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You are here: Home / Motorsport / Carrera Cup / Porsche Carrera Cup France 2018 Season Preview

Porsche Carrera Cup France 2018 Season Preview

28th March 2018 by: Lucian Sonea | Leave a Comment

Porsche Carrera Cup France test day 2018
Magny-Cours, Porsche Carrera Cup France test day, 19/20 March 2018

As the main racing championships are about to begin the 2018 season, the Porsche Carrera Cup France has seen its first collective Testing Day on the circuit of Nevers Magny Cours, on the 20 March. Despite poor weather all over France, the Porsche Carrera Cup France 2018 test day was held under dry, but cold, conditions.

Magny-Cours, Porsche Carrera Cup France test day, 19/20 March 2018: Class of 2018 photo
Magny-Cours, Porsche Carrera Cup France test day, 19/20 March 2018: Getting ready!

The 2018 season will see a big step forward for the French Carrera Cup, with the new generation of Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, powered by a 6-cylinder 4.0-litre engine developing 485bhp, to replace the previous model.

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Porsche G-Model
Team Sébastien Loeb Racing Porsche is unloaded
Magny-Cours, Porsche Carrera Cup France test day, 19/20 March 2018: A Team Sébastien Loeb Racing Porsche is unloaded

Although everyone is starting with the same new car, the 2017 team champion Martinet by Alméras know this model very well, as the team has already been using it in the Porsche Supercup for the first time in 2017.

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The 2017 champion Julien Andlauer (Martinet by Alméras) is now a Porsche Junior Programme member, and will race the entire Porsche Supercup season as well as some rounds of the French Carrera Cup, in order to keep up his training and practice in the Porsches. He was the pace setter in the morning session with a best time of 1:40.827, followed by Porsche Carrera Cup Italia 2017 winner Alessio Rovera (Tsunami RT) and the 2017 rookie champ and Barcelona race winner, Valentin Hasse-Clot (Sébastien Loeb Racing).

Magny-Cours, Porsche Carrera Cup France test day, 19/20 March 2018: #112 Alessio Rovera of Team Tsunami RT puts in some practice laps
Magny-Cours, Porsche Carrera Cup France test day, 19/20 March 2018: Valentin Hasse-Clot in the #27 Team Sébastien Loeb Racing bounces off the kerb during practice

The session continued in the afternoon, although both Rovera and Hasse-Clot improved their times, they could not improve on Andlauer’s morning time.

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Porsche - The Carrera Dynasty
Julien Andlauer in the #555 Team Martinet by Alméras
Magny-Cours, Porsche Carrera Cup France test day, 19/20 March 2018: Champion in 2017 and frontrunner this year, Julien Andlauer, in action in the #555 Team Martinet by Alméras Porsche GT3 Cup car

Hugo Chevalier (Sébastien Loeb Racing) arrived at the track as the Espoir (big hope) Porsche Carrera Cup France for 2018. The 17-year old comes from Formula 4 single seaters and will succeed Valentin Hasse-Clot as Espoir Porsche Carrera Cup which brings financial and technical support from Porsche and its partners, as well as a special follow-up from the official Porsche driver Patrick Pilet.

Porsche works driver Patrick Pilet
Magny-Cours, Porsche Carrera Cup France test day, 19/20 March 2018: Porsche works driver Patrick Pilet was on hand to offer advice

Jérémy Sarhy (Sébastien Loeb Racing) is another youngster to join the series. Originally from Bordeaux, he has raced in the past in the Renault Clio Cup France. Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer, 17 years old (Team 85/Bourgoin Racing), is another contender for the rookie title, having raced single seaters in the last two seasons (Toyota Racing Series and Formula Renault 2.0). He set the sixth fastest time of the day (1:42.370).

Jérémy Sarhy #77 Team Sébastien Loeb Racing
Magny-Cours, Porsche Carrera Cup France test day, 19/20 March 2018: Jérémy Sarhy gets airborne in the #77 Team Sébastien Loeb Racing Porsche GT3 Cup car

In the Gentlemen class (cat B) Nicolas Misslin (Martinet by Alméras) was the quickest (1:42.807) followed by Sébastien Dumez – a former Carrera Cup frontrunner in the past (Team 85/Bourgoin Racing), Stéphane Denoual (Pierre Martinet by Alméras), Christian Jaquillard (Jonquille Racing), Yannick Mallegol (RMS) and Mark Nichol (Tsunami RT).

Magny-Cours, Porsche Carrera Cup France test day, 19/20 March 2018: Nicolas Misslin gets some practice in the #55 Team Martinet by Alméras Porsche GT3 Cup car
Magny-Cours, Porsche Carrera Cup France test day, 19/20 March 2018: Sébastien Dumez prepares to leave the pit lane in the #7 Team 85/BOURGOIN RACING Porsche GT3 Cup car

The first round will be held at the same meeting with the WEC Spa 6 hours Race the first week-end of May.

Detailed results for the test day are below:

Pos. Driver Nat. Team Time
1 Julien Andlauer FRA Team Martinet by Alméras 1:40.827
2 Valentin Hasse-Clot FRA Sébastien Loeb Racing 1:41.293
3 Alessio Rovera ITA Tsunami RT 1:41.473
4 Hugo Chevalier FRA Team Martinet by Alméras 1:41.903
5 Jérémy Sarhy FRA Sébastien Loeb Racing 1:42.273
6 Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer FRA Team 85/Bourgoin 1:42.370
7 Nicolas Misslin FRA Team Martinet by Alméras – (1st Gentleman) 1:42.807
8 Sébastien Dumez FRA Team 85/Bourgoin 1:43.130
9 Victor Blugeon FRA Team Martinet by Alméras 1:43.361
10 Stéphane Denoual FRA Team Martinet by Alméras 1:43.701
11 Jérémie Lesoudier FRA Team 85/Bourgoin 1:44.282
12 Alex Marchois FRA FAL Racing 1:44.465
13 Christian Jaquillard FRA 1:44.893
14 Yannick Mallegol FRA RMS 1:45.334
15 Howard Blank USA RMS 1:45.549
16 Mark Nichol SCO Tsunami RT 1:45.605
Alex Marchois #14 Team FAL Racing
Magny-Cours, Porsche Carrera Cup France test day, 19/20 March 2018: Alex Marchois puts the #14 Team FAL Racing Porsche GT3 Cup car through its paces

2018 French Carrera Cup Calendar:

Round Date Circuit
1 3-5 May Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps (FIA WEC)
2 19-21 May Circuit de Zandvoort (Max Verstappen Days)
3 13-15 July Circuit de Dijon-Prenois (French GT)
4 7-9 Sept Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours (French GT)
5 28-30 Sept Circuit of Catalunya, Barcelona (French GT)
6 12-14 Oct Circuit Paul Ricard (French GT)

Written by: Lucian Sonea
Images by: Porsche/Alexis Goure

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Categories: Carrera Cup, Featured, Motorsport Tags: 911 GT3 Cup, Alessio Rovera, FAL, Julien Andlauer, Magny-Cours, Porsche, RMS, Sébastien Loeb Racing, Team 85, Team Martinet by Alméras, Tsunami RT, Valentin Hasse-Clot

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