Kris Loane saw his bid for the 2007 Formula Renault UK Winter Championship
come unstuck through no fault of his own at Croft Circuit in North Yorkshire on
Saturday, 10th November, the 19-year-old Manor Competition star forced out of
the final race of the four-round series with the title crown within his
grasp.
For team-mate Alexander Sims, his day’s action started with disappointment
following a major start-line shunt at the beginning of round three but an
impressive drive from 13th on the grid to sixth at the chequered flag in round
four at least enabled the Formula Renault UK race winner to take some points out
of a luckless winter campaign.
Qualifying didn’t go according to plan for either of the New Ollerton
team’s drivers,
Loane ending up the better placed of the two for both races with
sixth on the grid for round three and 10th on the grid for round four.
Arriving at Croft in the lead of the championship on countback, tied on
points with Riki Christodoulou, Loane would start three spots ahead of his chief
rival for the first outing but two behind him on the grid for the second one.
Sims, meanwhile, lined up 13th on the grid for both races and would have his
work cut out to challenge for top six results.
Unfortunately for Sims, round three went the same way as the opening two
rounds of the winter series did for him, the 19-year-old faced with total
disappointment following a major start-line shunt not of his making.
Fifth-placed Jon Lancaster stalled on the grid and, unsighted by another
competitor, Sims could do nothing to avoid the stricken car.
Hitting the rear of Lancaster’s Formula Renault with quite an impact, Sims
was forced to retire on the spot with question marks over whether the car would
be repairable in time for the fourth and final round of the championship.
Thankfully, both drivers were unhurt.
Loane, meanwhile, had better fortune and made a terrific getaway to move
into fourth by the time the cars reached Clervaux for the first time but the
race was red flagged straight away due to the start-line accident.
With most drivers having chosen treaded wet-weather tyres for the original
start due to the track being slippery in places from earlier rain, at the
re-start Manor and Loane opted to run on slicks and although slipping back to
seventh place on the opening lap, he moved back into sixth position on the next
tour.
On lap four, the Northern Irishman ran side-by-side with title rival
Christodoulou towards Clervaux with the latter – on treaded tyres – just holding
on but at Tower Bend they both ended up on the grass while dicing for position
again, Loane slipping to eighth place and Christodoulou to ninth.
By lap seven, Loane started to get the most from his slick tyres and opened
a substantial gap over his rival while moving into seventh place ahead of Sho
Hanawa. Back into the top six on lap 10, that’s where Loane would finish the
race two tours later although he took fifth-place points due to race winner
Valtteri Bottas being ineligible to score.
Heading into the final race two points behind in the championship chase,
Loane slipped to 11th place at the start and then, on lap three between Sunny
Out and the complex, he crashed out of the race following contact with Lancaster
who was recovering from a spin.
As Lancaster attempted to speed-up to minimise his position losses,
Loane was already committed to make the pass with the resulting contact seeing
the Manor ace forced onto the grass and into the tyre barriers. Ending his title
hopes on the spot, the disappointed racer from Co. Fermanagh would conclude the
winter campaign fifth in the standings.
Improved fortune for Sims during final round
For
Sims there was better fortune for a change, the Manor mechanics having done a
superb job to repair his car in time for the race. Starting in 13th position,
the 19-year-old immediately climbed into 12th place and after moving into the
top 10 on lap two he found himself able to snatch seventh on lap three after the
incident involving his team-mate.
Continuing to push strongly, and posting the third fastest race lap of 1m
18.450 seconds on the fourth tour, Sims passed Dean Stoneman on lap six.
Although reeling in the huge gap to battling cousins Riki and Adam Christodoulou
during the second half of the race he just ran out of time, ending the contest
on lap 16 just a second shy of the pair but taking fifth-place points due to
Bottas’ aforementioned ineligibility.
Commenting on the Croft event, Manor Competition boss Tony Shaw said:
“We’re very disappointed for Kris with regard to the championship as it was
there for the taking in the second race. These things happen though and he’s
proven he can be a consistent front runner in Formula Renault UK. He should be
pleased with what he’s achieved.
“Alexander’s run of bad luck has been unbelievable. There was absolutely
nothing he could do about Lancaster’s stalled car in the first race but the team
did a superb job to get him back out for the final round. He drove very well and
his pace was good, it’s just such a shame he didn’t have better luck as he too
would have been a title contender.”
Manor Competition now heads into an intensive winter testing programme
ahead of the 2008 season. With a full UK itinerary planned, the team will also
travel to Spain for its annual warm-weather winter test on the Continent.
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