Honda F1 test-driver and Trident Racing GP2 star Mike Conway got off to a great start on his debut behind the wheel of a Formula Master car at Monza today by immediately reaching the top of the testing timesheets.
The 23-year-old from Hertfordshire was right on the pace at the first group test of 2008, setting the quickest time this morning and finishing the day third fastest overall. Conway deputised for Trident Racing's regular Formula Master driver Harald Schlegelmilch who, like Pro Motorsport Marcello Puglisi, was forced to miss the test due to his GP2 Asia commitments.
Dutch driver Chris van der Drift, behind the wheel of the no.5 J.D. Motorsport car, set the fastest time of the day after completing 49 laps, with a best lap of 1:44.639: around two seconds a lap faster that the pole position lap at Monza in 2007. Austrian Norbert Siedler finished second, with a time of 1:44.728.
Following the afternoon's session, Conway said: "It's been a great day; the Formula Master car has really impressed me, showing how close the package is to what we have in GP2. The chassis and Formula Master Honda K20A engine work extremely well together, it's very easy to drive, very nimble and rides the kerbs well.
"I think that many of my fellow GP2 drivers would be just as pleased as I have been today. I'm really looking forward to getting back in the car tomorrow."
Also making his Formula Master debut today was ex-Red Bull Racing F1 test driver Michael Ammermueller. The German, who like Conway has raced in GP2 as well as A1GP, finished the day with a best lap of 1:45.556 in his Iris Project car.
After announcing Italian Daniel Mancinelli as part of their 2008 line-up earlier this week, Alan Racing revealed that Adam Kahn will race for the team this season. 22-year-old Kahn, from Pakistan, already has considerable racing experience despite his young age, having represented his country in A1GP and raced in numerous Formula 3 series across Europe.
Another new face making an immediate impact was German Tim Sandtler. The new ISR driver had a great day, setting the overall fifth fastest time by the end of the day.
The teams and drivers completed an incredible 1,189 laps today, totalling over 6,687km.
Formula Master - Monza official testing Day One
1. Chris van der Drift (NED), J.D. Motorsport, 1:44.639
2. Norbert Siedler (AUT), ADM Motorsport, 1:44.728
3. Mike Conway (GBR), Trident Racing, 1:44.736
4. Michael Meadows (GBR), Euronova Racing, 1:44.855
5. Time Sandtler (GER), ISR, 1:45.028
6. Arturo Llobell (ESP), Cram Competition, 1:45.070
7. Daniel Mancinelli (ITA), Alan Racing, 1:45.081
8. Luca Persiani (ITA), Scuderia Famà, 1:45.144
9. Yuhi Sekiguchi (JPN), Euronova Racing, 1:45.285
10. Kasper Andersen (DAN), Trident Racing, 1:45.308
11. Fabrizio Crestani (ITA), Euronova Racing, 1:45.484
12. Michael Ammermueller (GER), Iris Project, 1:45.556
13. Carlos Iaconelli (BRA), Pro Motorsport, 1:45.606
14. Filip Salaquarda (CZH), ISR, 1:45.700
15. Sergy Afanasiev (RUS), J.D. Motorsport, 1:45.717
16. Alberto Costa (ITA), Euronova Racing, 1:45.839
17. Iosef Kral (CZH), Team JVA, 1:45.878
18. Pablo Sanchez Lopez (MEX), Cram Competition, 1:45.886
19. Fabio Leimer (SUI), Jenzer Motorsport, 1:45.934
20. Matei Mihaescu (ROM), Jenzer Motorsport, 1:46.077
21. Dominik Schraml (GER), Alan Racing, 1:46.430
22. Vladimir Arabadzhiev (BUL), J.D. Motorsport, 1:46.539
23. Frankie Provenzano (ITA), ADM Motorsport, 1:46.626
24. Michele Caliendo (ITA), ADM Motorsport, 1:47.840
25. Alejandro Nunez (ESP), Pro Motorsport, 1:47.860
26. Adam Khan (PAK), Alan Racing, 1:48.232
27. Thomas Pivoda (CZH), ADM Motorsport, 1:49.701
For more information, please visit www.formulamaster.net
2007 statistics
FIA WTCC partner series
Eight events - 16 races
Eight European destinations
40 drivers - 19 countries represented
30 cars on average for each event
18 million TV viewers on Eurosport
16 hours LIVE coverage on Eurosport
367,000 attending spectators
Inaugural race at Valencia, Spain on 19 May 2007
Inaugural Champion Jérôme D'Ambrosio (BEL), Cram Competition
Inaugural race winner Salvatore Gatto (ITA), Alan Racing
Youngest race winner Pablo Sanchez Lopez (MEX), Alan Racing
Eight different race winners
Six different pole setters
16 different drivers have led a race
15 different drivers have stepped onto the Formula Master podium
30 drivers in the points
Featuring N.Technology's Formula Master race car with electric gearshift and clutch paddles and advanced aerodynamics, the car weighs just 550kg including the driver and runs on control tyres by Yokohama.
The first car in the world to secure 2008 FIA homologation, the Formula Master single-seater has generated excitement from all sectors thanks to its dynamic styling, light-weight body and powerful Honda K20A engine.
- RSM - also photo
