Preview NURBURGRING (5/8) : August 2008, 15-17
11-08-2008
LEVEL PEGGING ON TOP!
THP Spider Cup competitors are poised to continue their tour of legendary European venues with a visit to Germany’s celebrated Nürburgring which follows on from action at Monza, Pau, Val de Vienne and July’s round at Spa-Francorchamps which produced some particularly thrilling dicing amongst the Spider THP runners.
The German fixture has every chance of clarifying the picture at the sharp end of the provisional standings which are currently topped by two drivers who are equal on points, namely Briton Simon Moulton and France’s Grégory Guilvert. The unfailing consistency of Simon Moulton since the start of the season has enabled him to collect points each time out, but he has yet to finish at the very top of the podium. In contrast, the ambitious young Grégory Guilvert has already scored two wins - at Pau and at Spa - and his bid for further success promises to ensure some fierce fighting at the Nürburgring, especially since the winner of the championship will get to win a day of testing in the 908 HDi FAP at the end of the year. There could well be a major absentee from the fifth round of the series in the person of Julien Beltoise who has emerged as one of the leading lights of this season’s THP Spider Cup. He is provisionally third, but he came away from a spectacular crash at Spa with a broken fibula and his presence will depend as much on his physical aptitude to race as it will on his ability to find a car to replace his previous machine which was totally destroyed. Given his determination, however, Julien could well be back in action in Germany. The other Julien, Julien Briché, who won the second race at Spa following his earlier victories at Pau and Val de Vienne, has finally chosen to join his fellow THP Spider Cup runners on the grid. The Picardy-based driver had considered withdrawing from the series for personal reasons but will instead continue to fight his corner, while also keeping an eye on his young protégée Mathieu Lambert, 18, who stands in for Corentine Quiniou.
The local spectators will be keeping an especially close eye on Germany’s Oliver Freymuth who will be targeting a top result on home soil. Following a few on-track brushes with other competitors at Spa, however, the German driver will be under surveillance and could well face penalties if he produces more of the same behaviour. His ’victims’ at Spa included Marlène Broggi who felt somewhat on her own in Belgium, although she could be joined in the lady’s category at the Nürburgring by Stephie Halm whose services Oliver Freymuth has been looking to secure since the start.
The situation seems to be very open going into the fifth encounter of this year’s Spider Cup, with several potential winners on the entry list. And, while there is sure to be plenty of exciting battling between the current front-runners, a certain number of outsiders also have a very real chance. Their numbers include the ever combative Marcel Sciabbarrasi and youngster Gaël Castelli who ended the second race at Spa in third position before being deprived of his first podium finish in motor racing for having overtaken under yellow flags. The discipline has yet to come, but he certainly has the skill and determination. Meanwhile, the championship’s youngest driver Grégoire Demoustier is also making a real mark each time out. The list continues with the capable Alexandre Rambure and Frédéric Bry who certainly have the potential to put the cat amongst the pigeons.
THP Spider Cup provisional standings: 1, S. Moulton and G. Guilvert (121 points). 3, J. Beltoise (106). 4, J. Briché (83). 5; A. Rambure (67). 6, G. Castelli (58). 7, M. Sciabbarrasi (56). 8, F. Bry (36). 9, M. Broggi (35). 10, A. Albouy (34). 11, O. Freymuth (22). Etc.
