The Grand Prix of Pau was faithful to its legend by producing the most unpredictable scenarios for the return of the Sprint CUP by Funyo in the city of the good King Henri IV.
With 33% of second-generation non-fossil fuel in the tank of the Funyo SP05 EVO, the show was there.
Jonathan Dessens (AMGV) and Xavier Fouineau (HMC Racing) followed each other on the first step of the four podiums, while Romain Boeckler (L’Ecurie Française) made a clean sweep in the Espoirs. Frank Lefèvre (Spirit of 78) had the best average in Gentleman. The Monegasque rider Stéphane Richelmi, welcomed for the occasion by the AMGV team, did honor to his rank of former LMP2 winner at the 24 Hours of Le Mans by leading the meeting, signing a pole and climbing twice on the podium.
In addition to the difficulties inherent in racing, the competitors had to cope with unstable weather during the three days of the competition: a heavy rain on Friday that disrupts the second free session, tire selection puzzle before race 2 starts Saturday afternoon, intense and persistent rain Sunday morning… Constantly, the teams had to adapt their set-ups and the drivers their steering wheel!
Race 1: the first dramatic turn of events took place even before the grid was put on when local Sacha Hebrard gave up following a road trip in qualifying. While the track is dry for the first start, the big favorites are involved in an accident at the Pont Oscar at the start of the second lap: author of the pole position but ahead of Xavier Fouineau on the initial impulse, Jesse Bouhet (HMC Racing) wants to resume his good, locks its wheels and hits the back of its rivals proto. Just behind, Stéphane Richelmi can’t avoid Bouhet, who was sent back to the track by the tire wall. Richelmi concedes one turn, the other two must resolve to give up.
The revenant Jonathan Dessens (AMGV), already very competitive during the last Sprint Cup by Funyo in Pau in 2019, is quick to take the lead. He will keep it until the end not without having to watch a Romain Boeckler omnipresent in his mirrors and wide winner in Espoir ahead of Jérémy Siffert (HMC Racing). Alex Gaines (HMC Racing), the American from Biarritz, takes the third step. Behind a Benoit Eveillard (Belt Racing) still in the lead, the best Gentleman Frank Lefèvre has an excellent 5th place.
Race 2: Xavier Fouineau is still on the front line but this time next to Stéphane Richelmi who has beaten him by only 34 thousandths in qualifying. But once again, the reigning champion of the Sprint CUP by Funyo takes the best and crosses in the lead at the Gare. Between these two, the duel lasted until the flag without Richelmi succeeding in reversing the trend.
The highlight of this race is the uncertainty about the choice of tires. Some, like Alex Gaines, first opted for the rains before changing to slicks, starting from the pits. Others, who were in the same case carried their cross and sculpted tires to the end on a completely dry track. So many of them have conceded a lap, and the last loops were tasty, when the two leaders had to show their slalom skills in the middle of a compact pack of laggards. 3rd, Jesse Bouhet took the opportunity to follow in the wake of Stéphane Richelmi at the end. Romain Boeckler won again in Espoir, ahead of a Louis Fournier (Belt Racing) wearing rain tyres. Rémy Brouard (Spirit of 78) set the Gentlemen sprint just ahead of Olivier Gauclère (HMC Racing).
Race 3: The rules inspired by the Sprint CUP by Funyo retain the classification of race 1 for the grid of race 3. So, we ended up with an inverted grid that did not say his name, the three main favorites injured at the opening of hostilities being all condemned to the compulsory ascent. With, this time, a rain that made no one hesitate on the issue of tires! Jonathan Dessens did not miss the opportunity to win, and Romain Boeckler still played the role of the assiduous opponent, less than a second and a half under the flag. Alex Gaines took the third step while the best climb was made by Xavier Fouineau, 4th, ahead of Eveillard, who was hampered by the fog, Richelmi and Bouhet. Once the threat played by Jean-Claude Rolland (HMC Racing) disappeared, Frank Lefèvre dominated the Gentleman category.
Race 4: Xavier Fouineau started on pole because of his victory in Race 2, and he equalized twice on a track that was dry again, but he was never able to completely free himself from the threat of Jesse Bouhet. Stéphane Richelmi completed this magnificent podium. Romain Boeckler has caused his fans a lot of hair, his proto refusing to start on the pregrid. Thanks to the help of all the teams, Romain was able to get back on the track. He thus completed his chase with a fourth victory in Espoir! Jean-Claude Rolland became the third winner of the weekend in Gentleman. He had already won race 4 at Mugello.
The championship classification remains almost unchanged because the two leading drivers scored the same number of points, with one unit remaining, that of the best lap of Fouineau in race 3! Boeckler’s beautifully executed score led him to climb to third place, while setting sail in Hope. In the Gentlemen’s classification, Lefèvre led the way ahead of Brouard and Gauclère who switched positions to Pau.
The drivers of the Sprint CUP by Funyo will now be able to project themselves towards the beautiful track of Dijon-Prenois, which will host them from July 7 to 9.
Two questions for Stéphane Richelmi:
What do you think about the performance level of the Funyo SP05 EVO, you who piloted LMP2 prototypes?
The Funyo is very light, with a good mechanical grip, the sensations remind me of what I experienced at the beginning of my single-seater career. It is healthy, playful, and accessible, while achieving high performance.
For this double discovery of the Funyo in sprint version, and the circuit of Pau-Ville in competition mode, you have experienced hectic races.
You don’t get bored in the Funyo championship. And even if you don’t want to take yourself seriously, when you’re a pilot, you only care about the result! Among the highlights was the unfortunate crash at the Oscar Bridge on the second lap of Race 1, and later in the day I spent a good part of Race 2 in Xavier Fouineau’s car without finding the opening. It was intense and I wish there were more laps!
Sprint CUP by Funyo 2023 Provisional General Classification:
- Xavier FOUINEAU 339 pts
- Alex GAINES 308 pts
- Romain BOECKLER 231 pts
Provisional Espoir Classification:
- Romain BOECKLER 231 pts
- Jérémy SIFFERT 125 pts
- Louis FOURNIER 102 pts
Provisional Gentlemen Classification:
- Frank LEFEVRE 158 pts
- Remy BROUARD 138 pts
- Olivier GAUGLERE 114 pts
