Rodolfo Ávila - Asian Formula Renault 2000 Champion!!!

SFonseca · 23 Oct 2003, 23:01 (Ref:761364)

Rodolfo Ávila is the Asian Champion of Asian Formula Renault 2000, with two rounds to go.

Rodolfo is now 16 years old, his studies are going well and he is competing in the Asian Formula Renault 2000 Championships; in 2003 he is under intensive training with the FRD team, directly coached by the French driver Philippe Descombes.

He is the new star of Portuguese Motorsport.

www.rodolfoavila.com

**gomick** · 24 Oct 2003, 08:16 (Ref:761624)

good for rodolfo - how does a 16 year old end up in asia

SFonseca · 24 Oct 2003, 12:14 (Ref:761839)

What do you wnat to say with "end up in asia" ?

alonso11 · 24 Oct 2003, 12:32 (Ref:761857)

Quote:

how does a 16 year old end up in asia

He lives in Asia,in Macau that is a ex-Portuglese colony and Portuglese is still one of the official languages there.

Congrats to him,when you are 16 it is certainly an achievement to be the champion of whatever! On the other hand Asian Formula Renault Challege is a joke.I recall last year's grid in Macau: there was massive seconds between every driver and some 15 second covered the whole 9 driver grid to make it a complete comedy.Another 10-15 guys were outside 15sec in one lap which is perfectly beyond my depth.

Also this year there are only two European based guys on the grid Ávila and some noname Dutch,the rest of the grid is all Chinese (Hong-Kong and Macau included) and Korean.I'm sure that one day there will be good Chinese racedrivers and I mean it,but recently they are just like their football was some 10 years ago,they are scoring own goals and there is no competition.I think Ávila is a champion just like I would be one if took part in Egypt's Ski Championship.

If you want to know the real level of Ávila check this: http://www.renault-sport.com/competition/essai.php3 idcalendrier=45&champ=ss&saison=2003 He took part in a French Formula Renault race: qualified 30th 3.5sec off the pole and 0.4 off the 29th position that is a light-year in the Formula Renault scene where usually 4-5 drivers are inside one tenth of a second.He finished the race deadlast 55sec behind the winner... 55sec in a 14laps race.

Sorry SFonseca and everybody! I didn't mean to be negative, I just wanted to be a bit realistic,but to say good things too: 16 years old and already a champion plus he knows the circuit of Macau very well he has been karting and FRenaulting there several times which can be a very useful thing later in the F3 scene.Good luck to him!

alonso11 · 24 Oct 2003, 12:38 (Ref:761864)

the address again :

http://www.renault-sport.fr/competit...ss&saison=2003

Btw will he take part in this weekend's "Rendez-Vous des Champions" race in Donington Park?

Rob29 · 24 Oct 2003, 13:52 (Ref:761940)

Quote:

Originally posted by alonso11
the address again :

http://www.renault-sport.fr/competit...ss&saison=2003

Btw will he take part in this weekend's "Rendez-Vous des Champions" race in Donington Park?

What is this? I know only of FR Masters,French & British Winter Series rounds scheduled for Donington.Does anyone have a timetable yet?

**gomick** · 24 Oct 2003, 14:11 (Ref:761958)

so is he portugese born

- thats all, just a query

SFonseca · 24 Oct 2003, 19:13 (Ref:762169)

Quote:

Originally posted by alonso11
but recently they are just like their football was some 10 years ago,they are scoring own goals and there is no competition.I think Ávila is a champion just like I would be one if took part in Egypt's Ski Championship.

My friend Alonso11,

Can you remenber the final position of South Korea in the last Football World Cup?yeah....they are justing scoring goals...

At Bugatti, Rodolfo was the ONLY driver making his debut in that race. ALL opponents were french!!
Were you expecting a victory? Maybe you don't know but I'll tell you that Tcs Racing isn't the best team of the Fr2000 field too.

Have I said Rodolfo is the next Schumacher?

alonso11 · 24 Oct 2003, 19:54 (Ref:762211)

Quote:

What is this?

"Rendez-Vous des Champions" is just the subheading of the final round of Masters, since it's the final round and all the champions suppose to compete but as far as I know the Fran-Am and the Asian guys didn't come.However the Dutch, the German and the Italian champions are there and so is the leader of the French championship Duval who is by the way isn't a regular of the Masters just came for the final round of the French championship.
So to make clear it's:
the final round of European Masters
the final round of French Championship
and the opening round of the British Winter Series

Quote:

so is he portugese born

Born in Lisboa and lived in Portugal until the age of three. In 1990 his family moved to Macao and settled there.

Hi SFonseca! Yea that's exactly my point,the Korean and the Chinese football became hmmm-hmmm so-so quite OK through the years but I said 10 years ago... Like I said I'm sure that one day China will have good racedrivers but that day is definitely not tomorrow and you know it well, I don't have to explain it.Talking about the French race I know and you know too that Rodolfo tested in France on another circuit before the race (well not that you need to test you own car that you'r racing with all year long but he tested it in France as a part of a 10 days long training program especially for this race...) plus as you pointed out he is directly coached by the French driver Philippe Descombes.You can't say that he wasn't well-prepared.

SFonseca · 25 Oct 2003, 00:06 (Ref:762354)

Quote:

Originally posted by alonso11
but he tested it in France as a part of a 10 days long training program especially for this race...) plus as you pointed out he is directly coached by the French driver Philippe Descombes.You can't say that he wasn't well-prepared.

Do you think he travelled to France to win the race? He was there to LEARN!!

Were you expecting a victory? He's not SUPERMAN!!

Russfeld · 25 Oct 2003, 00:57 (Ref:762384)

Yeah but *seconds* off is downright bizarre, and unimpressive at the very least

alonso11 · 25 Oct 2003, 01:29 (Ref:762397)

Quote:

Were you expecting a victory? He's not SUPERMAN!!

Well he won it if you watch the tape reserved

But seriously FRenault2000 is the same everywhere and if you are a champion in a country (or continent) then I wouldn't expect you to be deadlast in another...

By the way here are the combined pratice results from Masters: http://www.mst-group.co.uk/toca/2003/34343frn.pdf
Unfortunetely no Ávila and nobody came from the South-American nor the Asian scene.It would have been interesting, especially the Argeintian FRenault that seems really strong if you just think about Juan-Cruz Álvarez or Paulo Donso.I do however see 3 Mexicans coming from Fran-Am I think.

SFonseca · 25 Oct 2003, 13:00 (Ref:762653)

I can tell you that Rodolfo Ávila received a propose from a top-FR2000 team to run at Donington. But GP Macau is the most important meeting of the season for Asian competitors, and they should be looking for a good result there. Not time to do the masters at Donington Park.

alonso11 · 25 Oct 2003, 14:17 (Ref:762711)

Quote:

GP Macau is the most important meeting of the season for Asian competitors, and they should be looking for a good result there. Not time to do the masters at Donington Park.

That's not an excuse amigo, guys like Briscoe are racing this weekend and trust me Macau will be quite important for them also.But anyway the Renault Masters guys would eat Ávila alive and he knows it well

Just check this grid:
http://www.mst-group.co.uk/singleses...tdonington.gif
If you are only one sec off the pole you already find yourself in 29th position...1.591 sec covers a grid of 35 drivers!!! Like I said Ávila would be a light breakfast with marmalade and chocolate milk for these Masters guys

alonso11 · 25 Oct 2003, 14:33 (Ref:762721)

Another interesting data that the French FRenault Championship -where Rodolfo was 3.5-4sec off per lap- is also in Donington and their pole position would be enough for the Reanult Masters' 11th place only.Oh and it was just first qual session for the Masters ... But I stop it now,I promise! I hope there are no hard feelings SFonseca! Bye!

SFonseca · 25 Oct 2003, 23:01 (Ref:763071)

Quote:

Originally posted by alonso11
guys like Briscoe are racing this weekend and trust me Macau will be quite important for them also

Sorry alonso11,but Do you have an idea about what is motorsport reality?
I guess not....

Ryan Briscoe is a Toyota Grand Prix driver and Euro F3 winner...

I just can say to you, Masters field doesn't impresse me so much. Rodolfo wouldn't win the race but If he signed for a good team he could be fighting in the middle of the field.

No hard feelings alonso11, sooner or later you will eat your words! I respect your opinion and please tell me one more thing.
How many hungarian drivers won Asian Formula Renault 2000?Ups...

hys911 · 26 Oct 2003, 00:31 (Ref:763104)

Well it's the fact that the standard of Asian motorsport is not as good as europe's . If you refer to Franky Cheng who was the frist runner up in Asian Renault championship in 2002 and winner of first race of Asian Renault championship in 2003. And then he participated in UK renault champinship with manor motorsport, he is almost 2.5 sec off per lap.

bingman · 26 Oct 2003, 04:04 (Ref:763197)

Quote:

Originally posted by SFonseca
How many hungarian drivers won Asian Formula Renault 2000?Ups...

how many have tried????

good on the lad for winning the championship but the fact is it is no real indication of talent.anything less than pure domination would be very bad considering most of the asian formula renault gird is made up of older 40+ business men and aircraft pilots.

but it's too early to write him off also as he's only 16 and learning........ so goodluck

hys911 · 26 Oct 2003, 04:57 (Ref:763208)

yes, he is talented. He is only 16 , still has a lots to improve. Too early to write him off now. All the best to Rodolfo -a tomorrow Portuguese / Macauese star racer .

alonso11 · 26 Oct 2003, 13:03 (Ref:763582)

Lol,You are too funny SFonseca.Why do you want to emabrrass yourself by all means?

I've only pointed out a couple of FACTS and have nothing againts you or Rodolfo as a person.

Quote:

Ryan Briscoe is a Toyota Grand Prix driver and Euro F3 winner...

First you claimed that Rodolfo didn't come for the Renault Masters because he has no 'time' for it (what a lame excuse) then I pointed out that many guys who go to Macau are racing this weekend and then you mention that Briscoe is a champion.Rodolfo is also a champion even if not a true one

And what does being a champion has to do with having more time?? Since when has a ToyotaF1-tester more time than a Formula Renault guy? It hardly makes any sense whatsoever. Rodolfo didn't come for the Masters because he is ridiculously off the pace,you know it, he knows it, we know it.Oh and you say you are not 'impressed' by the Master's grid but you are impressed by Rodolfo....Please stop,it's too funny

Quote:

How many hungarian drivers won Asian Formula Renault 2000?Ups...

Oh please amigo don't be so lame,what does slow Rodolfo have to do with my or any poster's nationality? You are out of arguments (not like you had many) so you start your cheap personal remarks? very imrpessive

Just for your information when Zsolt Baumgartner was 16 he became vice-champion of the German Formula Renault -you don't know it because I didn't open a new thread for it

- and when he was 18 he scored 6 poles and 6 victories in the Formula Renault Eurocup (the ancestor of the Renault Masters) againts guys like Pizzonia (the most successful Formula Renault driver of all time) and Bruni.Just for the record he became German Champion in the same year.That's certainly a tenthousand time more impressive than anything that Rodolfo did so far so please stop embarrassing yourself and molesting me

Zsolt or any other Hungarian racedriver by the way have absolutely nothing to do with this thread and their performances are perfectly beside the point.

xman_wolve · 27 Oct 2003, 09:10 (Ref:764283)

SFonseca, myself being Asian, I'm sorry to say but Asian F.Renault means nothing (hope that will change in the future). Unlike other Championships in Europe, which consist of different teams to compete against each other. The Asia Formula Renault included one team or one company to be more precise. I'm sure you know driver's performance depending on how many test sessions you run (no restriction on test here) and how well is your business relationship with that team/company. Ask Rodolfo if he knows how to set up the car or he knows exactly what the mechanics have done to his car. There're more to racing than just driving. I believe Franky Cheng is facing the same problem with Hill Speed (not Manor). These young guys need to be surrounded by motorsport culture in order to learn and growth. I'm sure you have faced question like "Is Rodolfo's car a formula one?" stuff. The competition level and environment is just not here yet(again, hope this will change shortly)

Does that means Rodolfo's no good? I'm not saying that. However, he needs to prove it somewhere else, not here. First mission will be winning Macau with a BIG margin like Jamie Green did last year.

And guys, please stop the nationality thing......I wouldn't laugh at someone who can't handle chopsticks as well as I am.

bingman · 27 Oct 2003, 13:36 (Ref:764544)

put him in asian formula BMW next year. that will give more of an indication. that series has several good guys