It’s been a really fulfilling Sunday for AVF by Adrián Vallés at Motorland Aragón. Lining-up for the final day of action in the 2016 Formula V8 3.5 opener at the Alcaniz venue, the team enjoyed some highly-competitive runs. At the end of a spectacular qualifying 2 session which featured 13 drivers covered by just one second, Tom Dillmann handed the AVF stable their first pole position in the series since the team’s debut in 2013.
In race 2, the Frenchman improved Saturday’s third place by ending up second despite the reoccurrence of a clutch issue already experienced in race 1. Alfonso Celis Jr. did well too. After ending up qualifying 2 in sixth place, the Mexican fought hard for a podium position, but a troubled tire change (mandatory in race 2) cost him some ground and eventually forced him to content with 8th place. The next round for the series will in just about a week at the Hungaroring in Budapest.
Alfonso Celis (#15) Q2 P6 – Race 2 P8
“From my side, I think I’m not pleased but we have been improving since testing, gaining one position in every session. The start has not been as good as yesterday, I found myself running P4 with a good pace but in the pit-stop we weren’t lucky as we got a pretty slow one. Apart from that, two cars came when I was leaving and I lost that positions. I was faster than Cecotto but I couldn’t overtake him and I finished my DRS so I could just stay there. I also suffered a contact and I had to keep my position. An 8th place and some valuable points are valuable considering those problems”.
Tom Dillmann (#16) Q2 P1 – Race 2 P2
“Our main weakness has not been in the pit-lane but at the start. Yesterday it was terrible, and today it happened again so we have to do mechanical checks on the clutch. I tried to pressure Aurélien but he was a bit quicker and it was difficult to stay in dirty air because I couldn’t move. We tried to overtake him in the pits but it didn’t work, so we settled for second”.