Wokingham racer Matt Blyth put on his strongest performance to date in the competitive Powertrain Caterham R400 Challenge, leading in Sunday’s race at his local Thruxton circuit before being hit by a rival while battling at the front of the pack. Though the impact saw 23-year-old Matt forced into the pits and out of contention, the youngster once more showed he has the pace and race craft in his Tricool Chillers-backed Caterham to become a force in the sportscar series.
“We had only finished repairing the car after the damage at Oulton Park on the Thursday before Thruxton,” explained Matt, “so qualifying was the first chance I had to drive it. When we stripped it down we found the front wheels no longer lined up with the rears, but our hard work was worth it as the car felt good on the circuit and I ended up 6th at the end of the session.
“As we formed up on the grid for Saturday’s race, I lined up the car, dipped the clutch, the lights went out – and the clutch stayed down. I managed to hook my foot under it and get away, but by that time everyone else had gone past and they were a long way ahead.
“I managed to catch the pack and fought my way back up to ninth – I found I could go past people through Church by going wide and cutting to their inside, and that is a 140mph corner – and got onto the back of the lead group before the end. The race proved the car was quick, we were third quickest through the speed traps, and before Sunday’s race we fixed the clutch and made some small handling changes.
“From ninth on the grid I got a great start and was fifth into the first corner, and was in the lead by lap two, the first time I had lead a race. I managed to open a gap, but the tyres were going off a little and I could feel the car starting to slide, so I had to back off my pace a touch. I could see another car catching me, he then went past, but he was having tyre problems too and began to slow so I went for the lead again.
“Our battle was slowing us enough for the pack to close in, and I was in second for four or five laps having to drive very defensively. As we went into the chicane at the top of the hill I had a car on my outside, and he turned in as if I wasn’t here, hit my left front wheel and spun me round. Somehow everyone else missed me, and I went into the pits. The steering was damaged but I went back out and finished 18th – a lap down on the leaders.
“It was disappointing to come away with nothing after leading the race – especially as the car that hit me won – but I showed I have the pace to run at the front. It was great to lead a race for the first time, and now we have six weeks till the next round to once more get the car sorted, maybe even test at Snetterton before we race there, and I want to be out front once again.”
Next Races: Snetterton, Norfolk, July 17
