Podium and Points for HP-Tech at the Glen

July 3, 2013
Lorena sits fourth in points.

Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Expanding to two cars for rounds seven and eight of the 2013 F2000 Championship Series season at Watkins Glen International, HP-Tech Motorsport did not miss a beat, scoring a podium finish and putting both cars in the top 10 in each race with drivers Santino Ferrucci and Roberto Lorena.

Under extremely tricky wet conditions the defending Championship team saw 15-year-old Santino Ferrucci land on the podium with a third place effort on his first start. Ferrucci would nearly match that result with a fourth place run in Saturday’s race, No. 100 in Series history.

“I am learning about brake pressure and how to squeeze the brake pedal,” said Ferrucci. “But I have so much to learn that I was gaining knowledge every single lap. The easiest part is the racing and the starts. I learned so much race craft in Europe that I am very comfortable racing and starting.”

“I had maybe 20 laps in the car before the Glen and only a few laps at 100 percent. So I had to learn the car, braking, downshifting and the track,” he continued. “I am still very far away from being able to get all the speed out of the car. I can't say enough about Jorge and the entire team.”

Teammate Roberto Lorena, off two podiums at Lime Rock, would bring the No. 9 Van Diemen home fifth and seventh and bounced back from a incident earlier in the weekend.

“Even thought I drove at Watkins Glen last year with the F1600, being away from the cockpit since the last race, and dealing with the crazy weather were factors that made us start from a position that we are not used to,” said Lorena, pointing to a short qualifying session.

“I tried pushing too hard on the last practice and on qualifying, and ended up on the wall twice. The off I had on qualifying cost us two grid positions as a penalty for bringing out a yellow flag. Thanks to HP-Tech, and their amazing repair work, we were able to race. Few teams would have been able to put the car back together the way they did in such little time,” Lorena continued.

“At least we got one position in the Championship standings, we are now fourth, and still have six races to go. I would say a lot can happen and that we are looking to win a few more positions.”

Another highlight for Lorena: his second straight birthday spent at the race track, cake and all, including the team singing happy birthday in Portuguese for the now 18-year-old Brazilian driver who lives in Atlanta.

Up next for HP-Tech and the F2000 Championship Series is Mid-Ohio, July 26-28, for rounds nine and 10 for the 14-race 2013 season. HP-Tech has seats available for the remainder of the F2000 Series season, with six races and three weekends left.

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