. ... IN STYLE AT OULTON

Will Bratt produced an excellent performance during official Formula Renault UK Championship with Michelin testing at Oulton Park Island Circuit yesterday, ahead of the seventh and eighth rounds of the season at the Cheshire track this weekend.The Adderbury teenager, for whom today marked his first ever time on the 2.23 mile Island Circuit configuration, was very happy with his day’s work after achieving an impressive place inside the top 12 – Will conquering the changeable conditions to deliver his most competitive outing of the year so far.His best lap of 1m 23.252 seconds (96.25mph), set during the closing stages of the test, placed Will 12th overall in on the timesheets, just a 10th of a second shy of chief B4 Group Graduate Cup rival Richard Keen.Will’s Scorpio Motorsport team-mate Peter Rees was a full one and a half seconds adrift of the Oxon sensation while Dutchman Yelmer Buurman was the fastest of all 26 participants with a time of 1m 21.665 seconds (98.12mph).Speaking on the test, Will commented: “It was a little bit of a lottery really. It was pretty wet to start with but in the end almost everyone went out on slick tyres, even though there were still some very damp patches around the circuit. “In the wet my car wasn’t handling greatly but as it dried I was able to get some good running on my slicks and at one stage I think we were as high as fifth, before some of the quicker cars also put in faster times.“I’m quite pleased with my time as I was still changing gear as you would on a wet track and driving more cautiously, so I know there was more to come Overall it was a good morning and even though the session probably won’t be reflective of what may happen at the weekend, we’re much more confident now”.Will’s task this weekend, of course, certainly won’t be made any easier with the thought he has more school exams during the next fortnight – so any result close to the top 12 would be a fantastic achievement for the 17-year-old.Rounds seven and eight of the 2005 Formula Renault UK Championship with Michelin take place at Cheshire’s Oulton Park on Saturday, 18th June, and Sunday, 19th June.