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Russell Racing – Fr Barc Brands Hatch Preview |
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Tuesday, 21 August 2007 |
 Brands Hatch Indy Circuit in Kent hosts the final ‘double-header’ race meeting of the 2007 Formula Renault BARC Championship this weekend and Russell Racing is aiming to bounce back strongly from one its most challenging events of the year at Snetterton last time out.
Actually taking place on Sunday, 26th August, and Bank Holiday Monday, 27th August, rounds nine and 10 of the season will see the four-car Warwickshire squad pushing to achieve its fifth top 10 result of the campaign, the four so far having all been achieved by Manchester racer Mark Gillibrand.
Qualifying has rarely gone smoothly for the category rookie all year
but his performances in race trim have been very strong enabling him to
score FR2000 Class points at Croft, Oulton Park and Snetterton with
some terrific drives through the field.
The team’s three Bahraini 16-year-olds Menasheh Idafar, Essa Mohammed
and Mohamed Al A’li, who all compete under the Middle East-Russell
Racing banner, are improving each and every time they venture on track,
often out-performing more experienced competitors.
British-born Menasheh, the youngest of the trio, is hoping to end his
unfortunate run of two non-finishes and one non-start, the latter
enforced after an engine failure during qualifying for round eight at
Snetterton. In a fight against the clock, the team produced a sterling
effort to switch the engine from another car but frustratingly ran out
of time.
Mohamed produced a career-best qualifying effort at Snetterton to post
the 10th fastest time in both sessions and while an unfortunate
retirement forced him out of round seven, his top 10 start for round
eight was taken away due to a technical irregularity. Annoying for team
and driver, it’s hoped Brands Hatch will be problem free.
Having been ruled out of action ahead of the last race meeting due to
an injury sustained during a pre-event karting accident, Essa is
expecting to make his return this weekend and like his fellow Bahrainis
is hungry to secure his first ever points finish in Formula Renault
BARC with just four races remaining in his debut season.
Looking ahead to the weekend’s action, team owner Tim Russell said:
“Snetterton was a difficult weekend for us but we’re looking ahead, not
back, and aiming to make Brands Hatch our most successful outing of the
season. Just six points separate Mark from the top 12 in the
championship but qualifying is going to be more important than ever.
“The Indy Circuit is such a short and tight track it makes overtaking
incredibly difficult and means we have to try and produce our best
qualifying effort of the year with all four drivers. It’s good to
welcome Essa back after his karting accident, hopefully he will enjoy a
successful return and Menasheh and Mohamed will each perform well too.”
Russell Racing is pleased to confirm all four of its drivers will
definitely be taking part in the ninth and 10th rounds of the season
after concern Menasheh Idafar would miss the event following a
controversial recent change to the regulations regarding race entries.
Moves made by championship organisers to replace the long-established
first-come, first-served basis for accepting race entries with a new
rule meaning entries would be taken on championship position did
threaten Menasheh’s participation. It has been confirmed though he will
indeed be taking part at Brands Hatch.
Qualifying for round nine of the Formula Renault BARC Championship will
take place at approximately 10.15 on Sunday, 26th August, with the race
timetabled to follow at around 14.25. Round 10 qualifying is scheduled
for 11.40 on Bank Holiday Monday, 27th August, with race action set to
get underway at 16.05.
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