Furthermore, he was quick in testing at Barcelona, so should Comtec, the Norfolk-based team having a stunning maiden season in the series, get his car sorted, then he by no means can be discounted.
Neither can the still winless Garcia. Indeed, Garcia’s Spanish origins will also be making him a home favourite alongside Soucek, although the former GP2 driver is going to have to work somewhat harder than is compatriot after falling nine points behind the leaders. He too was quick in testing at Barcelona, meaning there really is very little to choose between the battling quartet come race day…
Away from the main attraction, the battle for sixth place in the championship is just as fiercely fought, with Sean McIntosh’s position not safe at all, with just 15 points covering his position all the way down to 13th.
Although two of those drivers, Eric Salignon and
Sebastian Vettel, will not race on Sunday, there is still quite a battle going on between McIntosh, Davide Valsecchi, Pavlovic, Ben Hanley, Mikhail Aleshin and Christian Montanari.
Of these, the form man is arguably Pavlovic, the Serbian having managed two podiums from four races since switching to the front running Draco team. Valsecchi and Monatanari showed their pace at Le Mans too, with a fifth and a third place respectively, although McIntosh, Hanley and Aleshin have been consistent point scorers this season regardless.
The races in France also threw up a number of other potential point contenders that have not been in the mix over the season, not least Ryo Fukuda and Patrick Pilet, who between them have helped the newly created Tech 1 Racing into a front runner towards the end of the season.
![Andy Soucek - Interwetten.Com [pic credit: Renault Sport media]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/249805.jpg)
