Oregon Team completed another positive run at Red Bull Ring this weekend. Although the Italian squad, running in the LMP3 class, is back from the 4-hour European Le Mans Series event with a seventh place in qualifying and another seventh place in the race, the potential showed by the Oregon-prepared Norma M30 was more than evident.
The result of the third out of six rounds of the ELMS season could have been even more impressive for the team owned by Jerry Canevisio and Giorgio Testa. The outcome was conditioned by some troubles after Dario Capitanio set the fastest lap of practice and Davide Roda wrapped-up the Bronze Test session in P3.
Capitanio drove the car for the opening stint, but a spin and two subsequent track limits penalties impacted his position. Roda, who jumped in for the second stint, was quick and consistent but was penalized with a drive-through for not having yelded to a LMP2 car, despite said car was not close enough for him to give way. The third stint saw Andrés Méndez drive to the finish line. The Colombian ran trouble free to take P7.
It was a bit of a pity because, analizing the data and accounting for the time lost, a podium could have been in frame for the French-built car and its drivers. But the good feedback and laptimes make room for optimism looking forward to the next round of the year.
The ELMS will be back in action on the 26th and 27th of August at the French Paul Ricard venue in Le Castellet to begin the final half of 2017.
