..... with a race in hand

Will Stevens (Hadleigh, Essex) won the Renault-backed B4 Group MSA Formula JICA karting championship yesterday with a race to spare. He led most of the first points-scoring final at Shenington, near Banbury and although he finished in second place, he clinched the JICA crown without having to race in the second final.

Stevens came to Shenington with a comfortable 26 point lead in the championship, thanks to five race wins and a further three podium finishes earlier in the 12 race series.

A win in the second final and fourth place in the in first final by Oliver Rowland (Penistone, S Yorks) left him runner up in the championship, two points behind Stevens, when each drivers’ two worst results of the season had been deducted.

While the championship battle was being wound up, Nigel Moore (Tockwith, N Yorks) took his first win of the season in the first final. He started from pole position, but followed Stevens for most of the race, overtaking on lap three and again on lap eight, but not making his lead stick until lap 18 out of 20.

Londoner Richard Bradley put in a spirited run from fourth on the grid, mixing with the championship front-runners to take third place in final one.

As the karts formed up for their second final Moore looked like he would be eliminated with a technical problem, but with the grid taking five laps to get into order for the start, Moore was able to take up his pole position. Oliver Rowland snatched the lead from Moore on lap three and led him comfortably to the chequered flag.

Matthew Truelove (Sudbrook) rocketed up the field from 11th on the grid to fourth in the first few laps and benefited from Bradley’s early retirement to take third place, which he held until the end. Oliver Millroy (Claygate, Surrey), finished fourth and Scott Jenkins (Bristol) fifth, leaving the top five championship places unchanged.

Formula JICA Provisional Driver Standings:

1st Will Stevens 476pts; 2nd Oliver Rowland 474pts; 3rd Scott Jenkins 461pts;

4th Ollie Millroy 444pts; 5th Lee Bell 419pts; 6th Ben Cooper 399pts.

For the latest British Championship Karting news visit the official

Renault Sport UK website www.renaultsport.co.uk