30 Jul REGALIA CLOSES THE GAP ON ELLINAS

Regalia closes the gap on Ellinas in Hungary Despite a difficult qualifying session on Saturday, Argentina´s driver managed to do two good races finishing sixth and fourth and now he still lies second in the overall classification but the ART Grand Prix young ace is just a point away from the lead.

Facu Regalia couldn´t reach podium finishes in the Hungarian GP3 event but despite that he closed the gap on Tio Ellinas and now this Argentine promise is just a point behind Cyprus´ driver in the overall classification. On Friday Regalia completed a good practice session at Hungaroring track, always with mind focused on qualifying session, but already finishing into top-ten places.

Unfortunately his good performance on Friday wasn´t equaled during next day´s qualifying session when his Dallara GP3/13 was hit by aerodynamic problems but, even facing these difficult circumstances, driver and team managed to finish 9th, keeping alive their chances to score new points and, the most important thing, ahead of Ellinas. Then in race one, Regalia made a good start and, after just one lap, he was running in 6th place under very hot temperatures. Tire wear was an issue due to heat but Regalia finished the race in good shape and, after a safety car period, was close to overtake both Jack Harvey and Carlos Sainz. “I made a good start, overtaking three cars at the beginning. My main concern was to take care of the tires for later stages. On lap five tires were quite bad but I was trying to avoid similar problems to Barcelona. I think my tires were better than almost anyone on track at the end, and after the safety car period I think I could have passed Harvey and Sainz with an additional lap. But we scored eight points, and Ellinas has failed to score, so it´s a good balance for tomorrow, when I´m going to start third on the grid”, Regalia said after the race.

Then, on Sunday, Regalia was overtaken by Sainz at the start of race two, with ART Grand Prix avoiding risks. “Sainz made a good start, but anyway I could have passed Sainz and Korjus on first corner, but it was important to save the car and I didn´t want to make a mess”, said Regalia, who set fastest lap on lap three. “My race pace was quite good and today´s safety car hasn´t helped us, because the podium wasn´t that far, but my fourth place is another good result, always thinking Ellinas, for second time in-a-row, hasn´t scored a single point”, he said.

Just before leaving Hungaroring, he also said that “globally it was a positive weekend, even when we didn´t finish on the podium. But I´m second overall, but Ellinas is just a point ahead of me. After to be hit by problems in qualifying everything was looking less positive for us, but eighteen points mean an excellent balance for us. My team, ART Grand Prix, has done an outstanding job over the course of the weekend and now it´s time to take a rest before Spa-Francorchamps, our next commitment in three weeks´ time”.

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