Home News Stoneman leads DAMS one-two in opening Nurburgring session

Stoneman leads DAMS one-two in opening Nurburgring session

by Peter Allen
Dean Stoneman

Photo: Paul Davies Photography

The DAMS team was on top in the first of Friday’s Formula Renault 3.5 sessions ahead of the race weekend at the Nurburgring, with Dean Stoneman leading Nyck de Vries.

The pair had fought for the top spot throughout the session and took charge with about 20 minutes remaining.

In the final couple of minutes they were shuffled back by a stream of improvements from other drivers, including Tio Ellinas going quickest.

De Vries reclaimed top spot after the chequered flag, but the McLaren protege was then bettered by his Red Bull-backed team-mate by 0.117 seconds.

Ellinas, who unlike the DAMS pairing now has a maiden FR3.5 win under his belt after Silverstone last weekend, ended up two tenths off the pace in third.

Tom Dillmann and championship leader Oliver Rowland took fourth and fifth with late improvements ahead of Alfonso Celis, who had separated the DAMS duo with a strong lap with minutes remaining.

Gustav Malja was seventh in front Rowland’s title rival Matthieu Vaxiviere, with the Arden pairing of Nicholas Latifi and Egor Orudzhev completing the top 10.

New Pons drivers Yu Kanamaru and Rene Binder took 15th and 17th respectively.

?Session results
Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1 Dean Stoneman DAMS 1:42.369 18
2 Nyck de Vries DAMS 1:42.486 0.117 18
3 Tio Ellinas Strakka Racing 1:42.570 0.201 18
4 Tom Dillmann Jagonya Ayam with Carlin 1:42.609 0.240 18
5 Oliver Rowland Fortec Motorsports 1:42.665 0.296 15
6 Alfonso Celis AVF 1:42.667 0.298 19
7 Gustav Malja Strakka Racing 1:42.929 0.560 17
8 Matthieu Vaxiviere Lotus 1:43.115 0.746 15
9 Nicholas Latifi Arden Motorsport 1:43.134 0.765 17
10 Egor Orudzhev Arden Motorsport 1:43.138 0.769 19
11 Beitske Visser AVF 1:43.223 0.854 21
12 Pietro Fantin International Draco Racing 1:43.324 0.955 18
13 Jazeman Jaafar Fortec Motorsports 1:43.431 1.062 17
14 Bruno Bonifacio International Draco Racing 1:43.594 1.225 20
15 Yu Kanamaru Pons Racing 1:44.535 2.166 15
16 Aurelien Panis Tech 1 Racing 1:44.562 2.193 18
17 Rene Binder Pons Racing 1:44.593 2.224 16
18 Marlon Stockinger Lotus 1:44.706 2.337 16
19 Roy Nissany Tech 1 Racing 1:44.906 2.537 14
20 Sean Gelael Jagonya Ayam with Carlin 1:45.146 2.777 4