Slalom: Good premiere of Lukas Eugster
THIRD IN FRAUENFELD From the mountain to the slalom race track, from the standard Toyota GT86 to the Formula Renault - Lukas Eugster already made the switch in Frauenfeld with flying colors. Unfortunately, it will hardly continue like this... It was clear from the beginning that Lukas Eugster will not have a chance against Philip Egli and Marcel Maurer. The two [...]
It was clear from the start that Lukas Eugster would have no chance against Philip Egli and Marcel Maurer. The two specialists with their 250 hp racing cars won the day's slalom in Frauenfeld between themselves.
However, several drivers were in contention for third overall: Didier Planchamp, who even finished second in 2013 in his trusty Tatuus-Renault, Jeremy Noirat, who like last year's third-place finisher Joel Burgermeister brought a TracKing-Suzuki to the start, newcomer Michael Helm in a Tatuus-Abarth F4 (from Jenzer Motorsport) seen for the first time at Swiss races, and Lukas Eugster with the Tatuus F-Renault borrowed from Raphael Koch.
Fast and efficient
Already in training, last year's runner-up in the Berg-SM Junior indicated his aspirations for this ranking. Eugster confirmed this in the first race round despite a small slip at post 4 with just under a second lead over Noirat and 5.4 over Helm (for whom 10 penalty seconds were added). Planchamp dropped out one gate and did not compete in the second run.
Since neither Eugster nor Noirat were able to improve on their second attempt and Helm didn't quite make it under the two minutes, third overall was a fact for last year's runner-up in the Berg-SM Junior.
This also confirmed the observer's visual impression. In his very first race with a manual transmission race car, Eugster found the right compromise between aggressive and clean driving style - bravo!
Lukas Eugster: "The two test days of the Equipe Bernoise in Ambri have brought me a lot. After I had already knocked over a Töggel in the first practice, I concentrated on two good runs. I tried not to brake too late and to pull in too early. I'm extremely satisfied and proud of my performance after the class and discipline change - it can continue like this..."
Strong competition in Interlaken
Well, now it's getting more difficult. Already next Saturday in Interlaken, the class of the E2 single seaters up to two liters is much more strongly occupied. With Yves Hängärtner (last year's winner), Jean-Marc Salomon and Christian Balmer, three pilots with optimal racing cars from the former Formula Master (Tatuus-Honda) will join them.
All three are multiple daily and class winners. At the following slaloms in Bière, Bure, Romont and Chamblon, the competition will not be much weaker.
Under normal circumstances, another third place overall with a Formula Renault is a mission impossible. But because, according to initial weather forecasts, it could well be wet on Saturday in Interlaken, anything is still possible.
The fact that rain could be the most important ally in the fight for further podium places in view of the performance handicap was already clear to Lukas Eugster before the summer premiere in Frauenfeld. There, however, he proved that he knows how to seize his chance in a different way when it comes his way.
We are happy to continue to be surprised.
