Barcelona, 07/11/2016 – The SEAT Leon Eurocup has a new ruler. Dutchman Niels Langeveld (Baporo Motorsport) placed his hands on the 2016 title of the SEAT Leon Eurocup at the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit in front of more than 12.000 fans that surrounded the Catalan layout. After obtaining his fifth victory in Saturday’s first chase, the Baporo Motorsport driver crossed the finish line in fifth position and was able to confirm his ownership of the latest edition of the popular and thrilling racing contest.
After an intense race where plentiful overtaking moves and heightened excitement were the principle factors, the Baporo Motorsport representative was able to control his advantage in the points over nearest challenger Stian Paulsen (Stian Paulsen Racing) who was forced out of the running after a first lap incident. Setting off from eighth position on the grid and with Paulsen removed from the equation, Langeveld just had to reach the flag to turn his dreams to reality. He arrived to the line in fifth while Mikel Azcona (PCR Sport) ran to a deserved victory and at the same time made sure of his status as runner-up for 2016. Behind the Spaniard was Frenchman Julien Briché (JSB Competition) and Portuguese Lourenço Beirao (PCR Sport), both second and third respectively.
Consistency was the base of Niels Langeveld’s season-long charge to be champion. As well as being the driver with the highest number of wins in the current edition of the SEAT Leon Eurocup – five in total – the Dutchman also posted a third position at the Nürburgring, and three Pole Positions in a row at Silverstone, Paul Ricard and Mugello. The results contributed to an unforgettable campaign and were achieved with a lot of effort and determination.
After a conservative launch to the year at Estoril (Portugal), Langeveld then drove to three of four possible wins; two of those around Paul Ricard (France) and where he emerged as leader of the series. In the wake of the Portuguese fixture Langeveld and Stian Paulsen – his closest rival for most of the season – began a close and watchable duel even though the Baporo Motorsport representative remained in control from the Austrian round until his date with destiny at Barcelona-Catalunya.
Niels Langeveld (Baporo Motorsport), 2016 SEAT Leon Eurocup 2016: “I still cannot believe it! This was our objective and what we were fighting for the whole season and to win the SEAT Leon Eurocup, with the high level of the series, is a dream for me. This was my first season in a European competition and to take the title means a lot to me and all the people around me. It was a complicated race for us but we could keep consistent and in the end finished fifth. I want to give thanks to my team and my sponsors because without them none of this would have been possible.”
Mikel Azcona (PCR Sport), winner of race 2: “Today was very tricky. It was a really crazy race! I tried to set a good pace all the way through while also conserving tyres. Anyway, until the end I pushed as hard as I could and on the last lap I was able to make sure of the win. I’m really happy to end the season this way. I want to thank my people, my sponsors and my team.”
Julien Briché (JSB Competition), second in race 2: “To finish twice on the podium in the two races run here in Barcelona is a nice way to end the season. We have been fighting at the front with the best and that’s really important for us. We have to continue with the same line of work that we have set so far. Overall we’re really satisfied.”
Lourenço Beirao (PCR Sport), third in race 2: “A nice way to end the season because in the last few races, things have not gone as we would have liked. So I’m really happy that I could get on the podium here in Barcelona and I would like to give thanks to the team for the great work they have done.”
Jaime Puig (Director of SEAT Sport): “It was a really intense race and until the last lap it was hard to know who would be on the podium and also the new winner of the SEAT Leon Eurocup. I want to congratulate Niels Langeveld who made a very solid season and this allowed him to be crowned as the new king of the SEAT Leon Eurocup. Overall it has been a fantastic season and the constant overtaking and positions changes created a lot of emotion and expectation among the fans and that’s the best thing that we can hope for in an European series like ours.”
Race 2 classification
1. Mikel Azcona (#1), PCR Sport; 27’59.981
2. Julien Briché (#3), JSB Competition; +0.330
3. Lourenço Beirao Da Veiga (#20), PCR Sport; +3.469
4. Munkong Sathienthirakul (#11), Monlau Competición; +3.595
5. Niels Langeveld (#10), Baporo Motorsport; +3.901
6. Lucas Orrock (#4), Wolf-Power Racing; +13.190
7. Nicola Baldan (#108); Pit Lane Competizioni; +14.560
8. Alessandro Sebasti Scalera (#7), Baporo Motorsport; +14.572
9. Marco Pellegrini (#67), Dinamic Motorsport; +23.145
10. Harriet Arruabarrena (#8), PCR Sport; +24.604
11. Facundo Della Motta (#44), Baporo Motorsport; +28.446
12. Ruben Martínez (#24), RC2 Junior Team; +31.942
13. Alberto Vescovi (#112), Pit Lane Competizioni; +32.128
14. Marie Baus-Coppens (#21), JSB Competition; +33.641
15. Maurits Sandberg (#99), Baporo Motorsport; +37.411
16. Alex Morgan (#5), Wolf-Power Racing; +39.144
17. Carlotta Fedeli (#192), Pit Lane Competizioni; +40.912
18. David Cebrián (#32), RC2 Junior Team; +1 vuelta
Non classified
Jacobo García (#12), PCR Sport
Stian Paulsen (#34), Stian Paulsen Racing
Nelson Lukes (#50), Nelson Lukes
Race 1 classification
1. Niels Langeveld (#10), Baporo Motorsport; 27’58.541
2. Stian Paulsen (#34), Stian Paulsen Racing; +4.148
3. Julien Briché (#3), JSB Competition; +5.044
4. Mikel Azcona (#1), PCR Sport; +7.477
5. Alex Morgan (#5), Wolf-Power Racing; +9.157
6. David Cebrián (#32), RC2 Junior Team; +9.922
8. Lucas Orrock (#4), Wolf-Power Racing; +15.256
9. Facundo Della Motta (#44), Baporo Motorsport; +15.682
24. Alberto Vescovi (#112), Pit Lane Competizioni; +17.136
10. Alessandro Sebasti Scalera (#7), Baporo Motorsport; +21.201
11. Maurits Sandberg (#99), Baporo Motorsport; +35.848
12. Munkong Sathienthirakul (#11), Monlau Competición; +38.390
13. Jacobo García (#12), PCR Sport; +38.990
14. Ruben Martínez (#24), RC2 Junior Team; +42.457
15. Marie Baus-Coppens (#21), JSB Competition; +43.409
16. Carlotta Fedeli (#192), Pit Lane Competizioni; +58.190
17. Harriet Arruabarrena (#8), PCR Sport; +1’09.987
18. Nicola Baldan (#108); Pit Lane Competizioni; +2 laps
19. Lourenço Beirao Da Veiga (#20), PCR Sport; +2 laps
Non classified
Nelson Lukes (#50), Nelson Lukes
Marco Pellegrini (#67), Dinamic Motorsport
Clasificación SEAT León Eurocup 2016:
1. Niels Langeveld (#10), Baporo Motorsport; 240 points
2. Mikel Azcona (#1), PCR Sport; 226 points
3. Stian Paulsen (#34), Stian Paulsen Racing; 210 points
4. Alex Morgan (#5), Wolf-Power Racing; 165 points
5. Julien Briché (#3), JSB Competition; 151 points
6. Lourenço Beirao Da Veiga (#20), PCR Sport; 97 points
7. Lucas Orrock (#4), Wolf-Power Racing; 75 points
8. Facundo Della Motta (#44), Baporo Motorsport; 63 points
9. Lucile Cypriano (#9), JSB Competition; 61 points
10. Mario Dablander (#61), SEAT Austria; 34 points
11. Alessandro Sebasti Scalera (#7), Baporo Motorsport; 30 points
12. Nicola Baldan (#108); Pit Lane Competizioni; 29 points
13. Nelson Lukes (#50), Nelson Lukes; 23 points
14. Munkong Sathienthirakul (#11), Monlau Competición; 19 points
15. Mauricio Hernandez (#17), PCR Sport; 17 points
16. Faustí Salom (#6), Baporo Motorsport; 14 points
17. Maurits Sandberg (#99), Baporo Motorsport; 13 points
18. Jonathan Giacon (#101); Jonathan Giacon; 11 points
19. Marie Baus-Coppens (#21), JSB Competition; 8 points
20. Stan Van Oord (#77), Baporo Motorsport; 8 points
21. David Cebrián (#32), RC2 Junior Team; 8 points
22. Pol Rosell (#13), Baporo Motorsport; 7 points
23. Alberto Vescovi (#112), Pit Lane Competizioni; 3 points
24. Marco Pellegrini (#67), Dinamic Motorsport; 2 points
25. Amalia Vinyes (#13), Baporo Motorsport; 1 point
26. Jimmy Antunes (#2), JSB Competition; 1 point
27. Harriet Arruabarrena (#8), PCR Sport; 1 point
