bounced back from a quiet day yesterday to claim both pole positions at stake in Saturday’s qualifying, the Composit Motorsport driver leading the way from Stéphane Lemeret (Team Lompech Sport) and Oscar Nogues (RMS Engineering) as the 2013 New Clio Cup season began in earnest.

The season’s opening session, which took place on a drying track, proved to be competitive right from the start, with Massimiliano Pedala topping the times early on. The menacing skies did not prevent the drivers from picking up the pace, as Oscar Nogues and Stephane Lemeret (Team Lompech Sport) both went fastest before Massimiliano Pedala came up with the perfect response to move back in front. Triggered by Manuel Leon-Sotelo (SMC Junior Motorsport), the day’s first red flag came out after only eight minutes.

Rain was falling hard as the session restarted, the drivers barely having time to complete their first lap back before the heavens opened over the Italian track. That left the standings unchanged, though a handful of brave drivers ventured out to work on their set-ups for Sunday’s races.

Lining up behind Massimiliano Pedala on the first grid will be Stéphane Lemeret and Oscar Nogues, both of whom will be anxious to steal a march on the polesitter on race day. As for Sunday’s second grid, Josh Files (Team Pyro) and Oscar Nogues will be lying in wait behind the Italian. David Dickenson (Team Pyro) did not have such a happy day, however. After recording a time that left him in the top five, he had his fastest lap taken away from them for running off the track.

What he said

Massimiliano Pedala: “I’m delighted to be the first driver to claim pole in this car, and I just hope it won’t be my last. The standard of the field is very high, but I’m going to try and keep my form up on home soil. All the work we did at Motorland Aragon has paid off and we reaped the reward today.”

Three weeks on from the last round of collective testing at Motorland Aragon, the 38 drivers in the 2013 Eurocup Clio field got down to serious business in their Nouvelle Clio Cups at Imola. The fastest man on the track in Friday’s two sessions was Josh Files (Team Pyro), with Christian Ricciarini (Composit Motorsport) and Massimiliano Pedala (Composit Motorsport) behind him.

Thirty-eight drivers took to the track at Imola today as the 2013 Eurocup Clio season began. Making an early move were the two former champions in the discipline, Nicolas Milan (Team LMV CL Brakes) and Oscar Nogues (RMS Engineering), who put their names at the top of the timesheets as the field got to grips with the new car.

The lap times fell steadily throughout a session that took place under slightly cloudy skies. It ended with young British driver Josh Files posting a fastest lap of 2:02.665, nearly a second quicker than Nicolas Milan (Milan Competition) and Christian Ricciarini, the leading gentlemen driver. Closely bunched behind them were Massimiliano Pedala (Composit Motorsport), Oscar Nogues and Eric Tremoulet (Vic’ Team).

Though the sun remained notable by its absence in the afternoon, the temperatures continued to climb during what turned out to be a keenly contested second session, which began with Massimiliano Pedala going fastest. Team-mate Christian Ricciarini relieved him of first place just before the midway point, with Josh Files, Oscar Nogues and Eric Tremoulet behind them.

In the final ten minutes Massimiliano Pedala closed the gap on his compatriot without being able to outpace him. Christian Ricciarini’s hopes of staying out front ended, however, when Josh Files put in another flying lap late on, leaving the Composit Motorsport duo trailing behind him, with the Briton’s stable-mate David Dickenson (Team Pyro) and Eric Tremoulet completing the top five.

What they said

Josh Files: “The new car is really competitive and I love it already. It’s very tricky to drive, which suits my style. I’m very happy with the start I’ve made at Imola. We’re hoping for even more, just as soon as we’ve got used to the track and the car.”

Christian Ricciarini: “I feel pretty quick. I feel we can do even better and that tomorrow we can go for the front row, if not pole. The new car is superb. We’ve only had the one test at Motorland Aragon, where we did a lot of work trying to get used to the new features, such as the paddle shifts on the steering wheel.”

Oscar Nogues: “This Nouvelle Clio Cup is just fantastic. We need to keep on working on the set-up, but with the experience we’ve acquired in the seat already, tomorrow should be a better day.”

A new car, new teams, new drivers and a packed schedule: Eurocup Clio has been given a makeover for the 2013 season, though the philosophy of the category remains unchanged. Three weeks before it joins up with World Series by Renault at Spa-Francorchamps in early June, the Eurocup Clio field gets down to action with two races at Imola in Italy on 11-12 May.

Some 38 Nouvelle Clio Cups are expected at the Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit for the opening round of 2013. The fourth generation of the Clio Cup, the new car boasts all the features of the Nouvelle Clio Renaultsport 200 EDC, with a 1.6L direct-injected turbo engine delivering 220bhp and a constant torque of 270Nm and hooked up to a sequential gearbox with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifts. As the collective testing sessions held at Motorland Aragon at the end of April showed, the model is several seconds a lap faster than its predecessors.

Nicolas Milan (Team LMV CL Brakes) and Oscar Nogues (RMS Engineering), both of them former Eurocup Clio champions, will be back on the grid this season and must be considered among the favourites.

Joining them in a highly competitive field are a host of drivers with national championships under their belts: Argentinian champion Facundo Della Motta (Milan Competition); Stephane Lemeret (Team Lompech Sport), a winner in Belgium; Spanish champion Gonzalo Martin de Andres (SMC Junior Motorsport); and Massimiliano Pedala (Composit Motorsport) and Cristian Ricciarni (Composit Motorsport), both of whom have won titles in Italy.

As well as Massimiliano Pedala and Christian Ricciarini, two other Italian drivers will be in action on home soil at Imola: their Composit Motorsport team-mate Sebastiano Ciato and Michele Puccetti (RMS Engineering). Also driving for Italian stable Composit Motorsport will be the Romanian Salvatore Arcarese and Stefano Zanini of Monaco, while Spain’s Oscar Nogues will be gunning for victory for fellow Italians RMS Engineering.

Massimiliano Pedala was the fastest man in the pack at last month’s collective testing at Motorland Aragon, topping the timesheets from Nicolas Milan, Salvadore Arcarese, Antonio Martinez and Gonzalo Martin de Andres. Fifth and ninth respectively in last year’s Eurocup Clio, Eric Tremoulet (Vic Team) and Thomas Fjordbach (Polar Seafood Racing) are among the other drivers to watch at the season’s opening races, staged in conjunction with the Clio Cup Italia and the Formula Renault 2.0 ALPS.

Schedule

Friday 10 May
10:40-11:10: Collective testing 1
14:50-15:20: Collective testing 2

Saturday 11 May
14:40-15:10: Qualifying

Sunday 12 May
9:00-9:27: Race 1 (25 minutes + one lap)
14:15-14:42: Race 2 (25 minutes + one lap)

Saturday’s poleman and race winner Mirko Bortolotti (Oregon Team) repeated the feat in Sunday’s Eurocup Megane Trophy race, leading his team-mates Kevin Gilardoni and Kelvin Snoeks home in the rain to leave Motorland Aragon firmly in charge in the championship standings.

Mirko Bortolotti picked up where he left off on Saturday, recording a qualifying time that proved too fast for the rest of the field and signing his second Eurocup Megane Trophy pole in what were very tricky conditions. Taking second and third on the grid behind the Italian were stable-mates Kevin Gilardoni and Kelvin Snoeks, as Oregon Team scored another qualifying hat-trick.

The weather had not improved by the time the race got under way, with the front three retaining their positions despite an eventful start. To their rear Jeroen Schothorst (McGregor by Equipe Verschuur) and Jean-Charles Miginiac (Team Lompech Sport) both made mistakes on lap one, with Mike Verschuur (McGregor by Equipe Verschuur) soon doing likewise.

While Mirko Bortolotti and Kevin Gilardoni made their escape at the head of the race, Steven Palette (Team Lompech Sport) was forced to retire on lap five. The mandatory refuelling stops began two laps later, with Vladimir Lunkin (Oregon Team) the first to pit. The leading duo both came in on lap ten and exited the pit lane still in the lead thanks to the sizeable gap they had built up in the first few laps.

Maintaining his lead, Mirko Bortolotti withstood one last assault from Kevin Gilardoni to take the flag ahead of his team-mate. Erik Janis’ (Gravity Charouz) late fuel stop allowed Kelvin Snoeks to complete a one-two-three for Oregon Team, with the Czech eventually finishing fifth behind Max Braams (Las Moras by Equipe Verschuur) and Mike Verschuur taking sixth ahead of Vladimir Lunkin. Eighth in the race overall, Toni Forne (Gravity Charouz) was the leading gentleman driver ahead of Margot Laffite (Oregon Team) and Oliver Freymuth (AKF Motorsport).

What they said:

Mirko Bortolotti: “It’s a fantastic result and I’m thrilled. The team and I couldn’t have got off to a better start, especially with today’s one-two-three. Kevin and Kelvin have done a great job. The conditions were far from ideal but we had a good strategy. We need to be consistent now and not make mistakes in the next few races.”

Kevin Gilardoni: “Races are always a tough proposition in these conditions. I got off to a good start and had a tussle with Mirko at turn one, though it was impossible to fight it out with him after that. I’m pleased with the result. It’s a good start to a long season and I can’t wait to get to Spa.”

After his perfect Saturday Matthieu Vaxiviere (Tech 1 Racing) went out and did it all over again on Sunday, winning the second Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 race of the weekend from team-mate Egor Orudzhev (Tech 1 Racing) and Oliver Rowland (Manor MP Motorsport) to consolidate his lead in the overall standings.

Tech 1 Racing colleagues Matthieu Vaxiviere and Egor Orudzhev shone under rainy skies in the morning to secure both places on the front row for Simon Abadie’s team. The race-one polesitter and winner headed qualifying from his team-mate, while Luca Ghiotto (Prema Powerteam) and Jake Dennis (Fortec Motorsports) shared the next row on the grid.

The falling rain meant a safety car start, though Leo Roussel (ARTA Engineering) was absent from the grid after sliding off on his installation lap. The safety car left the drivers to it on lap four, as Matthieu Vaxiviere made a perfect getaway from Egor Orudzhev, and Oliver Rowland and Oscar Tunjo (Josef Kaufmann Racing) locked horns behind them.

Luca Ghiotto saw his hopes evaporate on lap five when he ended up in the gravel trap, with Alexander Albon (ART Junior Team), Marcos Siebert (Jenzer Motorsport) and Yu Kanamaru (KTR) all suffering the same fate in the laps that followed. Places changed hands throughout the race as poor visibility played havoc in the pack, though race leader Matthieu Vaxiviere had no such problems as he made his escape.

In the closing laps Oliver Rowland launched attack after attack on Egor Orudzhev, but despite a string of fastest times the British driver could find no way past his Russian adversary, who made sure of a Tech 1 Racing one-two. Just for good measure, Matthieu Vaxiviere completed another grand slam in chalking up the fastest lap of the race as he took the chequered flag. Egor Orudzhev and Oliver Rowland joined the Frenchman on the podium followed by Oscar Tunjo (Josef Kaufmann Racing), Jake Dennis (Fortec Motorsports) and Esteban Ocon (ART Junior Team), with Nyck De Vries (Koiranen GP), Ignazio d’Agosto (KTR), Pierre Gasly (Tech 1 Racing) and William Vermont (ARTA Engineering) occupying the remaining positions in the top ten.

What they said:

Matthieu Vaxivière: “Starting the race with the safety car was the right decision. I didn’t make any mistakes and the gap grew quickly. The team did a good job and thanks to Egor we were able to give them a one-two.”

Egor Orudzhev: “I’m very happy with the result. Tech 1 Racing had the car performing really well in the wet. The conditions were treacherous and as soon as I saw Matthieu pull away I just tried to keep Oliver at bay and hold on to my position.”

Oliver Rowland: “We had a few problems yesterday. I was disappointed to miss out on pole this morning because it’s difficult to gain places after a safety car start. I tried to push Egor to the limit but I started to lose grip. Things will be better at Spa.”

Competing in his second season in discipline, Carlos Huertas (Carlin) secured his first Formula Renault 3.5 Series win in race two at Motorland Aragon. The Colombian mastered the wet conditions to top the podium from Sergey Sirotkin (ISR) and Stoffel Vandoorne (Fortec Motorsports), while Kevin Magnussen (DAMS) finished ninth and retains his lead in the championship.

Interrupted on several occasions, the morning’s qualification session took place in the rain and ended with Norman Nato (DAMS) grabbing his first Formula Renault 3.5 Series pole from Carlos Huertas and Sergey Sirotkin. Responsible for a red flag, Kevin Magnussen was relegated to last place on the grid after having his only time wiped out.

The rain continued to fall in the afternoon, prompting the race director to order a safety car start, though the cars of Arthur Pic (AV Formula) and Marlon Stockinger (Lotus) were left stranded on the grid, ruling them out of the race start proper, on lap three. Norman Nato promptly got his braking all wrong at turn one and went off. Though able to rejoin the race, albeit at the back of the field, the Frenchman was nonetheless handed a drive-through for dangerous driving.

Taking over at the front, Carlos Huertas began to set a fierce pace to leave his pursuers trailing, while both Antonio Felix da Costa (Arden Caterham) and Kevin Magnussen launched impressive recovery drives behind him, the Dane working his way into the points as early as lap six.

Stoffel Vandoorne’s unsuccessful attack at the end of the pit straight allowed second-placed Sergey Sirotkin to increase his advantage over the Belgian, though the two would continue their dice all the way to the chequered flag. Christopher Zanella’s (ISR) race ended prematurely as he went off, before Nigel Melker (Tech 1 Racing) nipped past Antonio Felix da Costa (Arden Caterham) and into sixth on lap 13, with Marco Sorensen (Lotus) then stealing past Mikhail Aleshin (Tech 1 Racing) and moving into the points in tenth place.

Race leader Carlos Huertas made untroubled progress to take the flag from Sergey Sirotkin and Stoffel Vandoorne, with Will Stevens, Nico Muller, Nigel Melker, Antonio Felix da Costa and Andre Negrao behind them. Completing the top ten were the two Danes, Kevin Magnussen and Marco Sorensen, in that order.

What they said:

Carlos Huertas: “I had a good first lap, while Norman seemed to go wrong on the brakes. I almost went off too because it wasn’t easy to heat the brakes and the tyres up. Although there was a little bit of aquaplaning out there, I managed to open up a gap. The car was just perfect.”

Sergey Sirotkin: “It was a very good weekend for me. We had the potential to be on the front row but we missed out. The important thing, though, is that we managed to fulfil that potential by getting a good result in the race.”

Stoffel Vandoorne: “It wasn’t the greatest day for the team, though we still managed to pick up some points and cut the gap on Kevin. Being on the front row was vital if you were going to win here. Congratulations to Carlos for his first victory.”

Kevin Magnussen (DAMS) backed up his impressive start to the Formula Renault 3.5 Series season with a fine win in Saturday’s race at Motorland Aragon, the Dane taking maximum points ahead of Will Stevens (P1 by Strakka Racing) and Arthur Pic (AV Formula) to move to the top of the championship standings.

In a morning qualifying session held on a wet track, Kevin Magnussen recorded the fastest time to take pole for race one from Sergey Sirotkin (ISR) and Antonio Felix da Costa (Arden Caterham). The Portuguese driver was later demoted to the back of the grid after running out of fuel at end of the session.

The track had dried out by the time race start came around, polesitter Kevin Magnussen staying ahead of the field as the lights went out. Jumping up from row three to second place at the first turn was Arthur Pic, while Sergey Sirotkin, Christopher Zanella (ISR), Marco Sorensen (Lotus), Norman Nato (DAMS), Stoffel Vandoorne (Fortec Motorsports), Nigel Melker (Tech 1 Racing) and Will Stevens (P1 by Strakka Racing) completed the top nine. From his back-row position Antonio Felix da Costa (Arden Caterham) climbed up to 18th by the end of lap one.

Nico Muller (International Draco Racing) was the first to bear the consequences of some keenly contested exchanges in the bunch, the Swiss driver crashing out, while up ahead Kevin Magnussen quickly settled into a groove on the Spanish track, posting several fastest laps to take nearly a second a lap out of his closest pursuer Arthur Pic.

Among the leaders Stoffel Vandoorne, Marco Sorensen and Christopher Zanella all fell off the pace to allow Norman Nato to move into fourth and take the attack to Sergey Sirotkin in third. Nipping past the Russian into second, the Frenchman then had to contend with the charging Will Stevens, who found his way past Sergey Sirotkin and into third. Not to be denied, the Briton caught Arthur Pic and slipped past him and into second on the last lap.

In a class of his own, Magnussen took the chequered flag by some 20 seconds from Will Stevens and Arthur Pic, with the remaining points placings being taken by Sergey Sirotkin, Norman Nato, Nigel Melker, Christopher Zanella, Stoffel Vandoorne, Marco Sorensen and Mikhail Aleshin. After starting last Antonio Felix da Costa eventually finished 13th.

What they said:

Kevin Magnussen: “It’s only the start of the championship but it’s still important to go out and score big. I had a very good car today and I made sure I didn’t make any mistakes.”

Will Stevens: “I was disappointed with our results at Monza, and we needed to score points today. The car has a lot to offer in the way of performance, especially in the dry. I was able to attack throughout the race.”

Arthur Pic: “I’m very pleased for AV Formula, who were racing at home here. The stable did a lot of hard work this winter and we’ve made a lot of progress with the car’s race set-up. It’s a good result on a track that I’m especially fond of.”

A new face on the Eurocup Megane Trophy scene, Mirko Bortolotti (Oregon Team) confirmed the promise he showed in collective testing by charging to victory in the opening race of 2013, topping the podium from Kevin Gilardoni (Oregon Team) and Erik Janis (Gravity Charouz).

Having already impressed in collective testing at Motorland Aragon, Mirko Bortolotti registered his first pole position in a qualifying session that saw the drivers increase the pace as time went on. The Oregon Team driver secured first place on the grid from team-mates Kevin Gilardoni and Kelvin Snoeks (Oregon Team), who made a late but unsuccessful bid to displace him.

In a lively start the front three held on to their positions, though Mike Verschuur (McGregor by Equipe Verschuur) dropped to the back of the field after suffering a puncture in trying to get past Kelvin Snoeks. Mirko Bortolotti and Kevin Gilardoni made their getaway at the head of the race as the battles for the minor places raged behind them. After climbing up through the field Spain’s Toni Forne (Pujolaracing) suffered the consequences of his early attacks and began to lose race pace, while Erik Janis (Gravity Charouz) found a way past Kelvin Snoeks on lap four only to lose third spot after the refuelling stop.

The duel between Mirko Bortolotti and Kevin Gilardoni would be decided in the pits. Choosing to come in three laps after his stable-mate, the Italian rejoined the race in the lead on lap 12. Pursuing a similar tactic, which allowed him to move up to a provisional second place, Jeroen Schothorst (McGregor by Equipe Verschuur) exited the pits in fifth. On lap 15, meanwhile, Toni Forne and Kelvin Snoeks came together, bringing the Dutchman’s race to a premature end.

Thanks to his perfect race management, Mirko Bortolotti took the chequered flag from Kevin Gilardoni and Erik Janis, the Czech driver prevailing in a thrilling tussle with Max Braams in the final two laps to secure Gravity Charouz’s first top-three finish in the discipline. Fifth overall, Jeroen Schothorst took maximum points in the gentlemen drivers’ standings ahead of Jean-Charles Miginiac (Team Lompech Sport), Margot Laffite (Oregon Team), Toni Forne, Oliver Freymuth (AKF Motorsport) and Jakub Knoll (Gravity Charouz).

What they said:

Mirko Bortolotti: “There’s no better way to start the season. To be honest, I really wasn’t expecting this. Winning the first race is not as easy as you might think. The team has a lot of experience and we’ve worked hard this weekend to make it happen.”

Kevin Gilardoni: “This podium finish is a good way for me to start my second season in the category. My goal’s not to win races but to win the title. This second place is a positive step.”

Erik Janis: “This is a very satisfying result for my team and I. It’s never easy for rookies. We have to adapt and get experience. Scoring points is always the first step if you want to win the title. The next step is to go out and win.”

Matthieu Vaxiviere (Tech 1 Racing) made a perfect start to the 2013 season by claiming his first pole and race win in the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 at Motorland Aragon on Saturday. Completing a French one-two-three in the race were Esteban Ocon (ART Junior Team), who took second, and Pierre Gasly (Tech 1 Racing), the third driver over the line.

Cloudy skies, a damp track and buffeting winds greeted the drivers for the morning’s qualifying session, with Matthieu Vaxiviere handling the conditions best of all to grab his first ever pole in the category. Fastest in Group B, Esteban Ocon took second place on the grid, followed by Pierre Gasly, Egor Orudzhev (Tech 1 Racing) and William Vermont (ARTA Engineering).

Making a perfect start beneath sunny skies, Matthieu Vaxiviere quickly took command in the season’s first race and led the way from fellow Frenchmen Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly. Tucked in behind them were William Vermont and Jake Dennis (Fortec Motorsports), who both got the better of Egor Orudzhev when the lights went out. It was not long before the leading quartet began to pull away, with Pierre Gasly pushing Esteban Ocon hard and William Vermont putting in the fastest lap. There was plenty going behind them too as Oscar Tunjo (Josef Kaufmann Racing), Oliver Rowland (Manor MP Motorsport), Nyck De Vries (Koiranen GP) and Ed Jones (Fortec Motorsports) fought an entertaining battle for the minor placings.

The front four had pulled away from the bunch by mid-distance, leaving Jake Dennis out on his own in fifth, closely followed by Steijn Schothorst (Josef Kaufmann Racing), who had slipped into sixth at the expense of Egor Orudzhev only for the Russian to close right back up on him.

The closing laps were nothing more than a formality for Matthieu Vaxiviere, who opened out a small gap over his closest pursuers en route to his lights-to-flag win. Esteban Ocon, Pierre Gasly and William Vermont battled it out for second all the way to the flag, though they would finish in that order, with Jake Dennis, Steijn Schothorst, Egor Orudzhev, Oscar Tunjo, Nyck De Vries and Oliver Rowland following them in the points placings.

What they said

Matthieu Vaxiviere: “I’ve done a very good job along with the team. I got off to a great start and that’s what made the difference because I wasn’t that much faster than my closest challengers. This is very pleasing for me after a tricky first year in the Eurocup.”

Esteban Ocon: “It’s a very important result. Consistency is the key to winning the Eurocup. I don’t think I had the speed to race. Pierre was faster than me and I was on the limit.”

Pierre Gasly: “It’s important to score big points to do well in the championship. Third place is a good result for the first race. I hope to improve tomorrow and go for the win.”