Joining Formula Renault UK team-mate Alexander Sims for the event, Welshman
Morgan started the weekend well in official testing and then during a
rain-affected qualifying session on Saturday achieved the 15th quickest time
with a lap of 1m 55.557 seconds (137.4 km/h).
Peterborough-based Sims, meanwhile, was very rapid in testing but a
problem-affected run saw him suffer from damper failure in the dry session and
then a couple of mistakes in the wet session which cost him a full second. In
qualifying though, he achieved the eighth fastest time with a lap of 1m 54.447
seconds (138.8 km/h).
Sims, who achieved his maiden Formula Renault UK race victory at Donington
Park earlier in the year, has already contested a brace of French Formula
Renault meetings with Manor at Ledenon and Val de Vienne and at the start of
Sunday’s 14-lap race at Magny-Cours he made a good getaway to immediately gain
positions.
Unfortunately, a collision ahead of the 19-year-old forced him wide with a
subsequent retirement following on lap seven. Having shown huge promise since
the beginning of the weekend with a podium finish a strong possibility even from
the fourth row of the grid, Sims was disappointed not to take more from the
encounter.
For Morgan, however, the race proved to be one of the highlights of his
year with a fantastically impressive run from row eight. Climbing through the
order, the 20-year-old scorched to a superb fifth place result at the conclusion
of the 14 laps, 10 positions ahead of his grid slot, and took the chequered flag
just five seconds shy of the podium.
Reflecting on the weekend’s action at the home of the French Formula One
Grand Prix, Manor Competition owner Tony Shaw said: “Alex performed
fantastically well, to arrive at Magny-Cours for the first time and to race so
impressively against the French Formula Renault Championship regulars really is
outstanding.
“He’s been coming on in leaps and bounds of late and is starting to hugely
improve as a single-seater racer. Hopefully, during the last two rounds of the
UK series at Thruxton he’ll be able to challenge for another brace of top six
finishes.”
Shaw added: “We’re really disappointed for Alexander, the pace was
undoubtedly there as it always is and he could have been in the fight for a
podium at least. It’s unfortunate he was forced out of the race but we’re
confident at Thruxton in a few weeks he’ll be right there at the front that’s
for sure.”
Manor Competition’s next track action, which will see Northern Ireland
racer Kris Loane rejoin the squad, will be the Formula Renault UK Championship
season finale, rounds 19 and 20, on 13th/14th October at Thruxton Circuit in
Hampshire.
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