The Räikkönen Robertson Racing Formula BMW Europe team were on top form around the historic Monza circuit yesterday afternoon, as all three of the tea's cars finished race one in the top six.
Carlos Huertas led the Double R team home in second place, having started from pole position. RupertSvendsen-Cook took his best finish of the season in fifth place, while 18 year-old Michael Christensen closed in on the 2008 Rookie Championship, crossing the line in sixth place.
Having struggled for pace in Friday's wet free practice session, the team pushed hard to improve in time for qualifying on Friday afternoon. Carlos Huertas demonstrated the team's improvement in pace to take pole position, while 17 year-old Rupert Svendsen-Cook put his best qualifying performance of the season to qualify seventh.
Michael Christensen qualified in 14 th .As the lights went out for race at Monza, pole sitter Carlos Huertas was passed off the line and fell back to fifth place. In challenging conditions, the Columbian fought back however and was up to second place by the end of lap eight. Despite pressure from third place driver Marco Wittmann, Huertas held onto the position to take his first podium finish of the season. Team mate Rupert Svendsen-Cook also put in an impressive performance to take his bestfinish of the season in fifth place.
Michael Christensen fought his way through the field from 14 th place on the grid to sixth place at the chequered flag, to extend his lead in the rookie championship to 20 points with just one race remaining.
Reflecting on his race, Carlos Huertas said
"I didn't get a good start, I think I slipped back to fifth or sixth place, but I managed to fight my way back up to second and stay there, despite a lot of pressure from Wittmann towards the end. The conditions were fairly difficult today, the track was drying, but there was still some water off track, especially at corners such as Ascari. I'm starting from second tomorrow, so I'm aiming to do the same again; stay out of trouble and finish the race and maybe get another podium."
Team Principal Anthony Hieatt added,
"The entire team have done a brilliant job so far this weekend. After a difficult start in free practice on Friday morning, the team pulled together for qualifying, with Carlos doing a great job to get pole. We saw some great racing today, and all three drivers thoroughly deserved to finish where they did. With good starting positions tomorrow, hopefully we can expect more of the same, and of course we willbe pushing to help Michael win the rookie championship."
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