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Tonbridge racer Adrian Quaife-Hobbs took another top
ten finish at his home track of Brands Hatch yesterday, despite struggling with
gear selection problems on his Formula BMW car. The day’s opening race also proved
eventful, as he fought his way back from dead last to take 14th at
the flag after a second lap collision.
The 16 year-old MSA British Race Elite/BRDC Rising
Star driver had high hopes of a podium finish at the Kent track following his
fourth place last time out, but sadly a brake calliper problem in practice cost
him dearly. Come qualifying on
Saturday, he could only post the ninth quickest time in both sessions, but again
the former T-Car Champion headed into the two races determined to make
amends.
Race one was to prove his worth after a great start
saw him hold position until lap two when a coming together at Druids with
Anthony Comas dropped him to dead last some ten seconds behind the pack. A sterling recovery though saw him
scythe his was through the field, overtaking several cars along the way to take
14th place.
“I made a good start off the line to hold position
and I was behind Comas on lap two going into Druids. I made a move to pass him up the inside
but we touched on the exit and I spun off.
I managed to keep going and rejoined down in last position and I was
nearly ten seconds behind.
“So I just got my head down and tried to close down
the gap to the others. It was good
comeback drive, which I was quite happy with, and towards the end I was right on
the tail of the battle for ninth but time just ran out.”
Race two again saw Adrian start from the inside of
row five and another good start saw him hold position as the pack filed into
Paddock Hill Bend, before a good move to take Comas on the inside of Paddock on
lap two gave him eighth. With
Jonathan Legris ahead Adrian was just lining up to take the place
when he suddenly found himself stuck in fourth gear.
With the problem unable to be rectified, Adrian lost two places
along the start-finish straight before he found a way to drive around the
problem on the exit of Paddock Hill and another superb drive saw him retake the
places, getting up to seventh at the flag.
“I had a problem changing up and down the box, but
from the exit of Clearways to the first corner I managed to find a way to drive
around it and then was able to close down the gap and retake the places. By the
end of the race, I’d managed to close the gap to two hundredths of a second but
there were yellow flags out from lap six until the flag from Paddock right round
to Graham Hill Bend, which greatly reduced the overtaking
opportunities.”
Adrian now enjoys a two week break until the next
double-header rounds, at Knockhill near Dunfermline in Scotland on
1st/2nd September where he bids for his maiden Formula BMW
UK Championship win.
Round 15
- Results
1. Marcus Ericsson Fortec Motorsport 21:12.911
2. Henry Arundel Fortec Motorsport 21:19.116
3. Valle Makela Nexa Racing 21:20.296
4. Jonathan Legris Motaworld Racing 21:28.040
5. Oliver Webb Carlin Motorsport 21:36.878
6. Daniel McKenzie Fortec Motorsport 21:42.038
14.
Adrian Quaife-Hobbs Fortec Motorsport 22:02.563
Round 16
– Results
1. Marcus Ericsson Fortec Motorsport 23:42.064
2. Josef Kral Double R Racing 23:45.208
3. Henry Arundel Fortec Motorsport 23:45.470
4. Valle Makela Nexa Racing 23:45.836
5. Kimiya Sato Nexa Racing 23:47.831
6. Jonathan Legris Motaworld Racing 23:51.324
7. Adrian
Quaife-Hobbs Fortec Motorsport 23:51.352
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