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Anything you can Lan-do

RL Racing’s Lando Norris and Josh White underlined their star billing at Wackersdorf (12/13 May); with the former finishing 3rd on his Rotax Max Euro Challenge debut and his team-mate moving into title contention.

“Lando was awesome,” declared RL Racing Department boss Steve Armstrong after watching the exciting youngster take his maiden Euro Max podium at the very first attempt. He added: “Josh is P3 in the points now and is more than capable of winning it.”

The pair had both done well in qualifying, with Lando clocking the 8th-fastest lap of the Bavarian track and Josh classifying close by in 10th.

After the following heats, Norris had secured a front-row starting position for the pre-final. Reigning FKS Mini Max champion White ranked 22nd overall – the result of being given a time penalty in his second race and subsequently dropping down the finishing order. This prompted a change of strategy ahead of the first final, as Armstrong explains: “Josh was penalised by 10 seconds. It was very harsh on him because, had he not received it, he would have started inside the top six in the pre-final and arguably would also have had an easier time of it. As it was he went off P22, so we opted to use his second set of new tyres to help him gain as many points and places as possible and therefore give him a decent grid slot for the following race.”

The gamble paid off and Josh carved his way up to an excellent 9th place at the finish. Lando conserved his old rubber well to cross the line in 4th place.

In the main final – and with fresh rubber on his kart – Norris ran comfortably at the front throughout, but was ultimately pipped to his first big win in Europe.

“The hype surrounding him just grew and grew as the competitors and spectators realised he was emerging as a true contender for victory on his debut,” Armstrong beamed. “He could have won really, but a lack of experience at this level prevented him from taking 2nd or even a possible victory.”

Facing another uphill challenge, as his rivals now had new tyres, White refused to give up. As their initial advantage wore off, Josh able to run at their pace and so worked his way up to an eventual 6th.

“He did a great job to hang on in there and wait until the other drivers’ started to deliver a similar performance to his, then bit by bit he pounced. Josh’s twin top ten finishes have put him right in contention now. Both lads were capable of winning and I’m very proud of them.”

Double trouble at the Mill

Brothers Lando and Oli Norris landed a win apiece for RL Racing Department, whilst team-mate Lewis Plato also earned plaudits for his podium performance ahead of this weekend’s (28/29 April) Rotax Super One championship opener at Whilton Mill.

The final warm-up ahead of the season’s curtain raiser saw Steve Armstrong’s talented young squad send out a strong signal to their respective title rivals with a string of confidence-boosting performances at the Daventry venue.

In Mini Max, Gaby Weyer(left) delivered on the promise she has being showing in recent outings to earn an excellent third row start for the main final. Ahead of her, Lando Norris had claimed pole position. Despite being out-jumped at the start, Lando was able to reel in the leader and pass him - but a coming together damaged the RL driver’s radiator. Unfazed he carried on and once again caught the front-runners. A last lap skirmish saw him take the chequered flag first, with Gaby denied 4th in the dying moments of the race to ultimately finish 7th.

“She had good heats and although she was denied at the last, Gaby really is the progress story in our team at present. She lapped close to the fastest times throughout the day and her racecraft is coming on in leaps and bounds. Lando is in great form at present and hopefully, he can carry it through to next weekend and beyond” said team boss Steve.

His brother, Oli, was also in formidable mood. He started from 5th on the grid and quickly slotted into 2nd before hounding the leader. Norris probed and harried, trying to force a mistake and create an opening. It came when his opponent was given a five-second penalty, handing Oli a deserved victory. His team-mate Josh White - who recently featured in GQ magazine - came through from 10th at the start to cross the line in a fine 4th.

“I can’t fault the two lads,” said Armstrong. “Oli earned his win fair and square. For sure, we’d like to have won it in a straight fight, but when these moments in sport occur, you have to be there to grasp the opportunity. Josh showed his typical grit. He never gives up and that makes him a great driver to watch and a really tough one to race against.”

“Lewis was the class of the field” stated the RL boss baldly. “After the heats he took pole position for the final, only for the drizzle to stunt his speed. This lost him the advantage, but once the rain had stopped and the track had dried, he closed the gap back to the lead duo. He launched his bid for the win on the last lap but wasn’t quite close enough for a last lap lunge and so intelligently opted for 3rd.”

Summing up the overall performance of his team, he added: “Our pace in all three classes was very encouraging, making this club event good preparation for next week’s Super One opener.”

Pic: Chris Walker / www.kartpix.net

Winning is haggis-forming for RL Racing Dept

Lando Norris and Lewis Plato added to RL Racing Department’s impressive tally of early season wins with victories at Larkhall (14/15 April).

Hot on the wheel-tracks of a successful test at Rowrah last week, the Ellough-based squad headed across the border into Scotland to give its young squad a vital run out at Larkhall.

Team owner Steve Armstrong explained: “We’d gone to Cumbria in preparation for the forthcoming O Plate Championship meeting there on 3/4 June and of course, for the Super 1 round a fortnight later (16/17 June).”

He added: “We enjoyed a successful couple of days there and then drove up to Lanarkshire for a West Scotland Kart Club meeting. Formula Kart Stars visits Larkhall in June, so getting some valuable seat and race time around the circuit is always helpful. Winning makes it all the better!”

In Mini Max, Lando Norris’ strong run of form continued with another well taken win. His team-mate Flashman Finneran continued his positive learning journey in the class with a solid 9th in the main final.

“Lando took the lead on lap six, lost it but then grabbed it again just two laps later and was never headed again. Admittedly the run to the flag was very close but he had just enough in hand to edge it in his favour.”

His older brother, Oli (pictured left), also returned home with a trophy. The ever-improving Junior Max driver figured strongly in a close-fought race, leading briefly before eventually settling for a solid 3rd place finish from the midway point.

“Oli drove with his head and deserved his podium. There is perhaps a little bit of pace to find, but on Sunday he used what he had to good effect.”

Lewis Plato (top right)returned to the winner’s circle with following a dominant performance.

Pushed from 2nd to 3rd at the start, he calmly picked his way back up to 2nd before taking the lead eight laps from home.

“Like Oli, we ideally need to find a tenth or too for Lewis, but then again he demonstrated that it is not always the fastest man who wins. His consistency won the day and consequently he crossed the line completely unchallenged. A great drive!”

Encouraged by their recent domestic form the Norris brothers have opted to join the Rotax Max Euro Challenge and will make their international debuts in the second round, held at Wackersdorf in Germany (9-13 May).

“Lando will step up into Junior Max, whilst Oli will race with the Seniors. It will be a steep learning curve for both of them but we’re all looking forward to it. It will be exciting.”

Pic: Chris Walker / www.kartpix.net

First blood to RL Racing Department at FKS opener

Lando Norris and Sam Marsh opened their 2012 Formula Kart Stars accounts with victories in the first Mini and Junior Max finals of the season.

Following a successful pre-season test and race programme, the RL Racing drivers were able to recreate the form they’d shown over the winter and both won their finals at Kimbolton (7/8 April 2012) comfortably.

Norris’s Mini Max team-mates Flashman Finneran and Gaby Weyer(below) got their campaigns underway with 9th and 12th respectively.

Marsh’s fellow Junior Max protagonists Josh White and Oli Norris finished inside the top ten (5th and 8th) to give themselves a solid platform on which to build their own title bids.

This would prove to be vital for Sunday’s second round, when the heavens opened. Heavy rain created trying conditions for all the drivers and inspired a series of crashes throughout the day. As team principal Steve Armstrong observed, “Sunday’s conditions made it difficult for the whole field, including the front-runners, so consequently threw up quite a few surprises.”

In Mini Max, Lando again fared well and after qualifying and the first heat, was very much the man to beat. For the final, tyre choice proved to be a crucial factor. With the rain easing, the soaking track had begun to dry leaving the drivers, mechanics and team bosses wondering whether to gamble on slicks and hope to have the advantage in the race’s latter stages, or go for wets and capitalise at the beginning.

A combination of a bold gamble on slicks and some great driving from the Glastonbury-based youngster produced an eventual 3rd place and the early championship lead. Flashman(left) rounded out the top ten, whilst Gaby crossed the finishing line in 12th as she continues to adjust to life in the Mini Max class.

For their older counterparts, the second round proved to be a frustrating experience.

Neither Josh, Sam, Oli or their mechanics could quite found the sweet spot in their karts’ set-up and found themselves in a battle for each and every position. A somewhat controversial final, marred by more collisions, saw Marsh and White take the chequered flag in 11th and 12th with Norris a little further back in 16th.

In terms of the championship positions, Sam currently lies 2nd overall, with Josh 9th and Oli 11th.

“From domination on Saturday to not quite on it on Sunday,” Armstrong rued. “If I’m honest, I think we perhaps suffered from a lack of detailed local knowledge of Kimbolton. The key thing is, we’ve got points on the board and with two rounds completed but a further ten to go, everything is still very much to play for.”

Pics: Chris Walker / www.kartpix.net

RL Racing boss hails “brilliant” drivers

RL Racing Department owner Steve Armstrong praised the performances of his young stars after clinching a Junior Max 1, 2, 3 in the new Winter Cup Series organised by Shenington Kart Racing Club.

“It’s fantastic to start the new season with a title - and not only that, lock out the top three places in the Junior Max championship. That’s down to brilliant individual displays from Sam Marsh, Josh White and Oli Norris(right).”

Regular Mini Max front-runner Lando Norris also gave Armstrong much to be pleased about: “Lando showed he is making big strides forward with his driving and was rewarded with 5th overall in a tough and competitive class.”

New signings, Josh Price and Jack Leese have also made their mark in the RL awning.

“Jack knuckled down straight away on his first weekend back with us and took a great 5th place against a full and quality-packed field. It is especially satisfying and gratifying that he has chosen us - after trying three teams out before committing to RL – and that faith has been rewarded with a positive result straightaway.”

KF3 driver Josh Price(left) has made the rare decision to compete in two separate classes - KF3 and Junior Max – and at PFi last weekend (3/4 March), was on the pace straight away.

“There were a total of fifty four drivers in his class and he put up a great fight in the main final to come from the seventh row of the grid to eventually finish 8th. I was impressed with his character, passing and hunger to get forward.”  

He added, “These results augur well for the coming season. For Sam Marsh to get a title under his belt early doors will really spur him on. However, he will be pressed extremely hard by his fast and talented team-mates Josh White, Oli Norris and now Josh Price. For me, it is a great headache to have – they have all been superb. So long as they don’t knock each other off, we could be in for our best season yet.”

Pic: Chris Walker / www.kartpix.net

RL Racing Department drivers hit hot form

The potential of RL Racing’s 2012 line-up was again demonstrated by a successful outing in tough conditions. At Kimbolton last Sunday (12 February) Steve Armstrong’s team added to its already packed trophy cabinet.

Preparing for the forthcoming Formula Kart Stars opening round at Dan Wheldon’s former home circuit in April, the RL team had to cope with extreme cold and changing conditions.

Lewis Plato(left) continued his excellent start to the 2012 season with a superbly taken victory in the senior class. A blistering start saw him go from 6th place on the grid to lead the 32-strong field by the end of the first lap. From there he was never headed and did enough to make sure his nearest rivals found no opportunity to pass.

Junior stars Sam Marsh(right) and Josh White battled hard to ultimately cross the line in 2nd and 3rd place respectively. Marsh had started from pole position, but was made to work hard throughout the 13-lap final. However, the team’s gamble to put the pair on a wet set-up - and capitalise on the increasingly slippery conditions - paid off brilliantly. Sam was able to chip his way into the runner-up spot, whilst Josh carved his way up the order to complete RL’s domination of the podium.

Lando Norris (left)dropped from 3rd to 7th in a tough Mini Max encounter, but held his nerve to claw his way back to an eventual 3rd place finish.

“In many respects, right now, we’re exactly where we need to be,” said Team Principal Steve Armstrong. “We’re taking trophies and podiums in each of the categories and that bodes well for when things get really serious. We’re not getting cocky or complacent, quite the opposite. Each success proves we can do it and is inspiring the lads to push harder, go one better or keep winning. The awning is a very happy place to be right now and we’ve got a great vibe going on. The team spirit is just fantastic.” 

RL Racing Department signals its intent with fine display at Pfi

As preparations for the new Super One and FKS seasons gather pace, RL Racing Department enjoyed a string of positive results at Trent Valley Kart Club’s well-supported second round of its Winter Series (29 January).

In challenging conditions that tested even the hardiest of souls, each of the team’s drivers gave boss Steve Armstrong much to be pleased about. The highlight of the day was undoubtedly Josh White and Lando Norris’(right) fine wins in Mini and Junior Max.

“Josh has matured a lot during his break over the winter. After just two days of testing, he brushed off the cobwebs and signalled his intent for 2012 with some hard - but fair - and very decisive overtaking. His victory was well-deserved, especially when you consider this was only his fifth race in the class.”
His team-mate Oliver Norris claimed a creditable fifth, earning Armstrong’s praise: “Oliver continues to improve his racecraft and this, added to his immense speed over a lap, will make him a strong contender.”
Fellow Junior Max front-runner Sam Marsh(left) endured tough luck in the heats but stormed from 22nd on the grid to 8th. “There wasn’t a single lap where he wasn’t overtaking someone. Sam demonstrated great character with his performance in the final.”
Lando Norris’ earlier triumph in Mini Max had clearly laid down a marker for the older drivers. With finesse and maturity beyond his years Lando delivered a text-book drive to claim RL’s first victory of the new year. “He preserved his tyres well and, once in the lead, controlled the race from the front to comfortably beat three seeded drivers.”

Starting from the tenth row, William Taylforth fought his way to an eventual 8th. Steve reveals that it was a plucky performance from the youngster. “William’s progress up the order could have been even higher. Unfortunately he was hampered somewhat by a lack of pre-race testing due to a shoulder injury, so he did incredibly well all things considered.”
New to the RL Racing Department awning, Flashman Finneran(below)  demonstrated that he has made an enormous leap forward in his personal development and is adjusting well to the new, ‘big team’ environment.

Completing a clean sweep of silverware in all three classes, RL’s solo Senior Max representative at PFi overcame a series of technical and weather-based challenges in his heats to scrap his way to an eventual 3rd. “In his maiden race with us, Lewis Plato could barely have dreamt up a more challenging debut,” Steve observed with a wry smile. “He did incredibly well to take a podium from a p12 start. The odds were pretty much stacked against him but he pulled through. Quality always does.”

Pics: Chris Walker / www.kartpix.net