No chance against the Juniors

Other competitors in the Formula Renault Italia remained mainly on the peripheries compared to the Red Bull Juniors this weekend. Despite the one-sided distribution of strengths, however, a hard internal team-duel made for a lot of excitement.

Two wins and a second and third place were the Red Bull Juniors’ impressive results at the Formula Renault Italia 2.0 weekend in Vallelunga. Now, after four races run, three Red Bull Juniors are among the first seven in the overall table.

Internal team-duel in Vallelunga

The weekend’s fastest driver was the Spaniard Jaime Alguersuari – a 17-year-old hobby-DJ, who started kart racing in 1998, and is considered a possible Alonso successor in his homeland. Starting both races in pole position, he won the race on Sunday, and proved that the Spaniards and the Finns not only fight for positions in Formula 1 races – his Finnish team-mate Mika Mäki proving to be his most dangerous rival.

First victory for Mäki

The first round of the internal sparring contest on Saturday went to Mäki for this reason. From third place on the grid he went full-throttle at the green light, collided with the leading Alguersuari and damaged his team-mate’s tyre. This resulted in the Spaniard losing valuable time in the pit, and for the rest of the race was no longer in the running for a podium finish, although later he recorded the fastest lap time. “Some people think they have to take the lead from third place in the first curve,” Alguersuari said, fuming. The Finn pleaded not guilty – “I didn’t do it on purpose!” – and celebrated his first success as Red Bull Junior ahead of another team-mate, the New Zealander Brendon Hartley.

Revenge for Alguersuari

Because both Alguersuari and Mäki were to start at the top of the grid together, Sunday's race was awaited with great anticipation. But this time it was Alguersuari who had a superior start, Mäki meanwhile falling back one starting place. And that’s how the Rookies crossed the line: Mäki third, and Alguersuari collecting the seventh victory of the Red Bull Juniors for this year.

Bad luck in the GP2

For their counterparts in the GP2 on the other hand, the Red Bull Juniors’ strong performances were not rewarded: On Saturday in Barcelona, Russian Mikhail Aleshin, starting in 23rd position, worked his way up 17 positions and ended up sixth, a sensational effort considering the circumstances. The South African Adrian Zaugg spun off in 2nd place after making up from 17th position. In Sunday’s race, after holding second place briefly, Aleshin dropped out; Zaugg finished 13th.