Thruxton 10th April 2004

Official Race Report

Report:Renault Sport

Race 1

Round one of the 2004 Formula Renault UK Championship at Thruxton Circuit was dominated this afternoon by Fortec Motorsport’s Mike Conway (Sevenoaks, Kent) as the championship favourite began his season in the best possible way. Having already taken NGK Laser Platinum Pole Position earlier in the day, the 20-year old didn’t get the best of starts off the grid but still managed to keep fast-starting Team Firstair driver James Murphy (Towcester, Northants) and Comtec Racing’s Westley Barber (Wimbish, Saffron Walden) behind him into Allard Corner. Following a three-lap period under the Clio Renaultsport V6 255 Safety Car following an incident at Segrave Corner, the race was green flagged on lap 10 with Conway maintaining the lead. By lap 13 Barber began to close on Murphy as he attempted to wrest second place away from the Irishman and this he managed a lap later just before Murphy was forced to retire. Conway eventually took the win on lap 18 by over five seconds with Barber second and Manor Motorsport’s Paul Di Resta (Bathgate, West Lothian) completing the podium. The Scottish 17-year old drove well after qualifying 10th on the grid and fought hard to pass Eurotek Motorsport’s Ruben Carrapatoso, who finished fourth, and Motaworld Racing’s Joey Foster (Truro, Cornwall), who finished fifth. Mark Burdett Motorsport’s Swedish driver Alex Storckenfeldt was sixth. Race winner Conway also set a new race lap record with a time of 1m 09.751 seconds while Team JLR’s Stephen Simpson (Enfield, Middlesex) was declared ELF/Atol Driver of the Day after finishing an excellent 12th having qualified in 29th position on the grid. Speaking on his perfect start to the season Conway said: “I came to Thruxton expecting to be a race winner and that’s what we achieved. I was fastest in qualifying and fastest in the race so it’s a job well done. I hoped we could carry on the fantastic pre-season form and we’ve managed to do that so I’m very happy.” Second placed Westley Barber commented: “This is great. For a new team to come in to the championship and get a result like this is tremendous. We’ve been the best of the rest really through the pre-season with Mike just a little bit ahead. But I’m sure we’ll soon find the extra we need and then we’ll be able to challenge for wins regularly.” Paul Di Resta, meanwhile, added: “I had a problem in qualifying with a driver getting in my way on my fastest lap when it was a drying track but in the race we resurrected ourselves from 10th on the grid to finish on the podium. It’s a great result and good points this early in the season.”

Race 2

Formula Renault UK Championship leader Mike Conway (Sevenoaks, Kent) increased the gap at the top of the standings after taking his second race win of the weekend at Thruxton in Hampshire this afternoon. Comtec Racing’s Westley Barber (Wimbish, Saffron Walden) got a better start than Conway, although the Fortec driver did manage to maintain the lead as the cars headed into the complex for the first time. Barber, however, got a little too close for comfort and caught the rear of Conway’s car forcing the Comtec ace to drop down the order and, in turn, giving Team JVA’s John Byrne (Magham Down, East Sussex) an opportunity to take the lead. Further behind, an incident involving Manor Motorsport team-mates Cheng Congfu (Cottingham, Hull), Patrick Hogan (Whitfield, Northants) and Paul Di Resta (Bathgate, West Lothian) meant the Clio Renaultsport V6 255 Safety Car was deployed ready for the start of lap two. At the re-start on lap five, Byrne held the lead from Conway with Motaworld’s David Epton (Fleet, Hampshire) in third position. Epton, however, went off the circuit half-way round the lap meaning team-mate Joey Foster (Truro, Cornwall) now found himself in third place having started eighth on the grid. At the front Conway and Byrne continued to fight tooth and nail with the Fortec driver putting the less experienced Team JVA man under intense pressure. Nearing the end of lap seven, as the cars headed into the chicane, Conway produced an excellent move to snatch the lead from Byrne and held the position to the chequered flag - eventually winning by over five and a half seconds. Byrne took his maiden Formula Renault UK podium finish with an excellent second place and Foster was delighted to finish third. Mark Burdett Motorsport’s Alex Storckenfeldt crossed the line in fourth, Eurotek Motorsport’s Ruben Carrapatoso finished fifth and Fortec’s Stuart Hall (Halstead, Essex) was an excellent sixth. Commenting on his double success, and another Fastest Lap into the bargain, Conway said: “It’s been a fantastic weekend and I’m very pleased to get maximum points again. This is the way we hoped we’d start the season so the whole team is very happy. At the start when I got hit from behind it pushed me wide but I managed to hold onto second place and bided my time before passing John for the lead.” For Byrne his maiden podium was a bittersweet experience: “I’m absolutely delighted with the result, to get my first podium in the first race with a new team is absolutely brilliant. It was a big struggle as we had too much camber on the car and it got very difficult to try and keep Conway behind. After he passed me it was a case of trying to keep the car on the track. I’m getting quicker and quicker and learning more all the time so I can’t wait until the next races at Brands Hatch in two weeks.” Foster, meanwhile, added: “To finish on the podium is more than I expected having started eighth on the grid so I’m pleased to have some more good points for the championship. There was quite a bit of mayhem on the opening lap but I managed to get third position at the end of it all which is great. It’s been a very good weekend.”

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