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The Grid.co.uk the national & club motor racing website - est1998 |
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The Grid.co.uk the national & club motor racing website - est1998 |
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2009 Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship provisional drivers’ standings (including dropped scores) – round 20: 1st Dean SmithGBR Manor Competition 491 pts 2nd James Calado GBR Fortec Motorsport 457 pts 3rd Oli Webb GBR Fortec Motorsport 419 pts 4th Dean Stoneman GBR Alpine Motorsport 418 pts 5th Harry Tincknell GBR CRS Racing 323 pts Provisional Graduate Cup standings (including dropped scores) – round 20: 1st Harry Tincknell GBR CRS Racing 295 pts 2nd Will Stevens GBR Fortec Motorsport 222 pts 3rd Matias Laine FIN CRS Racing 135 pts 4th Tama’s Pa’l Kiss HUN Hitech Junior 133 pts 5th Isa Yousif BRN Alpine Motorsport 119 pts
pics . Jakob Ebrey Photography
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SMITH WINS TITLE CROWN WITH DOUBLE PODIUM AT BRANDS HATCH
Smith cruised to a lights-to-flag victory in round 19 to give him enough points to secure the title and follow in the footsteps of previous Champions Lewis Hamilton (2003) and Kimi Räikkönen (2000). The 21-year-old also picked up a podium (third) in the final round of the single-seater series to round off an impressive weekend for the racer who now plans to move into European F3. Nearest rival Fortec Motorsport’s James Calado had to settle for the Championship Runner-up spot despite a lights-to-flag victory in round 20. The weekend also saw podiums for Fortec team-mate Oli Webb who finished second in round 19 with Mark Burdett Motorsport’s Jesse Krohn rounding off the podium honours in the round. CRS Racing’s Lewis Williamson claimed the final podium spot with second in round 20 and his best performance of his debut season. Team-mate Harry Tincknell was also able to wrap up the Graduate Cup title during the action-packed weekend.
The championship’s final round played out to a packed 10,000 plus live audience both at the circuit and watching live on ITV4. For the 10th time this season, Calado lined up on the start grid as Michelin pole-sitter with 19-year-old Williamson for company on the front row. CRS Racing’s Josh Scott and Smith sat behind with Alpine Motorsport’s Dean Stoneman in fifth. As the lights went out for the start of the 15-lap race, it was Calado who made a dream start to lead the field going into Paddock Hill Bend followed by Williamson and Smith who had been able to get ahead of Scott. Stoneman lay in fourth with Krohn in fifth as the field completed the opening lap. Race leader Calado pushed hard early on and edging his Racing Steps Foundation backed car further ahead of Williamson who had looked strong all weekend. Calado was still charging by lap eight, despite racking up a comfortable lead, and setting the NGK fastest lap along with a new lap record with a time of 1m 23.139s (99.63mph average). In the midfield battle, positions were less certain as Alpine Motorsport’s Isa Yousif and Manor Competition’s David McDonald, who nearly didn’t race following a spin in Saturday’s qualifying session, jostled for position. McDonald eventually got the better of the 18-year-old though with a determined move at Druids. As the race progressed, Calado continued to dominate powering his Fortec Motorsport car around the 2.301-mile GP circuit. Positions further down the order were still up for grabs though with Hitech Junior’s Tama’s Pa’l Kiss (HUN) – who was awarded the ELF/Atol Driver of the Day award - getting the better of Fortec Motorsport’s Will Stevens (Oxshott) at Surtees to move into 11th before turning his attention to the back of Tincknell’s car ahead. Meanwhile as Calado began his 15th and final lap the 20-year-old had almost a five second advantage over Williamson and duly brought his car safely through Clark Curve and over the Brabham Straight to claim his eighth win. Williamson finished a deserved second with Smith rounding off the podium honours. Stoneman and Krohn completed the top five with Tincknell claiming yet another Graduate Cup win as the newly-crowned rookie champion.
Smith wraps up title crown...
Smith, needing to finish 10 points ahead of James for victory, made the perfect start as the lights went out followed by Webb, with Krohn also making a great start and going around the outside of Williamson at Paddock Hill Bend to move into third. Behind, title hopefuls Stoneman and Calado were running nose-to-tail in seventh and eighth places chasing a three-car train of CRS Racing cars ahead. The opening few laps saw Smith push hard despite not needing to win the race to secure the title with Webb responding by ensuring the 21-year-old was never out of his sights. Krohn was also running well in third followed by a slight gap before Williamson, team-mate Euan Hankey and 17-year-old Tincknell. By lap six Webb was still pushing and setting the NGK fastest lap of the race. Further down the order a great battle was being played out between Hitech Junior team-mates Nick Yelloly and Pa’l Kiss for 10th and 11th places. As Smith continued to dominate, behind a frustrated Calado was trying hard to improve on his eighth position with an attempt to pass Stoneman around the outside of Druids but Dean drove a defensive line to hold the place. Ahead, Williamson, Hankey and Tincknell were all running strong in fourth, fifth and sixth places although Harry was now beginning to be caught by Dean. Out in front, Smith was certainly not being caught and with just a few laps remaining the Wolverhampton racer began to ease off knowing that victory and the title were now insight. Webb, unable to catch, had little option but to settle for second with third-place Krohn enjoying a comfortable margin over Williamson. Lap 15 saw Smith exit Clark Curve for the final time to cross the line for his seventh win (third consecutive) and secure the 2009 championship title – much to the delight of Tony Shaw’s Manor Competition team, which included an engineer who also helped Kimi Räikkönen to victory back in 2000. Webb finished second with Krohn – who was awarded the ELF/Atol Driver of the Day - in third, his first podium since round five at Donington Park. Williamson finished fourth with Hankey rounding off the top five. Tincknell finished sixth and the leading rookie driver as well as wrapping up the overall Graduate Cup title. Commenting on his weekend Smith, who will also test a World Series by Renault FR3.5 car as part of his prize, said: “I’m absolutely delighted to win the title with a race victory and it sums up the year for me. This isn’t just a celebration for me though but for Manor Competition as well who have been amazing. We knew this season would be tough because of the late start but everyone has worked so hard to deliver a fantastic car. I’m already looking ahead to next year and I’m hoping to move into European F3 or possibly even GP2.” Vice-Champion Calado commenting on his weekend said: “The win in round 20 was a good way to finish off the year for me and the weekend which has been frustrating to tell the truth. It’s a shame the race officials decided to take the action they did but I’ve enjoyed my final weekend in Formula Renault and I’m now moving into Formula 3 in 2010.” Webb, who finished second in round 19 and third overall, commented: “I knew coming into round 19 that I was unlikely to win the title but I was still focusing on securing third or even second from James. I got a good start but couldn’t quite get close enough to Dean to challenge. I’m pleased with the result though and with the season overall.” Lewis who finished second in round 20 said: “It’s been a great weekend for us and a good year. We’ve had our ups and downs but so have a lot of drivers and I’m now looking forward to racing again next season where hopefully I’ll be among the title contenders.” Third-place in round 19 Krohn added: “I got a good start and managed to pass Lewis early on. I had good race pace but I did get held up by a back-marker which hampered my race slightly but I’m still delighted to be on the podium after so long.”
Faultless Smith moves step closer to title crown
The 2007 Runner-up produced two superb lights-to-flag victories, together with two NGK fastest laps, to take a clean sweep of the points and extended his lead in the championship to 25 points over nearest rival Fortec Motorsport’s James Calado. Calado, in his Racing Steps Foundation backed car, could only manage one podium over the weekend with a second in round 17 with Alpine Motorsport’s Dean Stoneman securing the other podium spot in the action-packed race. Meanwhile Hitech Junior’s Jordon Oakes made a welcome return to form by finishing second in round 18 with CRS Racing’s Harry Tincknell (Exeter) claiming the remaining podium and also both Graduate Cup wins. Tincknell’s performance now means he needs just six points from the final two rounds at Brands Hatch GP circuit on October 3rd/4th to secure the Graduate honours. The weekend also saw Richard Dutton’s Fortec Motorsport team secure the honours in the Entrant competition. Smith takes Rockingham double...
As the lights went out for the start of the 16-lap race, it was Smith who made the best start to lead into Turn 1 with Oakes moving into second and Tincknell in third. Calado had also been able to get ahead of Webb to move into fourth but the race was soon brought under control of the Safety Car on lap two after title hopeful Stoneman and CRS Racing’s Josh Scott made contact at School Straight. Racing resumed on lap four with the race distance increased to 18 laps. Not for the first time this season, Smith timed the re-start to perfection to lead once more followed by Oakes and 17-year-old Tincknell. This time there was nothing to stop Smith pulling away with the 21-year-old quickly establishing a healthy lead. As the race progressed, Smith continued to press while Calado was looking increasingly frustrated at not being able to catch the CRS Racing car of Tincknell. Meanwhile in the midfield, Harry’s team-mate Euan Hankey was running well in sixth until a spin halfway through the race saw him drop down the order. Further down the field, Driver entry Michael Lyons– who was awarded the ELF/Atol Driver of the Day –was enjoying one of his best races of the year in 10th position. Out in front, Smith was in a class of his own building on his lead lap by lap and setting the NGK fastest lap soon after with a time of 1m 16.299s (91.53mph average). Oakes, who was last on the podium in round one at Brands Hatch, was on course for his best result of the season with second place with Tincknell also heading for his first podium since Oulton Park (round seven). Smith started his 18th and final lap with a cushion of more than five seconds and duly completed his last 1.94-mile lap to take the chequered flag and his sixth win of the season. Oakes came good to secure second with Tincknell – who had looked strong all weekend – in third as well as the leading Graduate Cup driver. Calado finished fourth with team-mate Webb – who endured a disappointing weekend by his high standards – rounding off the top five. Unstoppable Smith... Saturday’s round 17 saw Smith line up on the start grid as Michelin pole-sitter with Calado alongside him on the front row. CRS Racing dominated row two with Graduate Cup driver Tincknell and Hankey leaving Stoneman and Webb in fifth and sixth. As the lights went out it was Smith who took full advantage of his P1 place to lead followed by Calado as the field headed into Turn 1 and onto the tight Deene Hairpin. Scott had also made a good start from seventh on the grid but had judged to have jumped the start by the Clerk of the Course handing him a drive-through penalty. Meanwhile as Smith braked for the hairpin on lap one, Calado made a move up the inside but the 21-year-old defended his line to hold onto the lead. Webb however saw his race come to an early end after contact in the midfield caused him to spin. Out in front, Smith, with a clear track in front of him, was already developing a lead in the opening stages of the race and setting the NGK fastest lap, along with a new lap record (1m 15.935s), on lap four. Calado, who later commented he was suffering from a lack of rear grip, was finding it hard to match Smith for pace and allowing Stoneman, who was now running in third, to gain on the 20-year-old. Smith continued to push his Manor Competition car while behind a great battle was developing between team-mates Tincknell and Hankey for fourth and fifth places. Manor Competition’s David McDonald was also running well in sixth despite starting 11th on the grid as was Oakes. With no change in the top two, third place Stoneman was beginning to be caught by Tincknell but the Southampton driver – who later commented that his rear tyres were fading – managed to hang on as the laps counted down. Smith – who was awarded the ELF/Atol driver of the Day – began his final lap with a cushion of more than six seconds over Calado before shortly exiting Brook for the last time to take the chequered flag and more championship points. Calado took second with Stoneman rounding off the podium spots. Tincknell finished fourth and the leading Graduate Cup driver with team-mate Hankey in fifth. Commenting on his performance Smith said: “It’s been a brilliant weekend for me but credit has to go to the team who have done a fantastic job setting-up the car. In round 17 I got a good start and although James made a move at the Deene Hairpin I managed to defend and hold onto the lead. I had the pace in round 18 too and after the re-start it was just a case of keeping my head down until the chequered flag. Although there are only two rounds left, I’m trying not to think about the championship and instead just concentrate on scoring more points.” Commenting on his weekend Calado said: “It’s been frustrating for me this weekend. In the first race [round 17] I just didn’t have the room at the hairpin to risk a move and after that Dean was away. The car has not felt 100% right though due to a problem with the rear shock which has led to a lack of rear grip.” Oakes, who finished second in round 18, said: “It’s been a long time coming but I’m really happy to be on the podium again this season. Dean was in a class of his own and I just couldn’t keep up with him but I’m very content with second.” Commenting on his third place in round 17, Stoneman said: “My rear tyres were starting to fade towards the end which allowed Tincknell to catch but I managed to hold him off and grab another podium.” Tincknell, who finished third in round 18, added: “I’m pleased to be on the podium again but my main concern is the Graduate Cup title. Round 18 was a good race and after the re-start I just concentrated on not making any mistakes.”
TITLE RACE TOO CLOSE TO CALL AFTER CALADO’S SILVERSTONE DOUBLE
Team-mate Oli Webb endured a mixed weekend by his standards claiming just one podium in round 15 (second) to go level on points in the drivers’ standings with Manor Competition’s Dean Smith (Wolverhampton) with only four rounds remaining. 2007 Vice Champion Smith secured second place in round 16 – shown live on ITV4 – while a consistent Dean Stoneman (Southampton) claimed two third places over the action-packed weekend in his Alpine Motorsport backed car. In the Graduate Cup, CRS Racing’s Harry Tincknell (Exeter) took the honours in both races moving the 17-year-old rookie 28-points clear of his nearest Graduate rival. Just eight points now separate the top four drivers vying for the title crown with dropped scores, in which competitors discard their two worst scores from the 20 rounds run, meaning the championship looks set to go right to the wire.
Calado clean sweep....
Despite earlier rain, all the drivers had elected to start the race on full slicks hoping that the track would continue to dry out. As the lights went out for the start of the 22-lap race, Calado took full advantage of his pole position leading the field into Copse closley followed by Tincknell and Smith. A poor start by Webb saw him drop to fifth by the end of lap one just ahead of CRS Racing’s Josh Scott (Milton Keynes) and 22-year-old Hankey. The early stages of the race saw Calado quickly establish his authority out in front while behind him Smith had been able to pass Tincknell at Luffield to move into second. Webb’s race meanwhile appeared to be going from bad to worse after contact with Stoneman at Brooklands dropped him further down the order. In the battle for the top five team-mates Scott and Hankey were racing hard while Hitech Junior’s Tama’s Pa’l Kiss (Silverstone) was enjoying a good run in seventh. The first few laps also saw Stoneman slip by Tincknell to move into a podium finish producing a three-car train of CRS drivers. Out in front Calado – racing on his local circuit – was looking in control setting fastest lap after fastest lap as the track continued to dry out and edging away from Smith. As Calado reached half distance, team-mate Webb was beginning to claw his way back through the field lying in eighth position. As the top three drivers began to spread out, the closest battle lay behind with the three-car train of Tincknell, Scott and Hankey running nose-to-tail. Hankey, who’d looked impressive all weekend, eventually found a way passed Scott around the outside of Brooklands to move into fifth and turn his attention to the Exeter-born Tincknell. With two laps to go there was no change at the front with Calado continuing to push and setting the fastest lap of the race a lap later. By the time he exited Woodcote for the last time the Worcester racer had a margin of more than six seconds, crossing the line much to the delight of himself and his team-mates who had gathered by the pit wall. Smith finished second with Stoneman in third. Tincknell crossed the line fourth and the leading Graduate Cup driver although the Graduate fastest lap honours went to RS Racing’s Ryan Singleton (Llanfairfechan). Hankey – who was awarded the ELF/Atol Driver of the Day – rounded off the top five and an impressive weekend especially given it’s been more than a year since he was last behind the wheel of a single-seater.
Fortec one-two...
As the lights went out, it was Calado who made the best start followed by Webb to go one-two into Copse with Stoneman moving into third. Despite starting on the front-row, Blomstedt wasn’t able to capitalise on his grid position dropping down the order by the end of the first lap. After the opening few laps it was Calado from Webb followed by Stoneman and then a great battle for fourth and fifth places between Tincknell and Smith with the two going side-by-side on more than one occasion. In the midfield, Graduate Cup racer Alpine Motorsport’s Isa Yousif (Southampton) had been able to make up an impressive five places to move into sixth – his best position of 2009 – with Hankey also holding his ground in ninth. Up front, Calado was looking strong while Webb tried hard to get close enough to mount a challenge, leaving his braking later and later. Behind, Tincknell was still working hard to keep Smith in his mirrors and allowing Yousif to catch and form a three-car train with Williamson just behind in seventh. As the race progressed, Calado responded to the increasing pressure from Webb by setting the NGK fastest lap with a time of 54.386s – under Alexander Sim’s previous lap record (2008) for the National circuit. With just a handful of laps remaining, Webb made one final push on Calado – who was later awarded the ELF/Atol Driver of the Day – but was unable to get close enough to his car leaving Calado to start his 22nd and final lap with a just under a second lead. Calado subsequently crossed the line to claim his sixth win and maximum championship points with Webb in second to secure a one-two for Fortec Motorsport. Stoneman rounded off the podium places while Tincknell hung on to pick up fourth and the Graduate Cup honours with Smith in fifth and Yousif securing a season best of sixth. Commenting on his performance over the weekend, Calado said: “I couldn’t have asked for any more this weekend. The car felt perfect and to get maximum points is a great result for me and for the team. Oli pushed me all the way through round 15 and it was pretty even between the two of us but we both made mistakes and I managed to hold on to the lead. In round 16 I got a good start and just never looked back after that. I just hope I can repeat the same at Rockingham.” Commenting on his weekend, Webb said: “In round 15 I knew the only way passed was to try and force James to make a mistake but it never came. It was a good race and I did try to make one last push for fastest lap but my tyres started to fade towards the end. I’m still confident for my title hopes though as there’s still plenty of points available.” Second place in round 16 Smith commented: “We had a good set-up on the car and although the track was slippery I was on the pace throughout. The championship is now getting really close and we have to make every round count.” Double podium finisher Stoneman added: “I’m happy with the two podiums and overall it’s been a good weekend for us. The car wasn’t quite working as I wanted it to though which means we were slightly off the pace but we’ve still racked up more championship points.”
STONEMAN SCORES ELUSIVE FIRST WIN AT SNETTERTON
Meanwhile, Fortec Motorsport’s James Calado took the honours in a thrilling round 13 with a superb drive along with a third-place in round 14 to earn the most Championship points (59) of any driver of the weekend. Manor Competition racer and 2007 Vice Champion Dean Smith secured two second places to close the gap on current Championship leader Fortec Motorsport driver Oli Webb to just six points. The ever consistent Webb though still came away from the weekend with the final podium spot after a third-place in round 13. In the Graduate Cup, Hitech Junior’s Nick Yelloly produced a season best to claim his first rookie win in round 13 while round 14 saw Fortec Motorsport’s Will Stevens take the honours – reducing the gap on Graduate Cup leader CRS Racing’s Harry Tincknell to just eight points. The weekend also proved one of reflection with many of the teams opting to carry tributes on their cars in memory of former Formula Renault UK driver Henry Surtees who tragically died last month. Stoneman scores first victory...
As the lights went out for the start of the 18-lap race, Smith made a good start to lead the field into Riches followed by Stoneman, Calado and Manor Competition’s David McDonald who had been able to get the jump on Webb for fourth. Smith had little time to pull away though as a spin by CRS Racing’s Lewis Williamson at the Esses on the opening lap caused him to make contact with team-mate Tincknell, Hitech Junior’s Jordan Oakes and Manor Competition’s Thomas Hylkema (NED). The resulting contact meant all but Oakes were unable to continue and forcing the Clerk of the Course to deploy the Safety Car on lap two. Racing continued on lap five with the new race distance increased to 21 laps. Not the first time this season, Smith made a good restart to lead once more followed closely by Stoneman and Calado. Just behind the leaders, Webb was battling hard with McDonald as the 18-year-old tried to regain his place while Stevens was in control in the Graduate Cup race. On lap eight, Stoneman got a good run out of Sears to close in on Smith on Revett Straight. As the two headed into the Essses, Stoneman cut inside to pass Smith – who later commented that he was suffering from oversteer – for the lead. A few laps later, Calado tried to follow Stoneman’s example and pass Smith through Riches but Smith was able to close the door and keep the Racing Steps Foundation driver at bay. With a clear track in front of him, Stoneman was able to pull away, developing more than a second lead and briefly holding the NGK fastest lap before Smith eventually took the honours a few laps later. As the race progressed, the chasing pair of Smith and Calado were beginning to catch Stoneman who was now lapping in the mid 1min 05s. Unfortunately for them though, the race was shortly red flagged and stopped after Manor Competition’s Alice Powell – who had been running well in ninth position – was forced to avoid the spinning Fortec Motorsport car of Fredrik Blomstedt at Russell resulting in her car coming to a halt in a dangerous position. With the race halted after 16-laps, the positions were declared final leaving Stoneman to pick up his first victory of the 2009 season – a feat which has eluded him despite four visits to the podium this year. Smith finished second with Calado in third and McDonald holding onto fourth much to the frustration of Webb. Stevens – who was awarded the ELF/Atol Driver of the Day – finished as the leading Graduate Cup driver.
Calado takes win number five...
As the lights went out it was Stoneman and Smith who made the better start leaving the three cars to go three-abreast into Riches. Stoneman managed to emerge as the race leader followed by Smith and then pole-sitter Calado. With the rest of field safely through, Calado turned his attention to making up for his poor start and retaking Smith through the Esses on the opening lap. The first lap also saw McDonald get passed Webb to move into fourth with Williamson in sixth and Yelloly running a season best seventh. With no change at the front, lap three saw McDonald run wide at the Bomb Hole dropping him from fourth to seventh with the 19-year-old gaining back a place a few laps later. By the halfway stage a great battle was developing between CRS Racing team-mates Josh Scott and Tincknell for ninth and 10th places with the two cars eventually making contact with Scott coming off worse and dropping well down the order. Meanwhile at the front, a determined Calado made a brave move around the outside of race-leader Stoneman through the Esses to take the lead, leaving the 20-year-old to pull away and setting the NGK fastest lap and a new lap record in the process (1min 05.041s – 0.26s quicker than previous holder Rikki Christodoulou). In the battle for the remaining podium spot, Webb was now starting to catch Smith with Williamson running well in fifth followed by McDonald and Yelloly as the leading Graduate Cup driver. As the race entered the final few laps, Calado had developed a sizeable cushion over retuning driver Stoneman before the 19-year-old ran wide through the Bomb Hole dropping him down to fifth. Calado started his 18th and final lap with a comfortable three second lead over second-place Smith who was now working hard to keep Webb in his mirrors. The chequered flag belonged to Calado though and together with the NGK fastest lap, the Worcester driver crossed the line with maximum Championship points. Smith held on to take second, a mere 0.210s ahead of third-place Webb, with Williamson in fourth and Stoneman, who had lead for much of the race, rounding off the top five. Yelloly picked up his best result of the season and his maiden Graduate Cup win with seventh while RS Racing’s Ryan Singleton produced one of his best results to finish 15th and collect the ELF/Atol Driver of the Day. Commenting on his maiden victory Stoneman said: “This is the win we’ve been looking for all season and it’s finally come! It’s a massive confidence boost and a turning point in the Championship for me. I was a little disappointed with how things turned out in round 13, which was down to my tyres going off.” Commenting on his performance at the weekend Calado said: “Snetterton’s been a good weekend for me, scoring more than any other driver and racking up another win. Round 13 was one of my best ever races with two good moves on the two Deans. I suffered from bad luck towards the start of the season but this weekend was fairly faultless and I feel I’ve done everything I can to keep myself in contention for the Championship title...I just need the other drivers to share my misfortune!” Commenting on his two second places this weekend, Smith said: “It’s been a good weekend for me and the team and we know we just need to keep doing what we’re doing. The car felt like it had a little bit of understeer in round 13 which the team corrected for the second race but it took five or six laps for me to get used to it, in which time Stoneman had been able to get passed.” Championship leader Webb commented after round 13: “The Championship is getting really close now. Round 13 was a good race with perfect conditions and at one point I thought I might be able to catch Smith but I ran out of laps. Stoneman was also unlucky and he did very well to keep his car on the track after running wide at the Bomb Hole.”
SCOTT SECURES MAIDEN VICTORY AT RECORD BREAKING WSbR
Meanwhile current Championship leader Fortec Motorsport’s Oli Webb (Knutsford) took the honours in round 12, also held on Sunday, to increase his lead in the one-make series to 19-points. A consistent weekend for team-mate James Calado (Worcester) saw the 20-year-old secure two second places with Manor Competition’s Dean Smith (Wolverhampton) also taking a double podium to move him into second in the drivers’ standings. In total 135,000 people attended the free two-day motorsport festival which was returning to the Northamptonshire circuit – surpassing 2008’s attendance of 110,000. Win for Webb extends lead... In front of the packed sun-soaked crowd, James Calado lined the start grid as Michelin pole-sitter following Saturday’s qualifying session which saw the returning driver lapping in the mid 1min 46s – well inside the lap record for the 3.19-mile circuit (1m 48.494s).
By the opening few laps, Webb was already beginning to pull away while behind the leading four Alpine Motorsport’s Dean Stoneman was putting Scott under sustained pressure for his fifth place. As the leading pair began to pull away from the chasing group, third place Oakes was now coming under increasing strain from Smith with the Black Country racer eventually getting the better of the 20-year-old on the exit to Copse. With Stoneman and Scott continuing to battle, Graduate Cup driver Will Stevens was able catch in his Fortec Motorsport car. With the leading three now well away, behind the battle for position continued with Oakes, Stoneman, Scott and Stevens swapping places every other corner before returning to the foremost order. Meanwhile further down the order, Driver entry Jordan Williams – returning to the Championship after a four-race absence – and Hillspeed’s Menasheh Idafar were battling hard for 13th and 14th places before contact between the two caused Williams to retire with a rear puncture. As the race entered the final few laps, there was no change in the top three unlike in the midfield where Oakes, Stoneman, Scott and Stevens were still jostling for position and showing the closely fought nature of the series. Stoneman did eventually get the better of Oakes though to move into fourth while the patient Stevens timed his move well to pass Scott and move into sixth dropping the round 11 winner to seventh. Out in front, there was little Calado could do to catch Webb as he crossed line to claim his second win in the Championship – eleven races after taking his first one during the opening round at Brands Hatch. James finished a comfortable second with Smith taking third along with two extra Championship points for setting the NGK fastest lap. Stoneman held on to fourth with Oakes rounding off the top five. Stevens – who was awarded the ELF/Atol Driver of the Day – finished sixth and the leading Graduate Cup driver, the second time of the weekend.
Scott scores maiden victory...
As the lights went out it was Scott who took full advantage of his pole position to lead the field into the first corner followed by Calado and Smith who had moved into third from fifth on the grid. By the end of the opening lap all 28 drivers were safely through with Scott already beginning to pull away from Calado. Behind the leading three, Stoneman and Webb were battling hard for fourth and fifth followed by Oakes and Fortec Motorsport’s Fredrik Blomstedt. On lap four, SSS Motorsport with Hillspeed’s Lee Dwyer and Driver entry Michael Lyons made contact at the exit to Club causing both drivers to retire and forcing the Safety Car to be deployed. This allowed the whole field to bunch up and end any advantage Scott had built up. Racing resumed on lap eight with the race distance increased to 19 laps from the original 16. Despite it being his first re-start behind a Safety Car this season, Scott judged it to perfection to lead once more followed by Calado and Smith. As the top five continued to press, the midfield battle was hotting up in particular between Oakes and Blomstedt with the two swapping positions for sixth and seventh with the Finnish driver eventually losing out and dropping further down the order. CRS Racing team-mates Harry Tincknell and Matias Laine (FIN) – who was also competing in the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 at the weekend – were also jostling for position just outside the top 10 before Tincknell outbraked himself at Abbey to lose both time and position. With the race nearing its full distance there was still no change at the front despite Calado’s best efforts which also saw him set the NGK fastest lap for the race and also a new lap record with a time of 1min 47.582s (172.0kph average) – beating the current record set by Adriano Buzaird last year. As Scott crossed the line to start his 15th lap the allotted 30 minute time limit for the race had now expired meaning the next lap (16th) would be his last. As with the entire race, Scott – who was awarded the ELF/Atol Driver of the Day – didn’t put a foot wrong to lead his CRS Racing car home to his first win of the 2009 season. Calado finished second followed by Smith, Stoneman and Webb. Stevens, who turned 18 prior to the weekend, took the Graduate Cup win. Commenting after his first Formula Renault UK win in round 11, Scott said: “I made a couple of mistakes in the race but overall it went really well and I’m delighted to be stood on the top step. The re-start was key and I judged it well even if I was a bit eager through Priory.” Round 12 winner and current Championship leader Webb said: “It’s been a while since my last win so it’s great to be winning races again, especially at World Series. The car has felt good all weekend and round 12 couldn’t have run better.” Commenting on his weekend, Calado said: “I tried to keep Scott under pressure throughout round 11 but he drove really well apart from when he crossed the line and slowed down so much that I nearly hit him! Given I was on pole I was hoping for more in round 12 but given my recent fortune it’s just great to finish both races for once! I know I need to step things up though at Snetterton.” Double podium finisher Smith added: “The first half of round 11 went well but my tyres started to go off towards the end which hampered things. The team made some changes to the set-up of the car before the race but it still wasn’t quite working as well as it could. We put our heads together before the second race though and found a set-up which worked fantastic and really had us on the pace – as the lap times show.”
CROFT DOUBLE SEES SMITH CLOSE TITLE RACE
Two consistent third places by Fortec Motorsport’s Oli Webb though still sees the 18-year-old lead the Championship, 15 points clear of nearest rival Alpine Motorsport’s Dean Stoneman who also picked up a podium (second) in round 10. Oli’s team-mate James Calado (pictured)(Worcester) endured mixed fortunes with a superb lights-to-flag victory in round nine only for the 20-year-old racer to retire with mechanical problems in round 10 – dropping him to fifth in the Championship.
Smith capitalises on Calado misfortune...
As the lights went out for the 15-lap race, it was Smith who made the better start after Calado struggled to get away dropping him down the order and being passed by Stoneman and Webb. Already suffering, Calado could only nurse his car to the run-up to Tower on the opening lap before retiring with what later transpired to be a broken conrod which had gone through the engine. As the rest of the field completed their first lap Smith was already showing his intentions by developing a lead of almost a second over Stoneman with Webb in third and Mark Burdett Motorsport’s Jesse Krohn in fourth. Further down the order, Hitech Junior’s Jordan Oakes had already made up an impressive eight places on the opening few laps after a poor run in Saturday’s qualifying session saw him start from the back of the grid. Meanwhile, CRS Racing’s Lewis Williamson dropped down the order after he was given a drive through penalty for failing to line up on the start grid in the correct position. Out in front, Smith was making light work of his lead already building a sizeable cushion over Stoneman and setting the NGK fastest lap on lap five with a time of 1min 18.130s (97.91mph average). As Smith continued to dominate, Webb turned his attentions to challenge for second while in the midfield a great battle was developing between CRS Racing team-mates Josh Scott – who was awarded the ELF/Atol Driver of the Day – and Graduate Cup drivers Harry Tincknell and Finland’s Matias Laine. As the race progressed, Smith was now nearly five seconds ahead of second placed Stoneman and continuing to push in his Manor Competition car to the limit. Behind the front-runners, Fortec Motorsport team-mates Will Stevens (Oxshott) and Fredrik Blomstedt were battling hard for fifth and sixth places whilst further down the order a determined Oakes was now up to a respectable 14th. With just a few laps to go, there was little any one could do to catch the Wolverhampton racer with the remainder of the podium places also unchanged despite Webb’s best efforts to pass the reigning Graduate Cup Champion by braking as late as possible, especially at the Hairpin – the tightest of any UK circuit – on the last lap. Smith crossed the line to take his fourth victory this season and secure maximum Championship points for the round following his earlier NGK fastest lap. Stoneman and Webb took second and third leaving Finnish driver Krohn to secure fourth with Stevens rounding off the top five. Oakes eventually crossed the line in 14th having passed half the field. A post race investigation by the Clerk of the Course saw Hitech Junior’s Tama’s Pa’l Kiss awarded a time penalty for contact with Alpine Motorsport’s Isa Yousif at the Hairpin on lap 11, with the two drivers eventually finishing 19th and 18th respectively.
Calado impresses in round nine.. Saturday’s race (round nine) saw Calado line up on the grid as Michelin pole-sitter with title rival Smith alongside him on the front row. As the lights went out it was Calado who made the best start to lead the field into Clervaux followed by Smith, Webb, Stoneman and 19-year-old racer Williamson. In the midfield, Scott made a good start to move into seventh by the end of the first lap after starting ninth on the gird chasing down team-mate Laine. By the end of the first few laps Calado was already pulling away, developing a comfortable lead over Smith and setting the NGK fastest lap on lap three in the process with a time of 1min 18.065s (97.99mph average). There were still plenty of battles taking place throughout the field though, in particular between Scott, who had been able to get the better of his team-mate Laine to take sixth and Stevens who had been able to pass Krohn for eighth. With no change in the top five, the midfield battle continued to intensify with team-mates Scott and Laine still challenging with Matias getting the better run out of the Hairpin on lap 11 to retake the place. This allowed Stevens to close in and also pass the Australian racer dropping Josh to eighth. With the race nearing its 15 lap duration, Calado – who was celebrating his 20th birthday – was now well in control with a lead of more than a second over Smith. James crossed the line to claim his fourth win of the season and maximum Championship points. Smith took second with Webb in third, Stoneman in fourth and Williamson rounding off the top five. Laine – who was awarded the ELF/Atol Driver of the Day – held on to take sixth and win the Graduate Cup for the round. Commenting on his performance at the weekend, Smith said: “In Saturday’s race, James [Calado] got away well and pulled ahead earlier on. His car seemed more settled than mine and I struggled with pace. The car felt really good for Sunday’s race though and apart from a little understeer, I had a lot more pace and could really push. Overall it’s been another good weekend for me and the team and I’m looking forward to racing at Silverstone as it’s my favourite track.” Round nine winner Calado said: “Smith was fast in Saturday’s race but I managed to keep a tenth of a lap ahead of him which was enough to control the race. For round 10 the car just didn’t feel right straight from the start. The team changed the engine the night before as the old one had done four races but the conrod went through the engine and ended my race. I’m still confident I can pull things back though.” Commenting on his performance, Stoneman said: “We need to work on finding extra pace as we’re struggling slightly to get the car on the front of the grid. We’re still scoring consistently though and looking good at the halfway stage.” Championship leader Webb added: “I’m content with how things have gone this weekend. I managed to keep Stoneman behind me in Saturday’s race and then the roles were reversed in Sunday’s race where I just couldn’t get close enough to challenge.”
DOUBLE WIN FOR SMITH AT OULTON PARK
Fortec Motorsport’s Oli Webb, racing on his local circuit, secured two podiums (third and second) though to come away as overall Championship leader, 15-points ahead of Alpine Motorsport’s Dean Stoneman who finished third in round eight. CRS Racing’s Harry Tincknell picked up the remaining podium in round seven to extend his lead as the top Graduate Cup driver.
Smith takes the double...
As the lights went out on the 15 lap race, the Black Country racer made the most of his advantage to lead the field into the first corner with Fortec Motorsport’s James Calado (Worcester) moving up to second ahead of Webb followed by Stoneman and Tincknell. Second place Calado pushed hard on the opening lap to try and pass Smith but ran wide at Druids allowing Webb, who was now in second, and Stoneman to pass dropping the 19-year-old down to fourth. With a clear track in front of him, Smith quickly established a cushion between him and Webb while behind the leading pair Calado was battling hard to make up for his earlier mistake. In the midfield, Manor Competition’s Alice Powell was right on the back of Australian Josh Scott’s CRS Racing car with the 16-year-old racer – who was also awarded the ELF/Atol Driver of the Day – finally getting the better of him at Old Hall on lap eight. The same lap also saw Mark Burdett Motorsport’s Jesse Krohn pass CRS Racing’s Matias Laine (FIN) to move the Finish driver up to seventh chasing Fortec Motorsport’s Fredrik Blomstedt’s in sixth. As the race continued Scott lost a couple more places while out in front Webb and Smith were swapping NGK fastest lap times, with each racer shaving tenths of a second off the lap record in the process. Meanwhile in the midfield, Powell was now facing increasing pressure from team-mate Thomas Hylkema (NED) who was looking to take Alice’s top ten place. Fellow team-mate Smith was now also coming under pressure from second place Webb who was starting to reduce the 21-year-old’s lead. Smith responded though by setting the NGK fastest lap and a new lap record on the penultimate lap posting a time of 1min 18.926s (101.53mph average). With Webb unable to challenge, Smith crossed the line for the second time that day to take the chequered flag. The Knutsford driver finished second and become the Championship leader, with Stoneman in third and Calado in fourth. Tincknell finished fifth as well as the leading Graduate Cup driver for the round. Smith on top...
As the pack entered Cascades, Calado and Hitech Junior’s Jordan Oakes made contact causing both drivers to spin with Calado clipping the back of Stoneman’s car in the process puncturing his rear tyre. In the aftermath, it was Tincknell who emerged as the race leader followed by Smith, Manor team-mate David McDonald and Webb. The opening laps also saw retirements for Powell, despite having one of her best starting positions (eighth), as well as Hitech Junior’s Tama’s Pa’l Kiss and CRS Racing’s Lewis Williamson - promoting Krohn and Blomstedt up the order. Webb was also able to slip by McDonald in the earlier stages to move into a podium finish. As the leading pair began to pull away, a spin by Alpine Motorsport’s Isa Yousif led to the Safety Car being deployed at the start of lap five, allowing the pack to close up. Two laps later, the lights on the Safety Car went out indicating racing would resume at the start of lap eight. However, race leader Tincknell got out of shape exiting Lodge Corner allowing Smith to close in and draw alongside. With Smith not allowed to pass until crossing the start/finish line, the Wolverhampton racer timed his move superbly to get ahead of Tincknell and lead into Old Hall. With the race distance increased to 17 laps, Smith quickly showed his ease up front to pull away from Ticknell who now had a determined Webb in his mirrors challenging for second. Meanwhile, after pitting to change his tyre, Stoneman was already working his way through the order, moving up to 13th by the end of lap 12. As the race entered its final stages, it was Tincknell’s turn to push, setting the NGK fastest lap on lap 15 with a time of 1min 19.197s (101.18mph average). The chequered flag belonged to Smith – as well as the ELF/Atol Driver of the Day award –followed by Tincknell, still chasing his first race win, in second and Webb in third. McDonald claimed fourth with Blomstedt in fifth and Krohn in sixth, with Stoneman finally crossing the line in 11th. RS Racing’s Ryan Singleton also picked up his first Championship points with a season best of 14th. A post race investigation by the Clerk of the Course, however, indicated that Stoneman had cut part of the circuit and handing him a 10-second time penalty as a result, dropping him to 18th. Driver entry Ollie Hancock was also issued with a time penalty for overtaking under Safety Car conditions seeing the 21-year-old demoted to 17th. Commenting on his performance for the weekend, a delighted Smith said: “It’s just been such a fantastic weekend! In the first race, Harry pushed too hard, too early at the restart allowing me to get close. I had to be really careful to time my move exactly though as I knew I couldn’t pass before the line. Round eight was still tough as I had been having problems with losing time through Cascades but I managed to get those few tenths back to keep Oli [Webb] behind me.” Double podium finisher and current Championship leader Webb said: “I’m a big fan of Oulton Park with it being my local circuit so was hoping to go well here and to come away with two podiums is amazing. I just couldn’t catch Harry to challenge for second in round seven but with Dean [Stoneman] down the field, I was happy to settle for third and pick up the points. It was a similar story in round eight as I tried to be both aggressive and cautious at the same time.” Third place in round seven and leading Graduate Cup driver Tincknell said: “I managed to get ahead of Dean [Smith] on the first lap in round seven but I got the restart all wrong and just tried too hard. I’m obviously disappointed not to have picked up a win but it’s still more championship points and extends my lead in the Graduate Cup.” Meanwhile, third place in round eight, Stoneman added: “I’m disappointed with the time penalty in the first race which undid all the places I had regained. To end up on the podium makes up for it though and on the whole it’s been a good weekend.”
SMITH BACK AT THE TOP AT DONINGTON PARK
As the lights went out, Smith made the best of his pole-position to lead the field into Redgate closely followed by Calado and Krohn. Calado tried to pass Smith around the outside but was unsuccessful and allowing third place Krohn to slip by the 19-year-old to take second. Behind the front runners, Webb, Manor Competition’s David McDonald and Stoneman were all jostling for position with Australian born Josh Scott also running well in the CRS Racing car having gained three places moving him to seventh from 10th on the grid. Despite an impressive qualifying run which saw him sixth on the grid, Hillspeed’s Menasheh Idafar was unable to capitalise dropping down the order by the end of lap one. As the leaders began to pull away, Stoneman got the run on McDonald going into Redgate passing him for fifth place only for McDonald to retake the position as the two cars continued to battle around the 1.9573-mile circuit. The fight for fifth and sixth continued with Stoneman again passing McDonald at Redgate only for the reigning Graduate Cup driver to run wide at the Old Hairpin to once again hand the place back to McDonald. In the midfield, Hitech Junior’s Jordan Oakes was forced wide at McLeans by leading Graduate Cup racer Harry Tincknell in the CRS Racing car as the two drivers competed for eighth and ninth places. Oakes spun into the tyres ending his race while Tincknell continued his, with the whole incident watched closely by the Clerk of the Course. As the race progressed, Smith continued to push developing a sizeable cushion while behind him Calado was trying hard to regain second place from Krohn allowing fourth place Webb to catch. Krohn responded setting the NGK Fastest Lap on lap 12 with a time of 1min 05.862s (106.98mph average) and setting a new lap record in the process – beating the previous time set by 2008 runner-up Andriano Buzaid last year and earning two extra Championship points. In the midfield, Manor Competition’s Alice Powell– who until the race meeting had very little knowledge of the circuit having missed testing due to GCSE exams – was driving confidently to hold off a total of five chasing cars all hoping to get inside the top 10. Meanwhile, Williamson was also running well having moved his way up the field to eighth after starting 14th on the grid as did the 2008 Protyre Formula Renault BARC Champion Ollie Hancock– now racing as a driver entry having parted company with Apotex Scorpio – running in 13th after starting 18th. As the race entered the final stages, Calado tried once more to take Krohn on the exit to Coppice but clipped the curb causing him to spin and drop well down the order leaving Webb, who only narrowly avoided the spinning car, to move into a podium finish. The chequered flag belonged to Smith with Krohn in second and Webb in third. McDonald, who was still holding off a determined Stoneman took fourth with the Southampton racer in fifth. Ticknell crossed the line in sixth but following an investigation by the Clerk of the Course, his move on Oakes was deemed unacceptable and severe enough to have him excluded from the race promoting Powell – who was awarded the ELF/Atol Driver of the Day – to the leading Graduate Cup driver.
Calado back on top
For the start of the race, the tyre choice was obviously wets following an earlier heavy downpour. Smith got away well as did Williamson who shot from fifth to second with Alpine Motorsport’s Isa Yousif also making a strong start in the middle of the order. The race was soon halted though after contact between TA1 Motorsport’s Tom Armour and Hitech Junior’s Nick Yelloly saw the Safety Car deployed at the end of lap one. Racing resumed on lap three with the race distance increased from 16 to 18 laps. Second place Williamson was soon challenging Smith around the outside of Redgate but was unsuccessful allowing Calado to catch and Smith to pull away developing a 1.178s cushion. Calado quickly capitalised passing Williamson at Hollywood and soon catching Smith leaving Williamson to now defend against fourth place Hancock. Meanwhile, in the midfield, Scott, Webb and Stoneman were all running strongly while further back, Krohn, was trying to make up for a poor grid position (25th) by moving his way through the field. A few laps later Calado was soon challenging Smith for the lead with the two drivers swapping position at the Old Hairpin before Calado eventually got through at the same corner on lap 11. Waved yellow flags at McLeans also prevented Smith from any attempt to retake the position and allowing Calado to pull away. As Calado stretched his lead, often veering off the racing line to cool his wet tyres, the midfield contest was intensifying with Krohn now up into seventh and Hitech Junior’s Hungarian racer Tama’s Pa’l Kiss, up into eighth and the leading Graduate Cup driver. On lap 15 an over enthusiastic Krohn made contact with sixth place Stoneman causing his front-left wishbone and tyre to be damaged and dropping him down the order. Krohn continued racing on three wheels despite being black flagged as he continued to lose places. As the race neared the end, Calado made one last push for maximum Championship points setting the NGK Fastest Lap with a time of 1min 16.385s (92.24mph average) before taking the chequered flag and his third race win. Smith finished second while Williamson – who was given the ELF/Atol Driver of the Day – only just managed to hang on to third after a last minute dash for the line by fourth place Hancock. Commenting on his performance, Smith - who was also presented with a special Driver of the Day award by the Donington Park Supporters’ Club - said: “I got a good start in round five and could see Calado trying to make a move on me around the outside of Redgate but I managed to hold him off and then it was just a case of building my lead lap by lap. In round six, Calado just had the quicker car with better traction but I’m delighted with how the weekend has gone and looking forward to Oulton Park.” Round six winner Calado said: “I knew we were quick in the wet and when I finally got pass Dean [Smith] I just went for it because I wanted to score maximum points by getting the fastest lap. With the racing line drying it was hard to keep the wet tyres cool but it makes up for what happened in round five, plus there’s still a long way to go in the Championship!”
CONSISTENT STONEMAN LEADS CHAMPIONSHIP AFTER THRUXTON
The reigning Graduate Cup Champion from Southampton showed great consistency to finish second in both races to leave him 12 points clear of closest rival Fortec Motorsport's James Calado. Calado didn't come away empty handed though with a victory in round three held on Saturday, 25th April with team-mate Will Stevens claiming his first podium in third. Mark Burdett Motorsport's Jesse Krohn secured his first victory in an action-packed round four on Sunday, 25th April -- shown live on ITV4 -- with Graduate Cup racer Harry Tincknell taking third for CRS Racing. Dry but windy conditions greeted a huge grid of 29 racers for the start of round three. Following the day's earlier qualifying session, Stoneman took the Michelin Pole Position with Graduate Cup driver Stevens alongside him on the front row. As the lights went out, Stoneman got away well to lead the field into the first corner with a poor start from Stevens allowing Krohn to move up the field from fourth on the gird. Hillspeed's Menasheh Idafar (London), who started fifth following an impressive qualifying session, was unable to make the most of his grid position dropping to thirteenth by the end of lap one. The race was soon halted though as Manor Competition team-mates Thomas Hylkema and David McDonald made contact hitting the pit wall and causing the Safety Car to be deployed. There was still time though for Krohn and Calado to move into second and third respectively after passing Stevens on the outside to the Complex leaving him in fifth. CRS Racing's Josh Scott, who had also managed to get pass the 17-year-old, was now in fourth with Fortec Motorsport's Fredrik Blomstedt in sixth. Racing resumed on lap eight with the race extended to 19 laps. Stoneman used his experience to slow the field down to ensure he got away cleanly, closely followed by Krohn and Calado with the front three quickly building a gap over fourth place Scott. On lap eight, Krohn made a move for the lead at Club but slight contact between him and Stoneman caused a spin ending his race and moving Calado into second. Behind Calado, Stevens had managed to move into third after Scott and Fortec driver Oli Webb, now fifth, went side-by-side at the exit of Church causing Webb to run onto the grass and dropping him down the order. Scott held on to fourth place followed by team-mate Matias Laine, who was celebrating his 19th birthday. By the halfway stage, Calado was all over the back of Stoneman forcing him to go defensive with the gap reducing every lap. The halfway mark also saw Tincknell set the NGK Fastest Lap with a time of 1min 10.811s (119.77mph average) earning him two extra Championship points. In the midfield, Hitech Junior's Jordan Oakes and SSS Motorsport with Hillspeed's Lee Dwyer were battling hard for eighth and ninth places with Oakes eventually getting the better of Dwyer on lap 13. As the leaders continued to battle, Stoneman left a gap going into the Complex with Calado able to squeeze passed to take the lead. With the race entering its final stages, Calado pulled away from Stoneman allowing third place Stevens to get close enough to challenge. The action continued throughtout the last lap when Stevens and Stoneman went side-by-side at Woodham Hill with Stoneman just able to fend off the Oxshott driver. The chequered flag belonged to Calado -- who picked up the ELF/Atol Driver fo the Day - taking his second consecutive victory, with the last few moments of the race also seeing Blomstedt pass Laine to take fifth. A packed Hampshire crowd welcomed drivers as they lined the start grid for Sunday's round four, with Calado leading the field as Michelin Pole Position holder. James got away well to take the initial lead but this was only momentary as Tincknell took the top spot with Calado, Stoneman and Krohn, who started second on the grid, in fourth. A stall on the start-line by TA1 Motorsport's Tom Armour caused him to drop down to 26th from 10th as the whole field did well to safely pass his stationary car. Continuing their battle from yesterday, Stoneman briefly overtook Calado before James regained his second place at the end of the first lap with Tincknell soon stretching his lead. This left Stoneman with a determined Krohn in his rear-view mirrors, with Jesse also posting the NGK Fastest Lap time. A few laps later Krohn took third-place Stoneman at Club, the same spot where he went off yesterday, while further down the field Webb was able to overtake CRS Racing's Lewis Williamson. Contact at Segrave between Manor Competition's, Alice Powell, Apotex Scorpio Motorsport's Ollie Hancock and new driver Jordan Williams in the Falcon Motorsport car caused the Safety Car to be deployed with all three drivers retiring from the race. Racing resumed on lap eight with the race extended to 19 laps. Tincknell got a good break to continue his position at the front of the field while behind him Scott drove around the outside of Stoneman to take fourth only for Stoneman to retake the position a lap later. Lap 10 saw disaster for second-placed Calado when a broken gear cable forced him to retire promoting Krohn and Stoneman to second and third followed by Scott and Williamson who was now ahead of Webb. A mistake by Williamson though a few laps later caused the 19-year-old to spin handing the place straight back to Oli. As the drama continued with every position being contested, Krohn was beginning to catch Tincknell making his decisive move with just three laps remaining by going around the outside at Club. With Tincknell not wishing to yield, both drivers braked very late forcing them to miss the chicane and sending the cars flying over the kerbs. Krohn's brave dash paid off though as he came away just ahead of Tincknell as they exited Club with Stoneman now right behind challenging for second. As the new race leader began his last lap, it was clear Stoneman still had more to give and with one last push snatched second from Tincknell. In the main field, Webb was trying to hold on to fifth place from Oakes despite sustaining a puncture. Blomstedt, McDonald and newly registered Manor Competition driver Dean Smith, were also among the leading drivers rounding off the top 10. With racing right up until the end, it was Krohn who took the chequered flag followed by Stoneman, Tincknell and Scott. Webb just managed to hold on to fifth despite nursing a flat tyre while further down the field a resilient drive from Armour saw him cross the line in 14th making up an impressive 12 places following his poor start and earning him the ELF/Atol Driver of the Day award. Commenting on his perforamce, Stoneman said: "I'm really pleased to come away this weekend with two podiums. A win is always great but at the end of the day this is a long Championship and it's about scoring points consistently in every race and I've managed to do just that this weekend." Round three winner Calado, said: "I had a good start to get up to third by the end of the first lap and managed to profit from Jesse's misfortune. I then had Stoneman to pass who left the door open at Complex. I was feeling confident going into round four, especially being on pole so obviously I'm gutted not to have come away with more points." Commenting after his first win, Krohn said: "To get my first victory after yesterday's spin is fantastic and I'm very grateful to the team who got me out racing again. It was a close race and knew my only chance to overtake would be at Club. I went around the outside as I tried going on the inside against Stoneman in the first race which didn't work. We both braked very late and ended up cutting the corner but I managed to come away ahead." Commenting on his Saturday race performance, Stevens said: "I'm absolutely delighted with my first podium. I lost a few places at the Complex but I showed good pace towards the end and was right up with Stoneman. I reckon a couple more laps and I might have passed him." Leading Graduate Cup driver Tincknell commented: "I'm disappointed not to come away with a win but Jesse drove a great race and I'm still the leading Graduate driver and that still remains my main focus for the season."
WEBB AND CALADO TAKE THE HONOURS AT BRANDS
18-year-old returning driver Webb, claimed victory in round one with CRS Racing’s Harry Tincknell (Exeter) and Hitech Junior driver Jordon Oakes (Hopton on Sea) finishing second and third respectively. Meanwhile second year driver Calado took a lights-to-flag victory in round two – which together with his fifth place from round one sees him leading the Championship – with Fortec team-mate Fredrik Blomstedt (SWE) and Mark Burdett Motorsport’s Jesse Krohn alongside him on the podium. Round one saw drivers line the grid of the 1.64-mile Brands Hatch Indy circuit in glorious sunshine. As the lights went out to signify the start of the 2009 season, pole-sitter and Graduate Cup driver Tincknell, got away cleanly to lead the run into the first corner. Meanwhile fourth place Oakes made a great start to move into second as the field headed towards Druids closely followed by Webb, Alpine Motorsport’s Dean Stoneman (Southampton), Calado and SSS Motorsport with Hillspeed’s Lee Dwyer (Huddersfield). As the leaders exited Paddock Hill Bend on lap two, second place Oakes, who had been side-by-side with Tincknell made a move for the lead but let third place Webb squeeze pass both him and Tinckell to take the lead pushing Oakes down to third. With a clear track in front of him, Webb quickly developed a lead of more than half a second by the end of lap three. In the midfield, sixth placed Dwyer was challenging Calado hard for fifth but let seventh placed Krohn slip by him at Paddock Hill Bend on lap seven shortly followed by CRS Racing’s Josh Scott (AUS). In an attempt to regain the lost places Dwyer pushed too hard, spinning at Clearways. He managed to rejoin the track at the back of the grid but only to go off into the gravel at the exit to McLaren shortly afterward. As the race progressed, Webb continued to build on his lead, setting the fastest lap of the race on lap 10 with a time of 44.218s (97.58mph average) earning two bonus Championship points. In the midfield, Graduate Cup drivers CRS Racing’s Matias Laine (FIN) and Fortec Motorsport’s Will Stevens (Oxshott, Surrey) battled together for ninth and tenth with Apotex Scorpio Motorsport’s Ollie Hancock, last year’s Formula Renault BARC champion, behind them in eleventh. Blomstedt, Manor Competition’s Thomas Hlykelma (NED) and Manor team-mate David McDonald (Surrey) were also competing hard just outside the top 10. As the last lap approached, Webb had stretched his lead to almost four seconds from Tincknell, while further down the field Krohn made one last push on Calado for a top five finish but was unable to pass the 19-year-old. With the chequered flag in sight, Webb crossed the line to take victory, followed by Tincknell and Oakes, with Oakes picking up the ELF/Atol Driver of the Day. In the second race of the day, which was being broadcast live on ITV4, round one podium drivers Oakes and Tincknell were unable to start having sustained technical problems. This time Calado was the pole sitter following Saturday’s qualifying session and as the lights went out he made the most of his advantage to lead the field in to Paddock Hill Bend with Blomstedt, Krohn, CRS Racing’s Lewis Williamson, Scott and Alpine Motorsport Graduate Cup driver Isa Yousif (BRN) following closely. After just three laps, Calado had already developed a lead while further down the order, Hillspeed’s Menasheh Idafar (London) was unable to keep a determined Stoneman – who was awarded the ELF/Atol Driver of the Day for round two – at bay who passed him on lap eight before taking team-mate Yousif a few laps later. As the race continued, Calado continued to look comfortable out in front developing a 2.828s lead by the halfway stage. In the midfield, a battle between Graduate Cup drivers Yousif and Idafar had developed with Yousif managing to hold off the 18-year-old. On lap 17, a mistake by RS Racing’s Ryan Singleton (Llanfairfechen) at the bottom of Paddock Hill Bend caused him to spin and with his car in a dangerous position the Safety Car was deployed by the Clerk of the Course shortly after. With Singleton’s car now safe, racing resumed on lap 22 with three laps added to the original 24 lap distance. Calado again ensured he got away cleanly opening up a comfortable margin leaving Krohn to challenge Blomstedt for second and third. With just a handful of laps remaining, Blomstedt did enough to keep Krohn in his mirrors and take second place behind race winner Calado with Krohn in third and Williamson picking up hi best result in fourth. Commenting after victory in round one, Webb said: “I got a good start but then so did Oakes. As Jordan and Harry battled for the lead around Druids they left a gap so I took a gamble and made my move and luckily it paid off. Then all I had to do then was keep my head down and race for the line, although I eased off towards the end to save my car and tyres for the next round.” Commenting after round two, race winner Calado said: “Although it may have looked easy, that was a really tough race, particularly at the end when the Safety Car came out which meant I had to rebuild my lead again. I’m really pleased with how the weekend has gone and to be leading the championship after the opening rounds is a great result.”
pics . Jakob Ebrey Photography |
|
Manor
Competition’s Dean Smith needed just one round to secure the 2009
Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship during the final meeting of the
season at Kent’s Brands Hatch GP circuit on 3rd/4th October. 
Calado
win too late...
Sunday’s
earlier round 19 initially saw Calado as Michelin pole-sitter until an
investigation by the Clerk of the Course deemed that his time had been
set under yellow flag conditions dropping him to ninth, his next
quickest time, and already damaging his title prospects. Smith meanwhile
moved up one place to take the P1 honours with Williamson and Krohn
occupying row two. 
Manor
Competition’s Dean Smith edged one step closer to the 2009 Michelin
Formula Renault UK Championship title by scoring maximum points during
rounds 17 and 18 of the one-make series at Northamptonshire’s Rockingham
Motor Speedway on 19th/20th September. 
A
packed Rockingham crowd waited in anticipation for the start of round
18. For the second time in the weekend, Smith held the Michelin
pole-position honours – after lapping in the mid 1m 15s, well inside
Alexander Sim’s lap record (1m 16.178s), during Saturday’s qualifying
session – with Tincknell alongside him. Oakes and Fortec Motorsport’s
Oli Webb lined up on row two with Calado in fifth.
Fortec
Motorsport’s James Calado produced a faultless performance during rounds
15 and 16 of the 2009 Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship at
Silverstone National circuit on August 29th/30th to secure a double win
and maximum championship points. The 20-year-old backed by the Racing
Steps Foundation claimed two lights-to-flag victories together with two
Michelin pole-positions and two NGK fastest laps to take a clean sweep
of the points at the 1.64-mile Northamptonshire circuit. 
Watched
by a packed Silverstone crowd, and live on ITV4, round 16 saw Fortec
Motorsport dominate the front row with Calado as pole-sitter with
team-mate Webb alongside him. Graduate Cup driver Tincknell lined up on
row two as did title hopeful Smith who could only manage a best of
fourth during Saturday’s qualifying session which saw all but one of the
field lapping under the circuit record (54.980s). Newcomer Euan Hankey
(Somerset), replacing the injured Matias Lane, also impressed on his
first outing in his CRS Racing car with sixth on the grid. 
The
start grid for Sunday’s earlier race (round 15) was also led by Fortec
Motorsport with the top three spots shared between team-mates Calado,
Blomstedt, his best qualifying performance so far this season, and Webb.
Alpine
Motorsport’s Dean Stoneman finally secured his first win of the 2009
Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship during rounds 13 and 14 at
Norfolk’s Snetterton circuit on August 1st/2nd. The single-seater racer,
who recently turned 19, has had a brace of podiums so far this season
but had to wait until round 14 to claim his first visit to the top step
of the podium. 
Round
13 held earlier on Sunday saw Calado line up as Michelin pole-sitter
following Saturday’s qualifying session which was ended prematurely for
safety reasons following a spin by CRS Racing’s Matias Laine (FIN).
Stoneman joined Calado on the front row with Smith in third and Webb in
fourth. 
In
front of a record breaking World Series by Renault crowd, CRS Racing’s
Josh Scott (Milton Keynes) secured his first win of the 2009 Michelin
Formula Renault UK Championship during rounds 11 and 12 at Silverstone
Grand Prix circuit on Sunday, 5th July. Eighty-five thousand spectators,
the highest ever attendance for a Formula Renault UK meeting, watched
the Australian claim a superb lights-to-flag victory in round 11. 
As
the lights went out for the start of the 16 lap race it was fellow front
row runner Webb who made the better start to lead the field into Copse
closely followed by Calado(pictured right) Hitech Junior’s Jordan
Oakes also made a great start from fifth on the grid to move into
third with Smith slipping to fourth. 
Round
11, held earlier on the Sunday, saw returning driver Scott as the
Michelin pole-sitter, the first time the 19-year-old has taken the P1
spot this season. 
Manor
Competition’s Dean Smith increased his title credentials in the 2009
Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship with a double podium during
rounds nine and 10 at North Yorkshire’s Croft circuit on 13th/14th June.
The 21-year-old 2007 Runner-up took an impressive victory in round 10 on
Sunday, 14th June preceded by a second place during Saturday’s round
nine to put the Black Country racer third in the drivers’ standings. 
In
front of a packed crowd of thousands round 10 got underway in glorious
sunshine. Following Saturday’s qualifying session, Calado lined the grid
as Michelin pole-sitter with Smith beside him for company – an identical
front row to Saturday’s round nine. 
Manor
Competition’s Dean Smith continued his excellent run of form in the 2009
Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship with a double win at Oulton
Park on 30th/31st May. The 2007 Vice Champion took victory in round
seven and eight at the 2.2260-mile Cheshire circuit to move him into
third place in the drivers’ standings. 
In
glorious sunshine, a packed Oulton Park crowd of thousands waited in
anticipation for the start of round eight. Following Saturday’s
qualifying session, Smith led the field as the Michelin pole-sitter with
Webb alongside him for company on a 2 x 2 grid formation 
Calado
came to the start line for round seven as Michelin pole-sitter with
title rival Stoneman alongside him on the front row. As the lights went
out, it was Stoneman who made the better start to lead the field with
Tincknell and Smith also coming through strongly. 
Dry
but blustery conditions greeted the 29 racers for the start of round
five. Smith lined up on the grid as the Michelin pole-sitter having just
pipped Calado to P1 by 0.001s in Saturday’s first qualifying session.
Watched
by crowds of thousands both at the circuit and live on ITV4, round six
saw Smith once again as the Michelin pole-sitter following a nail-biting
second qualifying session on Saturday which, due to changing weather
conditions, saw drivers and teams struggling over tyre selection.
Alpine
Motorsport's Dean Stoneman moved to the top of the driver standings in
the Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship after a double podium in
rounds three and four at Thruxton circuit on 25th/26th April. 
s
of the 2009 Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship at Kent’s Brands
Hatch Indy circuit on Sunday, 5th April.