A great start to 2008 at Brands Hatch
Seats:- The 2008 SEAT Cupra Championship looks set to be the most competitive yet as two new drivers to the competition clinched race wins in Rounds One and Two at Brands Hatch. Robert Lawson (Bardon/JHR) from Richmond, North Yorkshire romped to victory in Round One and secured second place in Round Two to give him an early lead in the Championship.
The first race of the day was all about tyre choice, with Byford and Adam both opting for wets. But it was soon clear that the track was drying and with no sign of more rain the leading pair was soon loosing places at an alarming rate. Lawson had pushed his slick tyres hard to keep on their tails in the early damp and it paid off handsomely as he was able to power past them once their wet tyres began to be ineffectual.
It was a different story in Round Two though, Byford and Adam keen to erase the earlier memories and the Kent weather putting no doubt in the teams’ minds about what tyres were needed. Byford, starting from pole position, launched hard and made sure victory was his to loose by the end of the first lap with Lawson looking to make a similar statement about second place. Adam had soon caught up with Lawson and could smell a second place, while Breeze was caught between chasing Adam or making sure the eager Nordström didn’t usurp him from fourth spot. The attacking and defending quartet of Lawson, Adam, Breeze and Nordström cancelled each other out for the remainder of the race though, and by the end of the 22 laps they crossed the line in the same Lawson, Adam, Breeze and Nordström pattern.
Byford and Lawson certainly look to be quick in the SEATs, and fellow new driver James Appleby (Hardinge Machine Tools/ JHR) also scored a top six finish over the weekend which suggests there will be exciting things to come from this season.
Jason Appleby view of his first Seat race weekend "Qualified 13th and 9th feeling much more confident with the car. The first Seat race of the day with fourteen drivers sat on the grid we had all taken a gamble on our tyre choice. Our team decided to go with slicks but the majority went on wets. Thankfully our choice paid off and the race stayed dry which meant that our slick choice was good. On the first lap someone spun in front of me and in avoiding them someone pushed me from behind which caused my car to spin, this dropped me to the back and I set off determined to get back up. With the other cars on wets their tyres were going off by Lap 10 and this made it easier to work my way up. I had a good tussle with Dan Rowbottom and a slight coming together with Dan Stringfellow who had run wide on the hairpin and we clashed wheels. He came off worse with a broken rim and steering rack. After 22 eventful laps I finished in 6th place which I was very pleased with in a time of 19.46.917. I also scored an extra point for most improved on my seeding.
The second race of the day I started in 9th position on the grid. I didn't get a great start and dropped a few places but then got into a good rhythm and overtook three cars including my team mate Andrew Herron. Again I had in my sights Dan Rowbottom, I was drawing closer and closer to him every lap but he managed to stay ahead. This was a much tidier race and I was able to really concentrate on my racing lines and finished 7th overall in a time of 19.17.569, quicker than race one.
Overall I was very pleased with my performance I think I drove a very mature race and brought the car back in one piece. All my fellow competitors have many years karting/race experience so to finish 6th & 7th overall on my first race is a big bonus."
Robert Lawson (after Round 1): “We made the right call on the tyres, although initially there was no warmth in them. I had to stick to the dry lines but push as hard as I dare until the third lap where I knew they’d have enough warmth to make a move. That’s my first full distance race in this car so I didn’t know what the tyres would do towards the end. It was difficult, but a win in my debut race is fantastic.”
Robert Lawson (after Round 2): “That felt good. It was a bit annoying as I wanted to challenge Martin as I knew I had the speed. But Adam was putting me under a lot of pressure so I had to defend. The car’s very good, hopefully we’ll be getting better all the time.”
Championship Standings
1. Robert Lawson (Bardon/JHR)…37pts
2. Carl Breeze (Blue Chip/ Welch Motorsport)…30pts
3. Martin Byford (AB Glass/ Z Speed Racing)…26pts
4. Jonathan Adam (Total Control Racing)…19pts
5. James Appleby (Hardinge Machine Tools/ JHR)…17pts
6. Daniel Welch (Marriott/ Welch Motorsport)…16pts
= Daniel Rowbottom (DRM M-sport)…16pts
Clios:-
Double former champion Paul Rivett (Banstead) won round one of the 2008 ELF Renault Clio Cup in difficult damp conditions at Brands Hatch Indy on Saturday, 29th March. The JHR Developments racer, champion in 2002 and 2004, led home Team Pyro’s Ben Winrow (Earls Barton) and Full Speed Racing’s Phil Glew (Tothill) in a rain-affected race that saw two Safety Car periods.
With a dry line on track but light drizzle falling, the circuit became more slippery as the 20-lap race went on and drivers were punished by a complete loss of grip when off the racing line. The majority started on slick tyres, which were given no time to heat up when the Safety Car was deployed on lap two.
The race start saw pole-sitter Ben Winrow lead away from Paul Rivett but Paul was able to hold the inside line on the run up to Druids Hairpin to take the lead.
Team Pyro’s Chris Law (Guernsey) took advantage of the full-course yellow flags to change to wet weather rear tyres. The race restarted on lap 12 and although Law was initially able to lap at least one-second faster than the leaders, he was somewhat stranded down in 18th place having rejoined the circuit behind the main train of cars.
When racing resumed after the second safety car, the top four cars were able to open a slight advantage over the group led by fifth-placed Árón Smith. On lap 16, fourth-placed Derek Pierce made a bid for the final podium spot. He drafted behind Glew along the start/finish straight, holding a tight line through Paddock to pass on the run up to Druids Hairpin. On the run down to Graham Hill Bend, Glew braked later as he attempted to re-pass giving Pierce a nudge that sent him into an unavoidable slide that the Scot did well to recover. His joy was short-lived as both he and Lanik spun at Surtees as conditions became ever more difficult, but Pierce did claim two points for setting the THB Clowes Fastest Lap.
The action for third place allowed the front two of Rivett and Winrow, who were doing well to judge braking points in the changing conditions, to pull away. Winrow was never more than one second behind the leader and often closer, but equally was unable to risk an overtaking move given the damp circuit.
As the race entered the final few laps, a spin for Panayiotou at Surtees resulted in a heavy impact with the barrier. With not enough time to recover the car and resume racing, the Clerk of the Course deployed the red flag to end the race with the result taken from the end of lap 17.
Commenting on his victory, Paul Rivett, who is starting a full season of Clio Cup racing after only being able to contest four races in 2007, said: “I think everyone who finished did well to keep the car on the circuit in those conditions. My experience definitely helped me judge where to brake but it was still very difficult to know how hard to push. It’s a great way to start the year and hopefully it’s the first of many wins!”
Team Pyro’s Ben Winrow (Earls Barton) won round two of the 2008 ELF Renault Clio Cup with a light-to-flag victory at Brands Hatch Indy circuit on Sunday, 30th March. Starting from pole position, the 22-year-old made a great start and held off round one winner Paul Rivett (Banstead) for the win. Y4HR Miracle Drywash Stancombe Vehicle Engineering’s Niki Lanik (Ashurst Wood) completed the podium line-up.
The race was broadcast live on ITV4 as part of the channel’s British Touring Car Championship coverage. A packed grid of 28 Clio Cup race cars thrilled the thousands in attendance and those watching live on television with an action-packed race that saw great duels throughout the whole field.
Having secured pole position for both races and finished second in Saturday’s round one, Winrow was determined to end the weekend with a victory and made a blistering start to lead by almost one second at the end of lap one. JD Pierce with Robertshaw Racing’s Derek Pierce (West Kilbride) made the best getaway among the front-runners to surge from eighth to fourth behind Lanik, while further down the order, Team Wood Racing’s Lea Wood (Hereford) made up five places on lap one to lie 15th and overtook at regular intervals during the race to finish 12th.
Winrow and Rivett were able to break away from Lanik who was being chased hard by Pierce, the Scot just unable to make the most of a slip by the Austrian in the early running. Lanik then pulled away to open a one-second advantage by lap seven that he was able to hold throughout. In front, Winrow had a similar gap to Rivett with each driver faster through opposite halves of the lap to maintain a steady gap.
Lap six saw Mardi Gras Motorsport’s Gavin Pyper (Fleckney) pass team-mate Árón Smith (Rathfarnham) for fifth place, the Irishman then losing out to Full Speed Racing’s Phil Glew (Tothill) on the following lap. Smith had a handling problem as a result of earlier contact and now came under severe pressure from Total Control Racing’s Alex MacDowall (Carlisle) as the quartet grouped together.
In midfield, Lea Wood passed JHR Developments’ Richard Cannon (Chesterfield) after he ran wide out of Graham Hill Bend, while TCR’s Mike Robinson (Effingham) passed Team Valtra’s Peter Felix (Allestree) for 11th place.
At Druids Hairpin, Full Speed’s Glenn Bell (Portadown) clipped the rear of JHR racer Mark Hazell (Llanhennock), Bell ending his race in the gravel trap.
As the race entered its second half, Rivett closed the gap further to Winrow before the leader responded to build a cushion by lap 15.
On the penultimate lap, Glew once again challenged for Pyper’s fifth place but ran wide on the exit of Graham Hill Bend. As Glew attempted to rejoin the circuit there was contact between the two resulting in Pyper hitting the tyre barrier on Cooper Straight with some force. The Clerk of the Course deployed the red flag to end the race with the result taken from the end of lap 18. Winrow’s winning margin was 0.760s.
Second placed Paul Rivett said: “Ben was right on the limit on the first lap and I wondered if he’d gone too hard but fair play to him he drove a great race. I was slightly off his pace on a couple of corners so there’s some work to do but I’m definitely happy with two podiums on the first weekend.”
Richard Cannon's view of the weekend, "The weekend started well being 5th quickest in timed practice in the wet. Qualifiying did not go as planned only managing a dissapointing 11th. Got upto 8th in the first race before being pushed off and managed a thirteenth place in the Sunday race. After being boxed in at the start and taking a knock to my front wheel which bent the steering arm, i spent the whole race unable to progress any further. Now looking forward to the next round at Rockingham."
Rounds three and four of the 2008 ELF Renault Clio Cup & Seat Cupra Championship take place at Rockingham Motor Speedway on 12th/13th April.
2008 ELF Renault Clio Cup provisional drivers’ standings – round 2
1 Ben Winrow Team Pyro 60 pts
2 Paul Rivett JHR Developments 60 pts
3 Phil Glew Full Speed Racing 45 pts
4 Árón Smith Mardi Gras Motorsport 38 pts
5 Derek Pierce JD Pierce with Robertshaw Racing 31 pts
6 Niki Lanik Y4HR Miracle Drywash with SVE 29 pts