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Fourth Points Finish Of Season For Gillibrand |
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Tuesday, 14 August 2007 |
Russell Racing’s Mark Gillibrand produced his fourth points-scoring result of the 2007 Formula Renault BARC Championship season at Snetterton Circuit in Norfolk this afternoon, the 24-year-old driving superbly to climb from 17th on the grid to finish in the coveted top 10 of the headline FR2000 Class.
Offering a boost for the Warwickshire team at the end of perhaps its most difficult weekend of the campaign, Gillibrand’s result in round eight sees him conclude the fifth race meeting of the year joint 16th in the driver standings.
During this morning’s 20-minute qualifying session, Bahraini teenager
Mohamed Al A’li emerged – as he had on Saturday during round seven – as
Russell Racing’s quickest driver having posted the 10th fastest time
with a lap of 1m 09.301 seconds (101.39mph).
Agonisingly for both team and driver, Al A’li was then excluded from
the results of the qualifying session due to a technical irregularity
and so would start round eight from the back of the grid alongside
Ahmad Al Harthy whose own outfit experienced similar frustration as he
too had his times erased due to technical infringements.
The start of the race would therefore see Gillibrand as Russell
Racing’s best-placed driver in 17th position with British-born Bahraini
team-mate Menasheh Idafar, the youngest racer in the series at 16-years
and five months, expected to line up in 19th place on the grid.
However, having already had his qualifying run compromised due to an
unexpected engine failure and subsequent fire midway through the
session, Idafar was unable to take the race start after an incredibly
valiant effort from the Russell Racing mechanics to switch the
powerplant from another of the team’s cars fell victim to the clock.
Bitterly disappointed, especially for Idafar himself, the team hoped to
cheer-on Gillibrand and Al A’li to decent results and both drivers duly
delivered, the former producing one of his customary impressive
getaways to climb into the top 13 on the opening lap. But at the end of
the second tour, red flags were shown following an on-track incident.
Lining up for the re-start in 13th position, Gillibrand quickly made
gains to move into the top 12 while behind, Al A’li was making terrific
progress and by the end of lap one he had made his way into 19th
position.
With front-runner Ollie Hancock spinning out of contention at the Esses
on lap two, the Russell Racing duo each gained a further place although
Gillibrand was pushed back into 12th position on the third lap by
recovering series leader Hywel Lloyd. However, the Mancunian seized
11th place on lap five when Louis Hamilton-Smith spun at the chicane.
Gillibrand then made his way into the top 10 following a problem for
Ash Davies while further back Al A’li continued his impressive drive up
the order by moving into the top 15 by lap eight, a position he would
hold to the chequered flag.
Russell Racing will return to action just a fortnight from now on
Sunday, 26th August, and Bank Holiday Monday, 27th August, for the
ninth and 10th rounds of the Formula Renault BARC season at Brands
Hatch Indy Circuit in Kent.
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