Renaud Kuppens, from Konvex Motorsport, has collected the first title of the 2013 Maserati Trofeo MC World Series. Competing at Silverstone, the prize is awarded to the driver who tops the standings at the end of the three European rounds. This weekend’s meet comes after the rounds at Nuerburgring, Germany, and Paul Ricard, France.
Kuppens also scooped the Trofeo Europa in 2012 and heads home with a win in the endurance race and a second place in the Sunday morning event. His haul could have been even bigger if he hadn’t lost a wheel in Race 1, on Saturday afternoon, when in second. The Belgian’s winning margin was six seconds over Frenchman Ange Barde and twenty-three over third-placed Simoni/Ragazzi. Fourth went to Mikkel Mac after a certain podium position slipped away because of a drive through for not respecting the track speed limit. Gobbo/Cola picked up the same penalty and were also held up with a pit stop; they eventually came home sixth. Adrien De Leener, another Belgian, did well to finish fifth.
A lot of drivers were hit with drive throughs this weekend, especially in Race 2 where victory went to Brian Wong. This came after Cola’s win was overturned by officials. Twenty-five seconds were added to Cola’s time, as it was to Kuppens’ and Mac’s, for not making a drive through; the penalty had been handed out after the drivers exceeded the track limit. The officials’ decision meant that the final race order read: Brian Wong (Swiss Team), Cola, Kuppens, Mac, Calamia, Simoni, Bakker, Fascicolo, Waszczinski and Segler. Guest drivers, journalists Roberto Giordanelli and Jaime Hernandez, do not pick up any points and ended the endurance race in sixteenth spot.
Round 4 will be disputed at Sonoma, USA, on 25 August and will be the first event held outside Europe. From there it will be on to Shanghai, China, and Abu Dhabi on 14 December.
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