A few days after the Japanese Grand Prix, the two representatives of the CIP-GREEN POWER team, Darryn Binder and Tom Booth-Amos, headed to Phillip Island in Australia for the penultimate stage of the overseas tour. Despite uncertain weather, the two drivers distinguished themselves on the emblematic Australian track.
After passing through Q1, Tom Booth-Amos, who does not know the circuit, manages to set the 14th time, a little over 1.4 seconds from pole position. His teammate Darryn Binder is having more difficulty and has to settle for 26th place on the grid.
But it is in the race that the duo of Alain Bronec's team shines. Tom Booth-Amos is fighting in the group for victory and holding his own against much more experienced drivers. For his part, Darryn Binder made a meteoric comeback. After just eight laps, the South African is already in second place.
At the end of a breathtaking battle, Darryn finally took sixth position under the checkered flag. Eighth, Tom recorded his best Grand Prix result in Australia.
A performance which should motivate the French structure ahead of the next meeting at Sepang in Malaysia.
Darryn Binder (6th) : “It was a good weekend but also strange at the same time, especially due to the uncertain weather. It was very windy on Saturday and I crashed on the first lap of qualifying. So I couldn't set a time and had to start from 26th position. If there's one circuit where it's easier to start from last on the grid, it's Phillip Island. There is only one group and it is easier to get back to the front. So I wasn't worried. I had a little scare in the first round, but I concentrated and gave everything. I managed to get back into the leading group. There was a lot of contact on the last lap and a few crashes, I'm happy to have reached the finish. We will learn the positives from it before going to Malaysia! »
Tom Booth-Amos (8th) : “It was a good weekend! It was my first time at Phillip Island so I had to learn the layout. Friday, in the wet, I didn't really feel comfortable, but I made good progress. The weather was unusual, but I had a good feeling during qualifying and managed to reach Q2 for the first time. From 14th place, I put up a good fight. I overtook many of my opponents in the last laps to finish eighth. This is my best result and I hope to continue this in the next races. »
Alain Bronec (Team Owner) : “A very good performance from the CIP-GREEN POWER team in Australia with its two drivers in the Top 8. In practice, despite the difficult conditions, Tom managed to advance to Q2. Darryn, for his part, crashed in qualifying probably due to the oil left on the track. But our two drivers performed brilliantly in the race. Special mention for Tom who set the fifth fastest time in the race, which is encouraging. Let's not forget that Tom is a rookie and that he is discovering all the routes. »
