NICK Wilcox (Camberley, Surrey) is graduating into the Formula Renault UK Championship with Michelin after winning the Formula Renault BARC Championship.
The 19-year-old makes his debut in this year’s final rounds at Brands Hatch on 1st/2nd October and says he will use the opportunity to weigh up the competition in time for this year’s Formula Renault Winter Championship in November.
“I’m trying not to make too big a deal of it,” said Wilcox, who raced in karts for seven years before moving up to Formula Renault BARC in 2002. “Yes, it’s a step up but I don’t want to pile more and more pressure on myself. You’ve got to remember that these guys have had more time in the cars – but hopefully that should only be a small difference. We’re just using this weekend to match ourselves to everyone else for the winter series.”
After three seasons racing at club level Wilcox said he has learned enough to compete on the national scene. “Even though Formula Renault BARC is a club championship everyone just pushed and pushed all the time,” said Wilcox, who races with family-run E-TEK motorsport. “Definitely my race craft has improved since I left karting. My driving style has changed a great deal because there are less over-taking opportunities than in karting and the slipstream is imperative. You can be a bit closer in karts because they don’t have gears so you depend on speed and driving style a lot more. Racing in Formula Renault has taught me how to drive smoothly and carry the speed throughout corners.”
This year’s Formula Renault UK Championship has been the closest ever, with 12 different drivers appearing on the podium and a three-way title chase going down to the last round. But Wilcox welcomes the fierce competition. “I’m a bit of a speed freak – the faster the better,” he said.
Wilcox says his options are still open for 2006, although Formula Renault UK is definitely on the cards.
For all the latest Formula Renault UK Championship with Michelin news visit the official Renault Sport UK website www.renaultsport.co.uk built by Racecar
