Air t - 10 ñ
Asphalt t – 23 ñ
Overcast, rain

For the first time in 2007 Formula RUS featured full grids at the start, amongst participants was 4 pupils elected during Dunlop Rising Stars initiation to motorsport.

Those four young karters was given a change to try their hand in single seaters with week of testing and tuition all of them had a chance to prove themselves in race trim. Qualifying for the first race has been was by Aleksander Kramarskiy, driver set impressive time that was enough to guarantee pole position.

Of Dunlop Rising Stars folks Pavel Aleshin set time 7th fastest time but qualifying was wet and young driver hasn’t enough experience to challenge for pole position.

Grid# # Driver Team

1 114 Aleksander Kramarskiy Radio Mayak

2 27 Maksim Chernev Formula RUS

3 32 Stanislav Chemakin Formula RUS

4 46 Maksim Travin «@mail.ru»

5 44 Andrey Kostushenko Formula RUS

6 47 Yuri Kim YK

7 38 Pavel Aleshin Dunlop Rising Stars

8 20 Denis Komarov Formula RUS

9 37 Vladislav Stupenkof Dunlop Rising Stars

10 36 Pavel Kalmanovich Dunlop Rising Stars

11 49 Richard Asher Formula RUS

12 26 Firas Kiki Formula RUS

 

Biggest surprise of race was clean start with four rookie drivers in race it was recipe for pile-up in first corner but everything went smooth and everybody managed to avoid problems in turn 1. Aleksander Kramarskiy led from start to finish setting a lap record for Formula RUS cars at ADM racetrack - 01:41,445,.

Aleksander Kramarskiy (team Radio Mayak) "I had to keep an eye on my rivals first lap as everybody was within attack range and it nearly cost me my lead, I lost concentration for a moment and missed gear thus exited from corner much slower. Few driver tried to pass but luckily they was more interested in their own rumpus so I managed to get away. Maksim Travin pace was worrying my but technical failure allowed me to race unchallenged»

As usual Yuri Kim made good start, driver gained few placed and ran in top 3 for first few laps until his spin on lap 6th.

Maksim Cherner was not to lucky and had to retire during first lap after over enthusiastic attack from Maksim Travin. Race stewarts added 30 seconds to Travin result but it was not much of a problem for driver who retired with broken driveshaft.

Maksim Chernerv (team Formula RUS): "That was quite an aggressive maneuver from Travin and I had to retire as result. But that’s racing, there’s nothing I could do about it"

Pavel Aleshin didn’t noticed yellow flags caused by Travin/Chernev accident, passed Andrey Kostushenko and later received 30 second penalty. This penalty because real headache for driver, Aleshin took chequered flag third but penalty wise had to settle for 5th.

 

Pavel Aleshin (team "Dunlop Rising Stars"»): "I made slow start loosing few places in first corner but I charged and passed Chemakin and later Komarov taking third place but after finish I learned about yellow flag and 30 seconds penalty. It’s such a pity to loose podium finish in my first ever race."

Fourth place was taken by Andrey Kostushenko who managed to make it to finish despite engine woes.

Andrey Kostushenko (team Formula RUS): "During race I understood I have engine problems, my car was going slower each lap and I had to surrender my positions but I kept going as hard as I could and managed to finish 4th"

Another driver from Dunlop Rising Starts program – Pavel Kalmanovich left grid from 10th place and gained few placed in first corner melee. But he cloudn’t contain himself and spun later in race that allowed Vladislav Stupenkov thru but Kalmanovich pushed him into mistake and got his 7th place back.

Pavel Kalmanovich (team Dunlop Rising Stars): "I was worried about first corner, compared to karting it looks much bigger and I was afraid of getting caught in pile-up. But it was Ok and I’m more of less happy with my results, I got priceless experience that can be obtained in race trim only"

Vladislav Stupenkov (team Dunlop Rising Stars): "I had my own pace and I tried to keep it. It was important to finish my first big race and so I did it."

Kiki Firas had to start from last place on the grid but despite made it to finish on 9th place having overtaken Richard Asher on lap 2. For Asher it was return to single seater after two years break and with packed timetable he had to learn fast. This weekend races was tough nut to crack Formula RUS was most powerful racecar he driven but Richard adapted well to new environment. He passed few drivers during opening laps and constantly improving his laps times Asher finished 10th in race 1.

Race 1 results

# Driver Team Place Points

114 Aleksander Kramarskiy Radio Mayak 1 22

20 Denis Komarov Formula RUS 2 17

32 Stanislav Chemakin Formula RUS 3 15

44 Andrey Kostushenko Formula RUS 4 13

38 Pavel Aleshin Dunlop Rising Stars 5 11

47 Yuri Kim YK 6 10

36 Pavel Kalmanovich Dunlop Rising Star» 7 9

37 Vladislav Stupenkov Dunlop Rising Stars 8 8

26 Firas Kiki Formula RUS 9 7

49 Richard Asher Formula RUS 10 6

46 Maksim Travin «@mail.ru» 11 5

27 Maksim Chernev Formula RUS dnf -

Aleksander Kramarskiy received two additional points for setting best lap and pole position.

Pavel Aleshin and Maksim Travin penalized 30 seconds for unsporting behavior

 

- Formula RUS also photos -