JEV takes the championship lead with a double win !

Formula Renault 3.5 Series, Race 11, 3 July 2011, Hungaroring Red Bull Junior Jean-Eric Vergne (FRA) scores a dominant win in the second race as well and is the new overall leader, Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) has to make do with twelfth place.

The Saturday race could not have gone any more differently for the two Red Bull Juniors Jean-Eric Vergne and Daniel Ricciardo. While JEV drove the competition to pieces, taking a commanding victory, Ricciardo skidded off the track right at the beginning.

Vergne then had to concede defeat to Sergio Canamasas in qualifying for the second race on Sunday, but second spot on the starting grid was to be a good initial position nevertheless. Things went off anything but satisfiable for Daniel Ricciardo once again, the seventh row on the grid hardly allows any improvement on a track like the Hungaroring – where overtaking is difficult to nigh impossible.

Jean-Eric Vergne got the better start and already pulled past Canamasas on the inside of the first corner, the safety car had to take to the track right after the start following a crash between Pentus and Negrao. Vergne decided the restart in his favour, the first drivers came to the pits for their mandatory stops from the fifth lap on. Daniel Ricciardo took on new rear tyres on lap seven, JEV followed suit two laps later. Vergne headed the field once more after all the drivers had completed their stops, Ricciardo made up one position and was running in twelfth place.

The further course of the race was reminiscent of Saturday’s heat, JEV pulled away significantly from Canamasas and was able to rejoice at the second win at the Hungaroring. Canamasas and Wickens finished the race in second and third place behind Vergne on the track, but both drivers received a ten-second penalty from race control for a rule violation, dropping them down to P4 and P7, respectively.

The podium was therefore completed by Albert Costa and Adam Carroll. It was a weekend to forget for Daniel Ricciardo, the Red Bull Junior did not score any points in the second race either and dropped back in the overall classification. Speaking of the overall classification, Jean-Eric Vergne now leads the standings thanks to Wickens’ relegation, the Red Bull Junior is four points ahead of Wickens and 42 points ahead of Korjus, Daniel Ricciardo in P6 is already 63 points behind JEV by now.

Vergne: “That really was a perfect weekend. With the two wins I’m right back in the championship again and I can head into the summer break with an easy mind. If the car runs as perfectly in the remaining races as here in Hungary, anything is possible.”

Ricciardo: “One of my most dreadful race weekends so far. Whatever we tried, it had no positive effect on our pace. The team now has a long break to search for the reason, we can only hope that we’ll have a better start to the second half of the season …”

Red Bull Junior Team press release