Stockinger quickest in Formula test

FILIPINO-SWISS Formula driver Marlon Stockinger of Lotus clocked the fastest lap in Day 2 of Formula Renault 3.5 Series collective testing at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain recently.

Setting the pace right from the start, Stockinger posted 1 minute and 30.218 seconds after the first 50 minutes of testing, besting the clocking of Strakka Racing’s Will Stevens, who was quickest in the morning session.

Stockinger’s rivals closed the gap in the final hour but none of them could dislodge him from the top of the time-sheets, with Zoel Amberg and Antonio Felix da Costa rounding off the top three.

Formula Renault newcomer Raffaele Marciello took fourth place for Tech 1 Racing, ahead of Matias Laine of Strakka Racing.

Stockinger was elated with the support extended him by Lotus, which brought him to Manila early this year to drive a Lotus Formula 1 machine.

“It was a pleasure to test with the championship-winning team yesterday even if we had a few problems to deal with,” said Stockinger. “It’s been a perfect day today with Lotus.”

The former crack driver in Manila’s karting circuit said Lotus gave him “a fantastic car.”

“Judging by the gap we had on the others and the way we improved, we should sign up for another season together,” he said. Steve Silva, Contributor