|
[Formula Renault BARC] SINGLETON WINS FROM POLE FOR PERFECT START TO SEASON |
|
|
|
|
Monday, 24 April 2006 |
SINGLETON WINS FROM POLE FOR PERFECT START TO SEASON
Richard Singleton (Conwy, Wales) battled back from a poor start to win the opening round of the Formula Renault BARC Championship at Silverstone National by 2.438s. Rossi (Blackburn) led for just over half the race but finished third, losing out to Matt Shawyer (Wheathampstead, Herts) who took second place on the final lap.
Reigning Champion Ian Pearson (Didcot, Oxon) dominated the nine-strong Club Class field to win the race for pre-2000 cars and finished seventh overall despite a spin at Brooklands on the penultimate lap. Andrew Webb (Solihull) took second in Club Class, holding off a late charge from Mark Terry (Chatham, Kent) who completed the podium.
For 17-year-old Singleton, in his first-ever car race after completing the BRDC Scholarship last season, victory capped a perfect day after he qualified on pole position with a time of 57.259s (103.04mph). He also set a the fastest lap around the 1.64-mile circuit of 57.435s (102.73mph) on lap 11, a new lap record, to give him a maximum 17 points from the round.
But the BRDC Scholarship-backed driver had to work for the win after being passed by Rossi at Copse, the first corner, on the first lap and then by Michael Broadhurst (Cheltenham), who started third, at Becketts. Further down the field, Webb managed to nip ahead of two FR2000 Class cars to put some traffic between himself and Terry for what turned out to be crucial breathing space.
At the head of the 26-car field, Rossi was unable to build a lead of more than half a second. Meanwhile, Pearson was showing he has lost none of his pace of last season, passing Michael Vitulli (Oxford) for seventh place and breaking the Club Class lap record with a mark of 58.342s (101.13mph). Promising debuts came from James Littlejohn (Warwick), Hywel Lloyd (Corwen, Denbyshire) and Craig Copeland (Wimbourne Dorset) who all ran steadily in the top 10, although Copeland, 16, retired on the 14th lap with a damaged front wing.
The midway stage saw Rossi come under more intense pressure from Singleton, fending off overtaking attempts at Brooklands on successive laps. Finally, on lap 10, the Worswick Engineering driver succumbed and Singleton made the decisive move into the lead and steadily pulled away until the chequered flag.
In the final laps, the closest battles appeared to be in Club Class where Webb, in second, headed Terry by just 0.2s and Lee Larman (Hawkwell, Essex) was just 0.3s ahead of Muzz Race’s Simon Keast (Billesden, Leics). But the battle for the FR2000 Class podium places was still on as Rossi’s tyres became worn and Shawyer took advantage at Luffield on the last lap to steal second place.
The duel for second place left the way clear for Singleton to claim a convincing win, just reward for his patient approach throughout the race. The 17-year-old explained:
|
News