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| Alex Lynn with an appropriate Pit Board |
Fortec
Motorsports’ Alex Lynn took his twelfth win of the year and
team-mate Oliver Rowland his fourth today at Silverstone in rounds
nineteen and twenty of the CERTINA Formula Renault 2.0 UK
championship. Lynn’s victory in the first race ensured he became
the 2011 champion, and Rowland’s victory and fastest lap in the
final race sees him finish as runner-up to Lynn.
The
newly crowned champion’s twelfth victory of the year also saw him
break the championship’s record of wins in a season, which had
previously held by James Matthews since 1994.
Essex-based
Lynn dominated the first race of the day, leading from pole position
and crossing the line over six seconds ahead of Rowland, who passed
Daniel Cammish (Mark Burdett Motorsport) on the first lap.
Such
was the manner in which Lynn won, he also broke the lap record for
Formula Renault 2.0 UK cars on the Silverstone National circuit, with
a lap of 53.838 seconds - over four tenths quicker than James
Calado’s previous best lap in 2008.
“This
is an absolutely fantastic feeling,” said Lynn. “I don’t think
that it will quite sink in for me until tomorrow morning. I made a
good start off the line at the beginning of the race and the car felt
very good; we were able to show a lot of pace. Looking ahead to this
afternoon, I’m just going to go out there and push as hard as I
possibly can to end the season on a high.
Continuing
his late season charge, Rowland followed home team-mate Lynn; a
strong start off the grid saw him get by Cammish and the
Sheffield-based youngster ensured it remained that way until the
flag. Rowland pressed Lynn hard in the opening laps, setting a number
of personal best laps in the process, but eventually settled for
second place and yet another graduate cup victory.
“Off
the line I got a good start,” explained a frustrated Rowland. “I
got into second and then I tried to push for the fastest lap but Alex
was just too quick, along with that I also made a few errors. We’ll
have to see if we can make a few improvements for later and hopefully
I will be able to get the win.”
Starting
alongside Lynn on the grid after a season’s best qualifying
performance yesterday, Cammish battled early on with fellow Mark
Burdett Motorsport racer, Jack Hawksworth. The pair provided
entertainment for the large crowd, and were soon joined by
championship contender Tio Ellinas (Atech Reid GP).
“It
wasn’t a bad race for us,” said Cammish. “I think that starting
in third would have been a bit more of an advantage though. I dropped
to third immediately, had the pace and managed to pull a respectable
lead over Jack. From then on it was just a matter of being consistent
to finish on the podium.”
Hawksworth
and Ellinas soon began a thrilling battle that eventually saw the
young Cypriot driver overcome Hawksworth on the penultimate lap of
the race as they entered Brooklands corner. Unfortunately for
Ellinas, Lynn’s victory meant it wasn’t enough to ensure the
championship went down to the final race of the season.
“On
Friday and Saturday we were a bit off with the car,” said Ellinas
in a reflective mood. “We have done a great job to find a good
setup with the car for the race; I think I set the second fastest lap
of the race so that is a positive.
“For
the next race I am back in P6 again, so I will have to try to make my
way through the field again to finish on the podium. I now have to
ensure that I secure second in the championship.”
Australian,
Mitchell Gilbert started the race fourth, but found himself
languishing down in eighth on the first lap after a sluggish start
saw the Fortec driver get passed by Manor Competition duo Jordan King
and Josh Hill. Gilbert fought back though and scythed past first
Hill, then King, crossing the line sixth.
Elsewhere,
a first lap spin at Copse corner for Fortec Competition’s Ed Jones
saw him delay team-mate Felix Serralles; the Puerto Rican went on to
set the fastest lap on the second tour of the circuit, but would
later retire in the pits with a fuel pressure issue.
Race
two was a different story for the 2011 champion. Rowland, keen
to secure the runner up spot in the championship from Ellinas,
started well, taking Gilbert on the outside and making a similarly
bold move on Lynn that saw the pair make contact.
Rowland
romped into the lead and never looked back, finishing the year as the
top driver in the graduate class too.
“A
good start was a necessity in that race,” said Rowland. “I knew
that I had to get past Mitch and attack Alex on the first few laps,
at times I thought that it wouldn’t be possible, but into that
first corner I braked really late and pulled off the move. I couldn’t
really believe it for five laps so I made a few mistakes, once I came
round I knew that I had to push and focus. To get the fastest lap on
the last lap just means everything.”
After
a spin at Brooklands, Lynn started to regain his composure putting in
a series of fast laps. However, with Ellinas stuck behind Cammish in
fourth, Rowland required the two points that come with a fastest lap
of the race.
After
Lynn had set a time of 54.419, Rowland began a do or die attempt to
set the fastest lap which resulted in a time of 54.001; Lynn was
unable to match this and Rowland finished level on points with
Ellinas, claiming the runners-up place in the championship on a count
back of victories.
Gilbert
topped off the weekend for Fortec, ensuring another one two,
following home Rowland and keeping the rapid Cammish at bay.
“I
found it difficult to start off the line on the dirty side of the
track,” said Gilbert. “When Oliver and Alex tangled I thought
that hopefully I would be able to progress, unfortunately they both
got through. Alex went off at Brooklands, from there I tried to push
Oliver but he managed to pull away. I’m very pleased to end the
season on the podium”
“It
was a hard race but very enjoyable,” said Cammish. “Tio was
hounding me lap after lap. To begin with I thought that this might
get a bit lively but he wasn’t able to make a move to pass me. I
just had nothing left to give at the end of the day. Third is the
best that we could of hoped for.”
Further
down the order, the race was dominated by drive through penalties.
Four were awarded due to drivers exceeding the track limits at
various points on the circuit. Manor Competition’s Alice Powell and
Lynn were both penalized while racing for ninth, Oscar King (Atech
Reid GP) inherited ninth place and subsequently got a penalty, and
Serralles, still suffering mechanical issues was also judged to have
used too much of Silverstone’s run-off areas.
Josh
Hill (Manor Competition) finished the season on a high; a fifth-place
finish ahead of Hawksworth, equaling his season best at Croft earlier
in the year. Hill’s Manor team-mate King benefited from the drive
through penalties, finishing eighth and Powell ended tenth, almost
two seconds ahead of Atech Reid GP’s King.
Round
19 top ten results
- Alex Lynn Fortec Motorsports 19m 56.501 – 22 laps
- Oliver Rowland Fortec Motorsports +6.044s G
- Daniel Cammish Mark Burdett Motorsports +8.581s
- Tio Ellinas Atech Reid GP +12.295s
- Jack Hawksworth Mark Burdett Motorsports +14.222s
- Mitchell Gilbert Fortec Motorsports +14.485s G
- Jordan King Manor Competition +14.839s G
- Josh Hill Manor Competition +15.006s
- Dan Wells Atech Reid GP +15.357s
- Oscar King Atech Reid GP +16.656s
Round
20 top ten results
- Oliver Rowland Fortec Motorsports 20m 10.036 – 22 laps G
- Mitchell Gilbert Fortec Motorsports +4.536 G
- Daniel Cammish Mark Burdett Motorsports +7.360
- Tio Ellinas Atech Reid GP +7.870
- Josh Hill Manor Competition +14.825s
- Jack Hawksworth Mark Burdett Motorsports +15.121
- Dan Wells Atech Reid GP +16.891
- Jordan King Manor Competition +28.176 G
- Alex Lynn Fortec Motorsports +38.783
- Alice Powell Manor Competition +42.443 G
Final
points top five drivers inc. drop
- Alex Lynn Fortec Motorsports 521
- Oliver Rowland Fortec Motorsports 475 G
- Tio Ellinas Atech Reid GP 475
- Jack Hawksworth Mark Burdett Motorsports 333
- Mitchell Gilbert Fortec Motorsports 317 G
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