04 March 2001

A rain-hit two days of Formula Renault testing saw Allan Simonsen third quickest overall. Allan was making his debut appearance in the formula for the Team Brask- PBR Racing. The former multiple karting champion and Palmer Audi front runner from Odense revelled in the conditions and underlined his claim as a potential champion.

The second pre-season test for Formula Renault competitors takes place at Oulton Park circuit in Cheshire on Tuesday, 6 March, with the third a few days later at Donington Park in Leicestershire on Friday, 9 March.

Top six...
1. Leighton Walker, Manor Motorsport, 1m14.281s
2. Vincent Apple, Paston Racing, 1m14.533s
3. Allan Simonsen,, Team Brask/PBR, 1m15.578s
4. Mohammed Fairuz, Aztek Race Eng, 1m15.752s
5. Mark McLoughlin, Motaworld Racing, 1m16.571s
6. Luis Mussi, Motaworld Racing, 1m17.266s

Change of emphasis for Palmer Audi
Formula Palmer Audi will no longer run as a top line single seater formula but will continue as a single seater class for rookie drivers under the name 'Club Formula Palmer Audi'. This means that Jesper Carlsen and Jacky van der Ende will be competing elsewhere in 2001.

Jesper has been testing with a Porsche team at Silverstone in Championship that follows the F1 programme. Team owner Lars-Christian Brask said "We will try to place them with other single seater teams in EU F3000 or a few races in Intl. F3000, in sportscars or in the V-Sports V8s as grooming for sportscar racing."