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Smith Sets the Pace at Official Thruxton Test |
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Tuesday, 17 April 2007 |
Dean Smith (Wolverhampton) set the quickest time in both sessions of official Formula Renault UK with Michelin Championship testing at Thruxton on Wednesday, 11th April. The Fortec Motorsport driver lapped the 2.36-mile circuit in 1min 10.591s (120.13mph) in the morning, improving to a mark of 1min 10.372s (120.51mph) in session two. Overall, Smith set the three fastest laps of the day, with team-mate Riki Christodoulou (Sutton Coldfield) second and a third Fortec driver, round two winner Duncan Tappy (West Ewell), in third.
The trio finished as the top three in both sessions of the day, separated by just 0.277s on combined times. In session one, AKA Cobra’s round one victor Jeremy Metcalfe (Fleet) was fourth fastest on his home circuit, two-tenths of a second adrift of Tappy. Apotex Scorpio Motorsport’s Will Bratt (Banbury) was fifth and Manor Competition’s Richard Singleton (Conwy) completed the top six.
AKA Cobra duo Chris Holmes (Ilkley) and Adam Christodoulou (Lichfield)
were seventh and eighth, ahead of Eucatex’ Adriano Buzaid (Oxford) and
Manor’s Alex Morgan (Bridgend). Including Manor’s Alexander Sims
(Peterborough) and Eurotek Motorsport’s Jordan Oakes (Hopton), the
drivers placed sixth to 12th were covered by just 0.239s.
The test was held in place of the usual Friday test day prior to the
two race meetings at Thruxton this season, due to noise restrictions at
the circuit. Rounds five and six of the Formula Renault UK Championship
will be held at Thruxton on 5th/6th May.
In session two, Smith led the way with Bratt making an encouraging
improvement to second fastest with a time of 1min 10.778s (119.81mph).
Nine of the 19 drivers went quicker in session two, with Fortec’s Ryuji
Yamamoto (Northampton) in fourth, Oakes in fifth and David Epton
(Fleet), returning to the Apotex Scorpio Motorsport team with which he
raced last season, in sixth with a time of 1min 11.064s (119.33mph).
Manor’s Kris Loane (Kesh, Co Fermanagh) and Mark Burdett Motorsport’s
Daniel Ivarsson (Skegness) also improved their times in the afternoon
session to close the gap at the lower end of the order, as both made
their debut appearance in a Formula Renault 2.0 car at the high-speed
Hampshire circuit.
Commenting on the two sessions, Smith, who finished fourth and third in
the opening rounds at Brands Hatch, said: “I felt very comfortable with
the car today and the circuit suits my driving style much more than
Brands Hatch, which is a relatively tight circuit. Hopefully today has
put me back on track and set me up for a good weekend when we come here
to race.”
Rounds three and four of the Formula Renault UK Championship will be
held on the Rockingham International Super Sportscar circuit on
21st/22nd April.
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