Three circuits, thousands of kilometers and many overtakings, touches and hours of workshop later, the first edition of the C1 Learn & Drive Trophy came to an end.
Unique moments for the Escape / Livre Razão Automóvel team that we had the opportunity to share with you throughout the championship. The most dramatic moment? It was undoubtedly in the Portimão race.
Not long ago, we were eager to start this odyssey — which started with the purchase of a Citroën C1 used in Germany — and this weekend we already had the last scoring test for the overall classification of the C1 Learn & Drive Trophy. He started running!
However, the small Citroën C1 that came into our hands as a humble SUV, is today a true endurance racing car. Don't underestimate him...
constant learning
Time passed, but during this period we learned a lot. It turned out to be four races (only three scored). Many hours behind the wheel of the little C1, many moments of camaraderie between all the team members. A lot of learning, both on the SportClasse — workshop where our C1 was always assisted — and on the track, where we always had the help of two “hands on” professionals.
Francisco Carvalho, historic professional pilot from Guarda, who has won in all the competitions he has entered throughout his vast career. Who agreed to join our team to share with us all their experience.
João «China», our chief mechanic, another history of motor sport in Portugal, who despite the short time he had to prepare for the races, always offered us a competitive car.
Trophy C1. That's how it all started
It was still in December 2018 that we announced our participation in the C1 Trophy and presented the car that would be driven by the Escape Livre / Razão Automóvel team after it was prepared.
It was at the same time that we announced the riders who would be part of the team, and the partners who were associated with it. First Stop, Intermarché da Guarda, Overlay, QF and SportClasse.
It all started at the beginning of the year, but it was in Braga, on April 7th, that we were finally able to drive our C1 on a track with 43 more cars and a monumental deluge.
In June, the double journey took us to the fantastic and memorable Circuit de Portimão for over 16 hours at the wheel of the C1. We went from Hell and Heaven in Portimão, in a video you must see — follow this link to Razão Automóvel's YouTube.
The ultimate proof. 6 hours from Estoril.
Nine months after the announcement, we took our final test of the 2019 season of the C1 Learn & Drive Trophy.
Once again the grid was well filled. The Estoril circuit received 44 teams in the last scoring event of the C1 Trophy.
With all the teams more confident and more experienced, on a track perhaps better known to most, once again the six hours were played with great interest until the last lap, and without major incidents.
With the strong wind characteristic of the Estoril Circuit, our C1 betrayed us right away in timed practice, which did not allow us to make a lap capable of making us start, as usual, from the top places.
The G Tech team took the first step towards victory by taking pole position for the race, leading the pack after the start.
Despite the high competitiveness, everyone completed the first laps without incident, showing that the final result was a priority over turn-by-turn struggle.
We left for 6 hours excited and confident that our top 10 goal, reached in the last race in Portimão, would be achieved.
With successive overtakings in the first laps, less than thirty minutes later we were in 6th position! Despite starting the race from 19th position, the team was very confident and excited for the next 6 hours.
A mistake that cost the TOP 10
It was in the enthusiasm of successive overtakings that a later braking made the ABS of the small C1 act, giving no chance to avoid an exit from the track.
The belated intervention of the stewards to put the car back on track threw us beyond half the table. Without lowering our arms, we kept our strategy and we were regaining places up to 13th place.
With the Safety Car entering the track and a few more stops, we covered most of the race in 15th position thanks to the constant and uniform pace of the entire Escape Livre / Razão Automóvel team.
In the end, and with an exemplary race, it was G Tech that won the race, also completing the fastest lap.
In second place was RP Motorsport, which achieved the title in the PRO category. The podium was completed with Gianfranco Motorsport, who was crowned champion in the first edition of the C1 Learn & Drive Trophy, thus winning the entry for the 24 Hours of Spa.
The Escape Livre / Razão Automóvel team saw the checkered flag in 12th place, failing to reach our main objective of finishing in the top 10, despite the good performance, having even reached the 5th fastest lap of the circuit.
As for us, we took 15th place in the overall championship, 9th place in the PRO-AM category. The balance is very positive.
We are very satisfied with our performance, the first experience for all the riders in our team, with the exception of Francisco Carvalho, who was a key player in the team.
The C1 Trophy will now go to the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, from the 4th to the 6th of October, for the extra event of the 24 Horas do Algarve. For the year there's more!
