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YELLOLY TAKES RUNNER-UP SPOT - MAIDEN PODIUM FOR STOCKINGER

The Hitech Junior Team continued its run of success with two podiums for Nick Yelloly and Marlon Stockinger in the final rounds of the 2009 Michelin Formula Renault UK Winter Cup at Rockingham on Saturday. Yelloly’s results, coupled with those from Snetterton, makes him runner-up in the series, while for Stockinger, a maiden podium finish elevated him to fifth overall.

Another strong pace in pre-event testing saw the two 18 year-olds consistently among the pace-setters, Swiss Filipino Stockinger topping the times in the second of three sessions on Friday. In Saturday morning’s qualifying session which would decide the grid for the two races, based on first and second quickest lap times, the pair each posted the third and fourth quickest times to give them a row two start for both rounds. 

After the dramas of Snetterton last time out, in which heavy rain greeted the drivers, it was a cold but sunny start to the proceedings which kicked off the first of two races.  A superb start from Stockinger saw him surge into the lead at the first corner after a poor getaway from pole-man Harry Tincknell.  

Yelloly too made the most of Tincknell’s mistake to follow Stockinger through, but as the pack entered the first left hand hairpin, it was front-row starter Tom Blomqvist who exited in the lead with Marlon second ahead of Nick. As the field entered the next hairpin, Tincknell found a way past Nick, but just moments later the safety car was deployed to retrieve a stranded car. 

At the restart Nick briefly lost a place to Thomas Hylkema but wasted no time in retaking the position the next lap and began to close down the gap to third-placed Tincknell.  Up at the front, Stockinger was driving a mature and steady race, his lap times consistently among the quickest and matching those of his team-mate.  

The pair eventually finished second and fourth, marking Marlon’s maiden podium finish and increasing Yelloly’s chances of securing second in the overall standings. 

Race two kicked off later that day and another great start from both the Hitech drivers saw them jostling for second place at the first corner. At the end of the lap however Nick was third and Marlon fourth before a safety car, and later a red flag after five laps, signalled the premature end of the race.  

At the restart to be held over seven laps, the positions remained unchanged off the line, but after briefly being passed by Hylkema, Stockinger quickly retook fourth and followed his team-mate Yelloly home in third to the team’s second podium finish of the day. 

At the conclusion of the four-round Michelin Formula Renault UK Winter Cup series, Nick finished second to take the runner-up spot with Marlon in fifth, just seven points away from third place. 

MAIDEN PODIUM FOR YELLOLY IN WINTERSERIES OPENER 

Hitech Junior Team's Nick Yelloly scored a superb maiden podium finish in the opening rounds of the 2009 Michelin Formula Renault UK Winter Cup series at Snetterton this weekend. The race also marked a strong performance by Marlon Stockinger, the 18 year-old making up four places on the opening lap to finish in a season-best fifth place.

After consistently being among the pace-setters in pre-event testing, 18 year-old Yelloly was left frustrated with the fifth and seventh quickest times in qualifying for the opening two rounds of the four-race series. While Stockinger, also among the quickest in testing at both Rockingham and Snetterton two weeks ago, ninth and eighth fastest laps in the rain-affected qualifying left the Swiss Fillipino determined to make amends in the races. 

The first round kicked off on Saturday morning, but was red-flagged early on and subsequently rescheduled for later in the day. That left round two kicking off proceedings in which a fairly uneventful race for the Hitech duo resulted in a strong sixth place for Nick, the Solihull teenager making a great pass on Luke Wright at the Esses on the final lap to take the position. 

Stockinger recovered from a spin on the penultimate lap to finish tenth, the teenager pleased with his increased pace from qualifying and looking to better that result in the second race of the day.

With the rescheduled race one now rounding off the day’s racing, both drivers headed to the grid confident of moving up the order in the still tricky conditions. Yelloly made a lightening start from the third row and was up into second place by the first corner, chasing leader Harry Tincknell. 

Stockinger, despite momentarily being boxed in off the line, was equally impressive, moving up four places in the first few corners to cross the line fifth at the end of the opening lap. With spray seriously affecting visibility, Tincknell was able to pull away at the front, leaving Yelloly to take second, his best result of the year. 

A steady drive in difficult conditions netted a superb fifth place for former FBMW Asia-Pacific front-runner Stockinger, in his first season racing in the UK. 

SIXTH FOR HITECH JUNIOR TEAM IN BRANDS FINALE 

The Hitech Junior Team rounded off the Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship with sixth place and three top ten finishes at Brands Hatch at the weekend. Jordan Oakes, who took second place last time out at Rockingham, drove a storming second race in Kent to take sixth, while Tamás Pál Kiss and Nick Yelloly finished ninth and tenth in race one.

Hungarian Pál Kiss was the Silverstone team’s pace setter in Friday’s free practice, posting an impressive fourth quickest time in both sessions. The 18 year-old was unable to repeat that form in the crucial qualifying, leaving Yelloly to uphold honours with the eighth fastest time in the first session. Twenty year-old Oakes, looking to repeat his Rockingham performance, had a cam belt break on Friday cutting short his session, the Norwich driver leading the way in the second qualifying with the tenth fastest lap.

Race one got underway on Sunday morning and a superb start by Oakes allowed him to gain four places on the opening lap, crossing the line just behind Yelloly and Pál Kiss. For almost the entire race, the trio enjoyed a huge battle for ninth with Oakes finding a way past Pál Kiss on lap 11 and set about closing down the gap to Yelloly.

Entering Paddock Hill Bend however, Oakes ran wide into the gravel as he attempted a move on Yelloly, the result allowing Pál Kiss to retake the place.  Oakes’ hopes of a top ten finish ended a lap from home, when his front wing became detached entering Graham Hill Bend forcing him to run straight on at the left hander.

Yelloly and Pál kiss continued their battle onto the final lap when the Hungarian finally found a way past at the last corner. Swiss Filipino Marlon Stockinger struggled with a recurring engine problem in the race, dropping him down to 18th from an impressive seventh row grid position and which ultimately resulted in retirement from the day’s second and final round later in the day.

Race two saw another superb getaway from Oakes, gaining two places off the line, while a stunning opening lap, with two brilliant passes, allowed him through to seventh at the completion of lap one. A lap later he’d found a way past Josh Scott for sixth which he held to the flag.

Further down the field, Pál Kiss drove another impressive race with a superb pass on Will Stevens for 11th. Over the closing laps, he closed the gap to Graduate Cup champion Harry Tincknell, looking for a way past on the final lap, but just missing out on the win at the flag, to take second, 11th overall and third in the Graduate Cup standings.

Yelloly’s promise of ending the year with a Graduate Cup victory came to a finish when he ended his race in the pits with a puncture midway through, joining Stockinger in the list of retirements.

HITECH JUNIOR TEAM SECURES PODIUM AT ROCKINGHAM

Hitech Junior Team’s Jordan Oakes made a welcome return to the podium after a superb drive in the second of two Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship races at Rockingham this weekend. The 20 year-old started from third place and slotted into second at the first corner, which he held to the flag to take his best finish of the year.

Hungarian Tamás Pál Kiss produced a stirring drive in the weekend’s opening race, the 18 year-old moving up from 20th place on the grid to finish ninth and third place in the Graduate Cup. The teenager was unable to repeat the feat in the second; however a good performance netted him 14th at the flag.

Nick Yelloly underlined his potential once again with a strong drive in the second race, to take a hard-fought and well earned tenth place and third in the Graduate Cup. A superb start allowed him to make up places in the opening stages of the race and a fantastic move on Michael Lyons three laps from home, gave the 18 year-old tenth at the finish.

His result was consolation for being eliminated from the first race in a multi-car incident which damaged the rear of his car and sent him into the pits and retirement.

For Marlon Stockinger the weekend proved trying with a recurring problem with his engine which had him finish the first race in the pits. After overnight work, the 18 year-old Swiss Filipino was looking for a good finish to his weekend however a broken gear linkage sent him into the pits for repairs, the former FBMW Scholarship winner making the most of a three-lap safety car period to stop. A sterling drive allowed him to make up ground, and a couple of good overtaking moves over the remaining laps netted him 16th.

Team Principal David Hayle was pleased with the performance of all the drivers as the season nears the finish: “Jordan drove exceptionally well in race two to take a well-deserved second place which I hope will set him up for a solid end to the season at Brands.

“Nick has really come on well over the last few races and his drive in race two showed some true pace which I’m sure he’ll continue to produce. Likewise Tamás was equally impressive in race one, moving up from 20th to ninth with some good overtaking manoeuvres.

“Marlon was very unlucky this weekend.  He had a good run in free practice but had a niggling electrical problem over the course of the weekend, which we managed to fix but then the gear linkage broke. Without that, I’m sure he would have been much higher up the grid and able to reproduce the form of which we know he is capable.”

THREE TOP TEN FINISHES FOR HITECH JUNIOR

Hitech Junior’s Tamás Pál Kiss headed the results of the Silverstone team’s quartet in the latest rounds of the Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship on Sunday. The 18 year-old started race two from the fifth row of the grid and brought his car home in seventh place overall, second of the Graduate Cup runners.A good run in the day’s opening counter, sadly didn’t produce another top ten finish.  However a good race pace, which netted him the seventh fastest lap, allowed him to move up from his grid position and show the potential that resulted in him equalling his best finish of the year in race two. 

Nick Yelloly had led the way in first qualifying, the 19 year-old buoyed by his win in the Graduate Cup last time out, posting the tenth quickest time for the race.  After a good start however, the Birmingham youngster was hit by a rival, which cost him his front wing and a potential top six place. In race two, held on a drying track, a great getaway and storming drive through the field allowed him to move up eight places and netted a superb ninth place and third in the Graduate Cup.  

Hopton-on-Sea’s Jordan Oakes converted his sixth row grid position into a strong tenth place in the opening round, the 20 year-old right on the tail of a three-car battle for eighth at the flag. In the second race however, after another strong showing, he was spun out of a top ten finish at the mid-way point which pushed him down the field.  

Eighteen year-old Swiss-Filipino Marlon Stockinger once again improved from his grid position in both races around the Silverstone National configuration. The former Formula BMW Asia driver continued to rack up the points in this, his first season in Formula Renault, to finish 16th and 15th in the two races respectively. 

YELLOLY WINS GRADUATE CUP FOR HITECH JUNIOR TEAM

Hitech Junior Team’s Nick Yelloly won the Graduate Cup in the first of two Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship races at Snetterton on Sunday. The 19 year-old started from seventh on the grid, his best qualifying of the season and drove a mature race to finish seventh overall at the end of 18 laps.

Jordan Oakes had his charge through the field, from an uncharacteristically low 12th place grid slot, slowed by a collision on the opening lap which damaged his front wing. Two laps later, his hopes of moving any further forward were dashed when Harry Tincknell chopped across the front of him as Jordan attempted to pass. 

The move pitched Oakes into a spin and pushed him down to the back of the field. Despite that, the 20 year-old recovered well to cross the line 14th.

Swiss-Filipino Marlon Stockinger had an uneventful run into 18th place after recovering from a spin at the Bombhole at the mid-way point.  Overnight rain had ensured the run off areas were soaked and the former Formula BMW Scholarship winner was one of many drivers caught out by running wide onto the damp line.

Tamás Pál Kiss ended his race in the pits after an excursion onto the grass two laps from home, in similar conditions, which bent a rear push-rod.  The Hungarian Formula Renault vice-champion had been running in 18th position and improving his pace throughout the race.

Race two proved even more eventful for Oakes.  A first lap incident which started with Lewis Williamson running wide and into the path of the pack saw Oakes an unfortunate victim. The Norfolk driver tried desperately to avoid the inevitable collision but it resulted in him launching over the top of both Williamson and Hylkema and forcing the safety car.  After pitting for a replacement nosecone, Jordan resumed the race, albeit a lap down, finishing 19th.

Up at the front, Yelloly was continuing an impressive turn of speed with a steady drive which ultimately netted him tenth place in the race, cut short three laps early following another 2-car incident on lap 18.

Stockinger too continued to improve over the course of the weekend, his race pace once again proving his potential in his first season racing in the UK and in Formula Renault. The 18 year-old brought his car home just outside the top ten, making up seven places from his start position. 

Pál Kiss followed him home in 14th with another consistent performance throughout the weekend. The 18 year-old, in his first season racing in England, also improved on his grid position by seven places.

HOME RACE FOR HITECH JUNIOR NETS SOLID POINTS HAUL

The Hitech Junior Team made its first of two home Michelin Formula Renault Championship appearances of the year in rounds 11 and 12 at Silverstone at the weekend. The local team showed potential during Friday’s free practice with Jordan Oakes ninth quickest just ahead of Marlon Stockinger, third quickest of the Graduate Cup runners. 

Just one qualifying session determined the grid for both races, utilising a drivers’ fastest and second fastest lap, and it was Oakes who led the way for the team taking the seventh and fifth quickest laps ahead of Tamás Pál Kiss 14th and 12th respectively. A return to form for young Briton Nick Yelloly netted him 16th quickest for both races ahead of Hitech-assisted Ollie Hancock, unable to repeat his Donington form, down in 20th and Stockinger 28th.

Sunday’s 9am opening race kicked off the World Series by Renault event, and proved largely uneventful for the team. A good start by each driver allowed them to hold position into the first corner, and saw Oakes up into sixth by the end of the lap.  Hancock found a way past four drivers to move into 16th while Stockinger too moved up four places into 24th.

A safety car period after five laps saw the field bunch up slightly and at the restart allowed Fredrick Blomstedt to move ahead of Oakes.  A brave manoeuvre to wrest the place back saw 20 year-old Oakes retake sixth which he held to the flag with Pál Kiss and Hancock 15th and 16th and Yelloly and Stockinger 20th and 23rd.

The grid for the second race late on Sunday afternoon held high hopes of a podium finish for Oakes, the youngster lining up on the second row of the grid.  A great start by the Norfolk driver allowed saw him leap to third and a potential podium spot, while behind, a fantastic getaway by Hancock had him move up three places on lap one.

By the fifth lap Oakes was coming under pressure from Dean Smith, who eventually found a way past at Copse Corner but another determined effort by Oakes allowed him to retake the place. A lap later however, Smith made the move stick, forcing Oakes down to fourth while behind Pal Kiss had moved up to 11th. Recovering from his last place on the grid, Stockinger was working his way through the field, up seven places on lap eight and just behind Yelloly in 20th.

As the race neared completion, Oakes came under pressure from Dean Stoneman for fourth and found a way past at Abbey. Oakes though retook the place on the entry to Bridge but two laps later, during a battle with Josh Scott, Stoneman passed Oakes once again relegating Jordan to fifth which he held to the flag.

Pál Kiss came home in a lonely 11th place with Yelloly 15th and Stockinger, making a good recovery from 28th, finishing 18th. Hancock’s hopes of a points finish were ended in the gravel when he oversteered off the track on the final lap at the complex.

 

Eventful weekend for Hitech at Croft

The Hitech Junior Team was back in action for the latest rounds of the Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship at Croft in North Yorkshire at the weekend. The Silverstone-based team was among the pacesetters in Friday’s free practice with Jordan Oakes leading the way but all five drivers were to suffer from a variety of collisions in a dramatic, action-packed weekend.

In first qualifying it was Oakes again who upheld team honours, setting the tenth fastest lap in the first session.  The 20 year-old was the unfortunate victim of an incident on the opening lap of second qualifying which damaged his suspension and ended his session.

That left Tamás Pál Kiss as the quickest of the team’s quintet, the Hungarian Formula Renault runner-up racing in his first season in the UK and steadily improving over the course of the year. 

In the opening race held on Saturday afternoon, Oakes made one of his flying starts but was unfortunately involved in a collision with another car which ended his race on the opening lap. Two laps in and Hitech-assisted Ollie Hancock was forced to retire with a broken front wing after electing to save his tyres for race two.

There was further drama for the team when former FBMW Scholarship winner Swiss-Filipino Marlon Stockinger suffered damage to the front of his car, requiring a visit to the pits for replacement.  He retired two laps later, the damage sustained ending his race too.

On track, Pál Kiss was enjoying a steady drive through the field from 21st to 12th leading a four-car train and closing on 11th at the flag.  Briton Nick Yelloly also improved on his grid position, and after being temporarily held up by a slower car, proceeded to pull away once he’d passed him to finish 17th.

In race two good starts by Pal Kiss and Hancock had them nose to tail in 12th and 13th by the end of the first lap while a stunning getaway by Oakes saw him cross the line 21st with Yelloly in 22nd.  The unfortunate Stockinger was again forced into the pits for a replacement front wing damaged on the opening lap although he rejoined a lap down.

Hancock had an uneventful second race to come home in 12th place, some consolation after his non-finish in round one. Oakes’ charge was temporarily slowed by another car, which allowed the pack behind to close up, but once he’d found a way past, Jordan pulled away and went on to finish 14th.

Yelloly continued to make steady progress in the 15-lapper and improved from his grid position to finish 16th. However Pal Kiss, up to 12th at one point fell victim to a collision with another driver, which spun him down the order although he recovered to finish 18th.  After rejoining with a new front wing, Stockinger fought back bravely and closed down the gap to the tail enders to get to the finish, albeit a lap down.

THREE TOP TEN FINISHES FOR HITECH JUNIOR AT DONINGTON 

Just one tenth of a second prevented Hitech Junior from taking a podium finish at Donington Park this weekend as new signing Ollie Hancock finished fourth in the sixth round of the Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship. The reigning BARC Formula Renault Champion was joined in the top ten finishers by Tamás Pál Kiss who finished seventh to win the Graduate Cup and Jordan Oakes who stormed from 24th to take ninth.

Qualifying on Saturday had proved eventful for the 29 runners, the morning session held on a dry track and leaving everyone struggling to find a clear lap, and putting Pál Kiss the highest of the Silverstone-based team in 13th.  The afternoon session was fraught as the damp track dried in the closing minutes, with Hancock proving the pace-setter for the team, the experienced BRDC Rising Star posting the third quickest time to take a second row start.

In Sunday’s opening race, a superb first lap for Oakes starting 16th allowed him up to 11th at the completion of lap one and he quickly passed two drivers to get into ninth by the third. His charge however was brought to a premature finish after a collision with Harry Tincknell on the fifth lap which saw him spinning off the track at McLeans and into instant retirement.

Pál Kiss and Hancock enjoyed a race long seven-car battle for tenth with the Hungarian heading the duo until the very last lap. The pair eventually crossed the line in 13th and 14th positions.  Swiss-Filipino Marlon Stockinger drove another steady race in his first season in the UK, the 18 year-old BMW Scholarship winner bettering his lap times throughout the race and improving from his grid position to come home in 19th.  While Briton Nick Yelloly enjoyed an uneventful run into 22nd.

Torrential rain greeted the pack for the start of race two which was to play a crucial role for three of the Hitech runners. A fast starting Yelloly was the first to succumb to the treacherous conditions as he was taken out of a potential top ten finish by the spinning car of Tom Armour in a first lap multi-car accident which saw the safety car deployed.

An equally impressive start by Stockinger had him in the mix but in the confusion with cars spinning wildly in front of him, the 18 year-old was pushed into a spin, although he recovered well to rejoin the track.

MORE POINTS FOR HITECH JUNIOR AT THRUXTON

Hitech Junior continued to rack up the points in the latest rounds of the Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship at Thruxton this weekend. The Silverstone-based team in its first season in the BTCC support series took its first podium finish last time out and headed to the ultra-fast Hampshire track hoping for a repeat performance.

However, Saturday's qualifying proved slightly disappointing for the fledgling outfit. A combination of tricky track conditions and a relative lack of experience within the young line-up prevented it from repeating the superb performance of the opening rounds that had seen Jordan Oakes start from the front row. Despite a lowly grid position though, the Hopton on Sea teenager drove superbly in both 19-lap races fighting back from 16th to eighth in Saturday's opening event.

On Sunday the youngster enjoyed a race-long battle for position with some stirring overtaking manoeuvres to move through the field from 13th to sixth at the flag. With his third place last time out, his results from the weekend put him eighth in the championship standings.

Rapid Hungarian Tamas Pal Kiss continued an impressive debut season racing in the UK, the runner up in the domestic series enjoying a superb run in an action-packed second race. The teenager displayed superb maturity and car control to take 12th overall and fourth in the graduate cup, following a non-finish on Saturday.

Former FBMW Scholarship winner Marlon Stockinger suffered a frustrating opening round, after a relay on the master switch failed at the start putting him out on the spot. The Swiss-Fillipino recovered from the setback to have a trouble-free second race in which he moved through the field to finish 18th.

Briton Nick Yellolly drove a good first race to get to the flag unscathed but in race two was forced out before the completion of lap one. A collision with another car at the start broke his steering column and saw his bid to move up the order ended.

For team principal David Hayle the weekend was a combination of highs and lows following a superb opening round that netted it a debut podium finish first time out. "It was a good result for Jordan to fight back from his qualifying positions turning them into two top eight finishes and he continues to build up his points haul. Tamas was particularly impressive this weekend. After a strong second qualifying, he bounced back from his race one crash and had a fantastic second race in which he was battling hard with some very experienced drivers and was right in the battle for a top ten finish.

"Both Marlon and Nick suffered in one of their races but continue to learn and gain experience and are improving all the time. I'm sure we can take that into the next rounds of the championship where we'll be looking for a return to the podium."

DEBUT PODIUM FOR HITECH JUNIOR TEAM 

The Hitech Junior Team scored a debut podium finish in the opening round of the Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship this weekend with Jordan Oakes claiming third place on his first appearance with the team. His performance in the first race on the Brands Hatch Indy circuit netted the Hopton on Sea youngster the ELF/Atol Driver of the Day Award.  

Lining up fourth, Jordan made a great start to leap into second place off the line. A determined effort to take the lead on the exit of Paddock Hill Bend on lap two however allowed eventual race winner Oliver Webb past dropping Oakes to third where he stayed for the duration of the 24-lap race.  His result gives the Silverstone-based team its first podium in the BTCC support series.

His team-mates Marlon Stockinger, Tamas P’al Kiss and Nick Yelloly suffered mixed results over the course of the weekend. Hungarian Formula Renault Vice-Champion P’al Kiss and Swiss-Filipino Stockinger finished 18th and 20th in race one with Yelloly forced out on the very last lap.

In race two, Oakes was unable to take up his fourth row grid slot after a mechanical problem sidelined him leaving the others to uphold the team’s hopes of a strong result. In that, both P’al Kiss and Yelloly improved from their grid slots, while Stockinger, celebrating his 18th birthday on Saturday, maintained his position to lead the trio home in 17th.

“Jordan’s was a superb result on the team’s first appearance in the championship and quite rightly netted him the driver of the day award,” said Team Principal David Hayle. “Unfortunately an engine problem between the two races could not be rectified for the second race, or I’m sure he would have been in with a chance of another podium finish.

“Nick was unlucky to retire on the final lap of race one but he made steady progress in race two and has improved throughout the pre-season testing and into the weekend.  Marlon made a massive improvement from testing to qualifying narrowly missing out on a top three place after making a small mistake at Graham Hill Bend but he and Tamas drove well in both races and I’m sure that with more track experience under their belts all three will gain in confidence as the season progresses.”