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Manor Competition - FRUK Thruxton Preview |
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Monday, 30 April 2007 |
Leading Formula Renault UK entrant Manor Competition arrives at Thruxton this weekend, 5th/6th May, aiming to kick-start its 2007 campaign during the fifth and sixth rounds of the season.
Although having more than its fair share of disappointment during the first four rounds of the championship, the North Ollerton-based team is hoping the third race meeting of the season should bring a reversal of fortunes for talented youngsters Alexander Sims, Richard Singleton, Alex Morgan and Kris Loane.
As the fastest circuit in the country, Thruxton poses a unique
challenge for the Formula Renault UK drivers and next weekend’s meeting
will actually mark the first of two visits to the Hampshire venue this
season – the second taking place in mid-October for the championship
finale.
Richard Singleton is Manor’s best-placed driver in the title race, the
Welshman currently in sixth position overall and third in the ‘Graduate
Cup’ standings, and heads to Thruxton on the back of a brace of good
results at Rockingham just over a week ago where he achieved top six
and top eight finishes.
While Rockingham didn’t deliver the sort of results Alexander Sims was
expecting, the multiple karting champion has high hopes for rounds five
and six. Widely tipped to enjoy a glittering career in single-seater
car racing, the 19-year-old is hungry to achieve his first podium of
the season.
Alex Morgan, meanwhile, battled adversity once again during the
Rockingham race meeting and after overcoming difficulties with his
engine in qualifying and the opening race – frustratingly, the third
time the team has had a problem with down-on-power Renault F4R engines
this season – he ran much more strongly in the second encounter.
Of Manor’s four drivers, Kris Loane had the most exasperating weekend
having seen a career-best performance in qualifying count for very
little during the races – round three ending on the grid when he wasn’t
able to get away from the line and the second race badly affected after
contact with the circuit’s retaining wall on lap one.
The Northern Ireland racer, who will celebrate his 19th birthday this
Thursday, 3rd May, rejoined round four and remarkably went on to post
the fourth fastest race lap to underline his ever improving pace and
ability.
Speaking ahead of the first Thruxton event of the year, Manor team
owner Tony Shaw said: “The first four rounds have been frustrating as
we haven’t seen the sort of results our effort deserves but we’re
aiming to turn that around at Thruxton which is a fantastic track and
should offer some great racing.
“Alexander, Richard, Alex and Kris are driving well but for a variety
of reasons we didn’t have the best of weekends at Rockingham. Everyone
is giving 100 per cent commitment and effort though and although the
recent Thruxton test wasn’t as promising as we had wanted, we’re
hopeful the race meeting will be a different story.”
Qualifying for round five of the 2007 Formula Renault UK Championship
will take place at Thruxton this Saturday, 5th May, with the round six
session following at 14.45. Both races, which will be featured live on
digital satellite and cable channel Setanta Sports 2, are timetabled to
take place at 11.35 and 16.05 on Sunday, 6th May.
Provisional 2007 Formula Renault UK Driver Standings (after Rds3&4)
6th Richard Singleton, 66pts; 9th Alexander Sims, 41pts; =12th Alex
Morgan, Ryan Borthwick & Sho Hanawa, 32pts; 19th Kris Loane, 17pts
Provisional 2007 Formula Renault UK ‘Graduate Cup’ Standings (after Rds3&4)
1st, Adam Christodoulou, 91pts; 2nd Riki Christodoulou, 78pts ; 3rd
Richard Singleton, 66pts; 4th Alexander Sims, 41pts; 8th Kris Loane,
17pts
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