Sublime Podium For Costa At Hungaroring

Following a rather complicated start in the sixth World Series by Renault meeting of the season, with Albert Costa and Keisuke Kunimoto struggling over yesterday's qualifying, nobody could foresee that in slightly over 24 hours later the team would taste again success in the Formula Renault 3.5 series. But once again, the competitive spirit of the entire EPSILON team and its drivers turned the situation around for the second qualifying session and race in Hungary.

Albert Costa Credit: Epsilon Euskadi

In the morning, Albert Costa put in an excellent performance over qualifying and achieved pole position six minutes to the session's end. But like happened in Magny-Cours, it was snatched it from him under the checkered flag and just by a tenth. Thanks to a brave start, faultless team job over pit stop and fully concentrated in his driving, Albert Costa managed his best result in the category up-to-date. With the second position, Costa accumulates 53 points which lift him up to fifth position in the drivers' championship. Keisuke Kunimoto wasn't finally able to progress as much as his team-mate and finished in the fifteenth position, although a lot more comfortable with the car's set up allowing him to face with optimism the following race. Pentus was the race winner and Aleshin joined them on the podium.

Great battle in the Eurocup race, which saw a nail and tooth fight among the large group on pursue of the race leaders. The entire EPSILON squad was part of this group and they were demoted by other drivers that had nothing to lose and much to win. Olivé was seventh, which awarded him five points, Venturini tenth, with four, Otegui twelfth, with three, and Riberas thirteenth, with two. The race was won by Bacheta followed by Pic and Vainio.

EPSILON EUSKADI team and World Series will take now a well-deserved break of almost two months, before being back on track for the seventh meeting of the season that will take place in the German track of Hockenheim from September the 3rd.

#15 Albert Costa - 2nd (53 points, 5th in the championship): "If someone had said yesterday morning that we would be on the podium today I probably wouldn't had believed him. But the team, already for race 1, did a great job and gave me the confidence to be able to give my best on the track. It has been a tough season, with the hand injury and the flu that struck me in Brno, but now this is all in the past and I hope to keep on the good track for what is left of the season. I was third in Monaco and now second so it is time for another step forward and get the long yearned victory. If we keep working this way I am sure it will come soon. I want to thank the team for the job they did. Without them, this wouldn't be possible."

#16 Keisuke Kunimoto - 15th (8 points, 20th in the championship): "This morning's qualifying wasn't good and in this track is quite difficult to overtake so I had a pretty tough race. I felt a lot better today with the car and the team's strategy was really good, though every time I closed up on the car in front I was losing downforce and the car was becoming unstable. Now I am thinking about the next race and wishing that everything we learned and did this weekend will contribute to obtain a better result next time."

Albert Fabrega - FR3.5 Team Manager: "Albert's second position is the best way to end the weekend and first part of the season up before going on holidays. The weekend clearly went from worse to better and I am satisfied of how the drivers and the team worked to overcome difficulties and straighten up a weekend that hadn't started so well. It is a shame that Keisuke couldn't keep on the progression we initiated yesterday the same way Albert did."

#1 Genís Olivé - 7th (44 points, 6th in the championship): "Today I was starting from eighth and I did a good start but a few drivers, among there were a couple of my team-mates, arrived together at the first corner and went wide trying to avoid touching each other. I lost a few positions and then there was the safety car. I was sharp when it went back in but then madness unleashed in the group that I was in. Although I was carrying a good pace, even better than the drivers in front of me, it was impossible to overtake. In the end, eighth and five important points for the championship."

#3 Giovanni Venturini - 10th (46 points, 4th in the championship): "I was starting from a better position than yesterday and I was hoping for more, but adding four points up and keeping the fourth position in the championship is important. Start was good but the driver ahead went on the brakes a lot sooner than normal and I had to as well to avoid crashing. This was used by others to pass me and I ended up in the middle of a rather combative group. It was crazy and, not being able to overtake, it was wiser to finish the race and get points rather than end up out."

#2 Miguel Otegui - 12th (21 points, 12th in the championship): "Today's start wasn't as good as I normally do and wasn't able to recover many positions. The accident on the opening lap happened right in front of me and with the safety car in we formed a big group. On relaunch, the four of us were together and it was important not to make any harm to each other. It has hard because other drivers went for it and it was obvious they had nothing to lose. At least I could finish the race today and get a few points."

#4 Alex Riberas - 13th (30 points, 8th in the championship): "Although race result hadn't been better than yesterday, my sensations and the pace I was able to keep was. The problem has been the bad start I did and the group that I was with which prevented me to improve much on my starting position. I prefer to look at the positives now: the points and the sensations' improvement. I am so looking forward to arrive at Hockenheim, though I have to wait for two months!"

Imanol Zubikarai - FR2.0 Team Manager: "Today's was a battled race; one of those races that you expect from a category like this. At this track starting position conditions determines the final result and I also think that conditions didn't play in our favor today. The best is the maturity I have seen in our four drivers, being able to evaluate risk and play their cards to avoid accidents."

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