Perera tops Atlantic testing again
Franck Perera continued to impress all in the Champ Car paddock with a second day at the top of the Atlantic Spring Training times, the final test before the first race in Las Vegas next month
The Frenchman, driving for Condor Motorsports, circulated the 2.238-mile Laguna Seca course with a time of 1:16.067, at an average speed of 105.917mph, beating the closest challenger by 0.15 seconds.
Perera said: "It was a good test and we had a really nice fight with [Raphael] Matos all day. The Condor team did a really good job and I think I was getting better with the car all the time."
Regarding the question over whether he would compete in the Atlantic championship, he commented: "I've just got to focus on that and see what happens with the team."
As on the first day, Raphael Matos of Sierra Sierra Enterprises was Perera's closest challenger, the Brazilian holding off local Monterey hero Jonathan Bomarito by 0.15 seconds.
Matos, who is one of the favourites for the Atlantic title given that this is his second year in the series commented: "We definitely made some progress today, especially in the afternoon session when we were able to find at least three or four tenths in our car. I think the Sierra Sierra team is ready for the start of the season."
Team-mate James Hinchcliffe, who like Matos also races in A1GP, finished up fifth, an impressive performance given his trials and tribulations of the day before. He was split from PR1 Motorsports' Bomarito by Giacomo Ricci, who is continuing his strong progress with the Conquest Racing team who took Graham Rahal to Atlantic stardom last year with five victories.
Britain's Ryan Lewis finished up 13th fastest for Walker Racing.
Champ Car Spring Training commences today, with former Conquest Racing driver Andrew Ranger in the Dale Coyne Racing seat. He will make way for multiple Champ Car race-winner Bruno Junqueira on Saturday.
Day two testing times:
Pos Driver Team Time 1. Franck Perera Condor Motorsports 1:16.067 2. Raphael Matos Sierra Sierra Enterprises 1:16.216 + 0.149 3. Jonathan Bomarito PR1 Motorsports 1:16.374 + 0.307 4. Giacomo Ricci Conquest Racing 1:16.605 + 0.538 5. James Hinchcliffe Sierra Sierra Enterprises 1:16.631 + 0.564 6. Carl Skerlong US RaceTronics 1:16.850 + 0.783 7. David Garza US RaceTronics 1:17.118 + 1.051 8. Robert Wickens Red Bull Team Forsythe 1:17.132 + 1.065 9. John Edwards Red Bull Team Forsythe 1:17.134 + 1.067 10. Adrian Carrio Genoa Racing 1:17.148 + 1.081 11. J.R. Hildebrand Newman Wachs Racing 1:17.216 + 1.149 12. Justin Sofio Mathiasen Motorsports 1:17.227 + 1.160 13. Jonathan Summerton Brooks Associates Racing 1:17.441 + 1.374 14. Ryan Lewis Walker Racing 1:17.545 + 1.478 15. Matt Lee Conquest Racing 1:17.612 + 1.545 16. Colin Fleming Walker Racing 1:17.723 + 1.656 17. Simona De Silvestro Walker Racing 1:17.772 + 1.705 18. Tom Sutherland Jensen MotorSport 1:17.789 + 1.722 19. Adrien Herberts Paladin Motorsports 1:17.950 + 1.883 20. Brian Thienes Condor Motorsports 1:18.282 + 2.215 21. Mike Forest PR1 Motorsports 1:18.484 + 2.417 22. Dane Cameron Polestar Racing Group 1:18.712 + 2.645 23. Frankie Muniz Jensen MotorSport 1:19.321 + 3.254 24. Dominick Muermans Jensen MotorSport 1:19.837 + 3.770 25. Leonardo Valois Genoa Racing 1:23.048 + 6.981
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