Lights And Shadows For The Epsilon Euskadi Team In Barcelona

Formula Renault 3.5 Series first collective official tests, concluded today at the "Circuit de Catalunya" leaving a bittersweet taste within the EPSILON EUSKADI team. While Keisuke Kunimoto had a positive evolution throughout the two testing days, finishing less than seven tenths away from the leader Federico Leo (1'33.715), his team mate Albert Costa suffered an accident yesterday that prevented him testing today.

Keisuke Kunimoto Credit: World Series By Renualt

First testing day went underway with a wet track although it didn't take long to the sun to come out allowing the EPSILON drivers to improve their lap times and get started with their established testing plan. Both drivers chose to begin with used tires and went after improving their sensations. In the afternoon, already on new tires, Kunimoto and Costa made it to the second and third position respectively, which was a positive omen. Good feelings for the EPSILON drivers to tackle the end of the session and, following minor touch-ups and a new set of tires, they went back on track for the final laps.

Kunimoto finished seventh, seven tenths adrift Nelson Panciatici, who clocked the fastest time (1'33.975). Fantastic session that showed a great competitiveness among the 24 drivers on track, with 15 of them finishing within a second.

Constantly improving and fighting among the leaders for most of the session, Albert Costa was a firm candidate for a top position. Unfortunately, the category rookie found himself involved in an accident with Nathanaël Berthon that ended with Costa in hospital. At the "USP Institut Dexeus", Dr. Xavier Mir's team carried out a few tests that revealed a right thumb metacarpus-phalange joint ligament sprain, without breaking, and afterwards applied a cast to immobilize the hand. Standard prognosis establish in 2 or 3 weeks without racing but next Tuesday Dr. Mir will make a new evaluation following which we will know whether the young driver will be fit for the next tests that will take place in Jerez on the 13th and 14th March.

Today's session started under heavy rain, generating quite a few red flags this morning. It stopped by mid-day although drivers only enjoyed a dry track for the last couple of hours. Kunimoto adapted his working plan to the conditions in order to take the maximum out of it and keep building up experience on board of the FR3.5 for the next test in Jerez.

#15 Albert Costa - 1'34.685: "Yesterday's accident spoiled our plan because we were having a good progression that we haven't been able to continue today. Leaving this aside, I am satisfied with the job we did yesterday. I'm getting more and more confident and my sensations are improving. And this I have to thank to the team and Chus because they are helping me a lot to get to know the car and feel it to be able to transmit everything that happens. We are working well; no rush but steady pace. And this you can see. The accident was unfortunate. I was on my third flying lap and I found Berthon ahead of me. He was warming his tires up and moved to the side for me to get through but went back to the line right when I was overtaking him and we crashed. He said afterwards that he couldn't see me on the mirror and this is why he moved back onto the trajectory. These things can happen but we have to learn from them to avoid it happening again. This is a bad time to get injured but I really hope that next week's evaluation will be positive because I am really looking forward to come back."

#16 Keisuke Kunimoto - 1'34.390: "Overall, I believe that we did a good test. It is a shame it rained because we couldn't test as much as we wanted. In the other hand, we had the chance to test on dry and wet conditions and improve my confidence. And this was my target for this first collective test. In total, I have done 124 laps, which is not bad to build up experience. The team helped me out a lot and I fitted in perfectly. It is a great human and technical team."

Albert Fabrega - Team Manager: "I am satisfied with the job we have done in this first 2010 collective test. I think we are at a good level but there is yet a lot of work that needs to be done. Albert's injury has been a real shame because he was progressing a lot. However, the collected data from both Albert and Keisuke, allows us to be optimistic. There are three important tests coming now and we shouldn't waste them. We hope Albert would be in good form and together with Keisuke to keep improving in Jerez."

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