WEATHER REPORT:
Tomorrow's race in Wilkengrad will see typically fine weather, as many drivers, teams and principals will become accustomed to, reaching a temperature of 27 C (81 F) with only a light breeze to hinder drivers. 

*Perfect setup for the Wilkenstan GP: DBC with aggressive 
*Worst setup for the Wilkenstan GP: SAT with defensive 

The teams that benefited from last week's conditions will be massively disadvantaged this time round. The top three on the grid tomorrow, to be led off by Liamopolis GP winner, Arch Rival, all have the worst possible setup and seemingly no one saw these conditions coming because no team is fully prepared for it. The 45 drivers will begin their Wilkdonian journey in about 12 hours time. 


RACE REPORT 1:
In a week dominated by regional politics, few have noticed that this is indeed the first time the FMR circus has moved outside of a Liamist State. This week we move north a bit to Wilkenstan, specifically the city of Wilkengrad for round 2 of the Ille de France FMR Championships. So far Rio Racing has put in a brilliant performance with Drivey McDriver in the lead with Sophie Superstar so close behind, she can make adjustments to his rear wing. It seems the team politics that ruined their Liamopolis GP are far behind them. The final podium position is occupied by Fluffy of the Naginii Racing Group, desperate to hold this position and make amends on last week's mediocre performance. The Meadowbank Boy Racers have also done well for themselves with Pimpy McBling and last week's fourth place getter, James Pimpanzee, occupying seventh and eighth respectively. Royal Flush failed to finish this week but the Meadowbank Casino House Ltd team have managed to fix the suspension, and a few other things, and get him into ninth. The home teams cannot be found in the top half of the race, especially with Mariah from Team Wilkenstan struggling with an as yet undetermined problem. She may have to pull out of the race, which would disappoint the huge crowds lining the streets of Wilkengrad.

Top ten at the one-quarter way mark (11 laps) of the Wilkenstan GP:
1. Drivey McDriver (Rio Racing)
2. Sophie Superstar (Rio Racing)
3. Fluffy (Naginii Racing Group)
4. Brother Ulrik (Burtech Racing Team)
5. Johnson 2 (Mentally Insane George's Racing Team)
6. Eyretone Cenna (Maid of Honour)
7. Pimpy McBling (Meadowbank Boy Racers)
8. James Pimpanzee (Meadowbank Boy Racers)
9. Royal Flush (Meadowbank Casino House Ltd)
10. Ahmed Dakis (Burtech Racing Team)

By car number, positions 11 through 45:
42, 33, 14, 22, 26, 38, 34, 28, 25, 39, 21, 8, 29, 7, 5, 2, 4, 31, 15, 43, 1, 11, 40, 13, 6, 32, 47, 20, 12, 41, 19, 30, 3, 48 and last 16.


RACE REPORT 2:
The second sector was was most notably marked by the spins of the Rio Racing team. It seems that Drivey McDriver had a spanner left by his team on the front wing of his small race car-like vehicle. It finally came lose from the G-forces of turn 6 and went under his front wheels, causing a spin and a puncture. With Sophie Superstar so close behind, she too was taken out by McDriver's spin and slid into the Marmalitter. Luckily for both drivers, they managed to keep their engines running and not sustain too much damage and continued on after losing ten places (four of which were while they were in the pits). Stepping into the lead was Brother Ulrik of the Burtech Racing Team, who put in some of the fastest laps of the second sector. Fluffy moved into second, and the season's first DNFer, Royal Flush followed into third. Eyretone Cenna maintained her good form for fourth and Antoinette of the Flying Mosmaniacs pulled fifth. The Wilkdonian crowd has had little to cheer for so far with their best placed driver, Charlemagne of Team Wilkenstan, who has settled somewhat in the week just gone. However, Mariah has managed to shake her problems from the first sector (some commentators attribute her slow form to bad tyre compund), although TW will be monitoring the situation closely. Still at the back end of the field, the Screech of Surique has failed to screech their loudest with their drivers 41st and 44th.

Top ten at the half way mark (22 laps) of the Wilkenstan GP:
1. Brother Ulrik (Burtech Racing Team)
2. Fluffy (Naginii Racing Group)
3. Royal Flush (Meadowbank House Casino Ltd)
4. Eyretone Cenna (Maid of Honour)
5. Antoinette (Flying Mosmaniacs)
6. Ben Drinkin (Marma & Papa Duke Trust Fund)
7. Pimpy McBling (Meadowbank Boy Racers)
8. James Pimpanzee (Meadowbank Boy Racers)
9. Heinz (Keetorama)
10. Sophie Superstar (Rio Racing)

By car number, positions 11 through 45:
35, 28, 44, 17, 8, 11, 39, 21, 42, 31, 15, 41, 3, 40, 47, 2, 25, 33, 7, 19, 1, 38, 16, 43, 34, 5, 20, 4, 6, 32, 29, 12, 13, 30 and last 48.


RACE REPORT 3:
The speeds increased dramatically over the third quarter of the race, as the Wilkengrad streets started to rubber in. It seems the pace was too high for some with two cars not getting past the twenty-third lap. In a massive blow for the fans in Mississippi Rio, Drivery McDriver and Silent Jim both failed to cross the line a twenty-third time. It seems that the mechanics missed the deep damage done to Drivey McDriver's engine and it collapsed spectacularly under the strain of the straight between turns 3 and 4. Silent Jim's exit to the race was even more spectacular than the flames of McDriver's engine with his steering coloumn and brakes failing to respond as he headed toward turn 10. With his speed recklessly high, he flew straight over the barriers and off the bridge into the Wilkdonian waterway. Luckily for Sport Francais de Moteur, Silent Jim managed to get himself free from his restraints and floated to the surface and was promptly rescued. In other events, Fluffy put in a particularly hot sector to snatch the lead from Brother Ulrik. Antoinette moved up two places to third and James Pimpanzee looks good to take his second fourth place in a row. Eyretone Cenna moved back a place under the intense pressure from the up-and-comers and Ben Drinkin managed to maintain his sixth. And in Wilkdonian news, Charlemagne has managed to find form, moving right up into twelth place and is looking at taking points, much to the joy of the crowd.
Top ten at the three-quarter way mark (33 laps) of the Wilkenstan GP:
1. Fluffy (Naginii Racing Group)
2. Brother Ulrik (Burtech Racing Team)
3. Antoinette (Flying Mosmaniacs)
4. James Pimpanzee (Meadowbank Boy Racers)
5. Eyretone Cenna (Maid of Honour)
6. Ben Drinkin (Marma & Papa Duke Trust Fund)
7. Sophie Superstar (Rio Racing)
8. Heinz (Keetorama)
9. Johnson 2 (Mentally Insane George's Racing Team)
10. Bolock (Ardent Antagonists)

By car number, positions 11 through 43:
11, 15, 37, 9, 47, 2, 19, 33, 28, 5, 40, 41, 43, 17, 20, 21, 8, 34, 7, 31, 16, 38, 13, 25, 1, 29, 3, 6, 48, 12, 4, 32 and last 30.
OUT: 39 [water], 35 [engine]


RACE REPORT 4:
Everything slowed back down to first sector speeds as fatigue took its toll on drivers. Rodney, from the Screech of Surique - the worst prepared team for the weekend, had problems as his car rolled to stop. It seems the car had finally given up struggling in the warm and fine conditions. Some of the top drivers from last week failed to shine, including the Liamopolis GP winner, Arch Rival, who finished a relatively dismal twenty-second. Airborne's Aerial Racing also failed to find any sort of pace in their debut race. To the top ten and the crowd was vindicated when Charlemagne's aggressiveness kicked in on his home circuit and he powered through the field to snatch sixth place, to wild applause and cheers. James Pimpanzee also put in another solid performance going one better than last week's performance, grabbing third and launching him and his team into third on the respective standings. His teammate, Pimpy McBling, unfortunately had faded from early good form into twenty-third place.  Despite her team mate's engine failure, Sophie Superstar managed to recover some of her loses from her earlier spin and cross the line just behind Charlemagne and score the first points for her team. Fish Goti seemingly came from nowhere to be the second driver to score successive points in Ille de France FMR, with a solid eighth place to go with the previous week's second. Ben Drinkin, who had finished thirty-first in Liamopolis and was sixth at the last sector, gained two places and finished a respectable fourth in an attempt to make up for last week's poor performance. But at the end of the race, the day really belonged to the Burtech Racing Team, with their second driver, Brother Ulrik, winning his fierce battle against Naginii's Fluffy and taking honours in only his second GP. Their first driver, Ahmed Dakis, pulled tenth place, scoring a total of thirty-one points for the team. BRT will leave Wilkenstan with top position on the team and driver standings. They will need to drive hard to maintain their slender one point lead over Midnight Shadow and Arch Rival.

Top ten at the conclusion (44 laps) of the Wilkenstan GP:
1. Brother Ulrik (Burtech Racing Team) - 30 points
2. Fluffy (Naginii Racing Group) - 20 points
3. James Pimpanzee (Meadowbank Boy Racers) - 15 points
4. Ben Drinkin (Marma & Papa Duke Trust Fund) - 12 points
5. Eyretone Cenna (Maid of Honour) - 9 points
6. Charlemagne (Team Wilkenstan) - 7 points
7. Sophie Superstar (Rio Racing) - 5 points
8. Fish Goti (Tastee Badger Treets Racing) - 3 points
9. Antoinette (Flying Mosmaniacs) - 2 points
10. Ahmed Dakis (Burtech Racing Team) - 1 point

By car number, positions 11 through 42:
28, 44, 40, 2, 37, 19, 21, 14, 20, 43, 34, 33, 9, 47, 42, 1, 38, 7, 41, 5, 3, 31, 16, 8, 4, 6, 48, 13, 25, 12, 30, 32, 39, 29 and last 35
OUT: 35 [engine], 39 [brakes, steering], 29 [whole car]

We here at FMRTV all hope you enjoyed the coverage of the Wilkenstan GP. Thanks to all our sponsors, particularly the Liam & Co Marmaduke Concern, LandVac Vacuum Cleaners and Duneland Oil Rig Company. In one week's time, the FMR circus goes to Meadowbank and the championship will focus on the Remuera Raceway. See you in Meadowbank...