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[Formula Renault UK] Bratt Graduates In Style With First Career Win |
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Sunday, 14 May 2006 |
BRATT GRADUATES IN STYLE WITH FIRST CAREER WIN
Will Bratt (Banbury) kept his cool under intense pressure from Patrick Hogan (Killiney, Co Dublin) to win the first Formula Renault UK with Michelin Championship race of his career in round four at Oulton Park Island on Sunday, 14th May. The Scorpio Motorsport star, who finished second in the B4 Group Graduate Cup last season, beat pole-sitter Sam Bird (Claygate, Surrey) off the startline and led the full 15 laps to win by 0.806s.
Hogan settled for second after his numerous overtaking attempts were rebuffed by Bratt, while AKA Lemac team-mate Jeremy Metcalfe (Fleet, Hants) repeated his incredible exploits of round three to climb from 12th on the grid and finish third, with Bird in fourth. Manor Motorsport had three cars in the top 10 thanks to Cheng Cong Fu (Oxford) in fifth, Valle Makela (Sheffield) in eighth and Franck Mailleux (Hull) in ninth.
Dean Smith (Wolverhampton) led the six-strong Graduate Cup field by finishing 10th overall, ahead of Daniel Roos (Bishop’s Stortford) in 15th and Alex Morgan (Bridgend) in 19th. Smith now leads the standings for first-year drivers.
In one of the most thrilling Formula Renault UK races of recent seasons, Bratt made the perfect start from the outside of the front row and was able to pass Bird before the first corner, Old Hall. Hogan followed Bratt through, but as in round three, Metcalfe was the man to watch as he passed six cars on the first lap to run in sixth.
The 18-year-old then passed Fortec Motorsport’s Sebastian Hohenthal (Northampton) but in doing so, both cars ran wide allowing Coles Racing’s Josh Fisher (Bridgwater), celebrating his 21st birthday, to jump up to fifth. However, his joy was short-lived as he spun on lap five, bringing the Safety Car out for one lap.
At the restart, Metcalfe continued his charge by passing Cheng at Island Hairpin. Meanwhile, Hogan set the fastest lap of the race to that point to close to within 0.281s of Bratt. Although the Irishman was quicker through the slower corners of the twisty Cheshire circuit, Bratt was able to defend the line and open a gap through the faster sections of the 2.23-mile circuit.
Bratt’s team-mate, David Epton (Fleet, Hants) was demonstrating his ability on is first race since 2004 and passed Position 1 Racing’s Richard Keen (Amersham) to claim 12th place. The pair were part of a chain of 13 cars who were within touching distance of the car in front, as the close nature of Formula Renault UK racing was showcased to the full.
With three laps left, Metcalfe made his ninth successful passing move to claim the final spot on the podium and came close to passing Hogan for second at Island Hairpin. As Hogan moved to defend, Bratt was given breathing space to open a relatively large gap to take the chequered flag ahead of the AKA Lemac duo. It was Scorpio Motorsport’s first victory since their formation in 2001.
Savouring his first victory, 18-year-old Bratt, who has been offered a place to read history at Oxford University in September, said:
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