13th October 2007


A stunning effort from Jon and his SG Formula Renault single-seater in first qualifying, delivered the second fastest time of the session, and with it grid 2 for this afternoon's round of the French Formula Renault Championship, at Magny-Cours in France.

""To be honest a made a couple of mistakes on my best lap as well," Jon said afterwards, "so I am more than pleased to be on the front row for the first round this weekend."

Jon followed this performance up with an even better lap in second qualifying for tomorrow's race, when his blistering lap gave him pole position, as he took revenge on his team-mate Jules Bianchi, by reversing the starting positions.

"It was a much better lap, and showed just how fast I could be without any little mistakes to hold me back," Jon offered after the second qualifying drew to a close.

To therefore eventually finish in second place, after holding onto second place from the start, in race one this afternoon, did not surprisingly have Jon ecstatic with pleasure. "It was OK in the race, "he said, "but the car took forever to come 'on'.  Bianchi's car came 'on' so much quicker than mine, it meant he was a bit faster from the first lap, but then as mine came 'on' later in the race, I was able to close back in on him.  I probably lost two o three seconds in the opening laps, but by the finish the gap had come down to just over one second, and I was closing all the time as my car got better.  To be honest there was only me and Bianchi in it, with third place over three seconds further back."

With his French team-mate making a bid for the French Renault title, it meant Jon was not entirely disappointed to finish behind Bianchi on this occasion.  "It was a good drive from Bianchi and I would like to offer my congratulations by saying well done to him!  Tomorrow though is another day and I intend to make the most of pole position.  I feel pretty confident that I will win tomorrow, so even if it takes a few laps for my car to come 'on', if I can keep Bianchi behind me until the car is ready, I know that I will then have the speed to win the race."