Paul Rivett (Banstead, Surrey) took his fourth ELF Renault Clio Cup victory of the season with a commanding drive at Donington Park National on Sunday, 30th July. The Boulevard Team Racing ace finished 3.292s ahead of Z Speed Racing’s Martin Byford (Colchester, Essex), who made a return to the podium in just his second race after a three-year absence from the series. Total Control Racing’s James Williams (Norwich) came third to become the youngest Clio Cup podium finisher aged 16 years and 197 days.

Championship leader Tom Onslow-Cole (New Malden, Surrey) failed to finish the race after being spun round on the opening lap by Steven Hunter (Coal Aston, Dronfield) to drop to 10th place and then made contact with team-mate Mark Speller and Team Pyro’s Mark Hunt on lap three to force him into retirement.

Onslow-Cole had made a poor start allowing both Nick Adcock (Bromyard, Hereford) and Hunter to pass him at Redgate corner. Rivett then ran wide to allow Speller into fourth place, while Adcock took the race lead. Hunter then forced his way into second place at Park Chicane before closing the gap to Adcock at the head of the field.

On lap two, Rivett passed Hunter at Park Chicane for second place before taking the lead on lap three with a bold move on Adcock. Hunter also managed to pass the 41-year-old, now in his fourth season of Clio Cup racing, but as the pair went into Redgate corner, Adcock braked too late to avoid hitting the JHR Racing Developments team owner forcing them both into retirement.

On the same lap, Speller, Onslow-Cole and Hunt came together, with all three dropping down the order allowing Mardi Gras Motorsport’s Stephen Colbert (Northampton) to climb to second place, with Byford in third and Williams in fourth. Byford, in only his second Clio Cup race since 2002, got past the Ulsterman on lap five to claim second place.

JHR’s Michael Doyle (Gartocharn, West Dunbartonshire) made rapid progress to fifth place behind James Williams with the pair pressing Colbert for the final podium spot, while Philip House (Harrogate) attempted to stay with the pace. Team Pyro’s Mel Healey (Cheam, Surrey) finished in a comfortable seventh place ahead of JHR’s Steve Wood (Ashleworth, Gloucs), while Robertshaw Racing’s Alan Taylor (Whitley Bay) just managed to hold off the charging Drive 4 Life with SVE car of Niki Lanik (Ashurst Wood) in ninth place.

On lap nine of 14, Doyle managed to get the better of Williams as the pair entered Craner Curves but the Scot then ran wide allowing the 16-year-old back through. Meanwhile, Lanik was able to pass both Speller and Hunt to move up to 10th place having dropped to the rear of the field following a minor spin.

With Rivett and Byford comfortable at the front of the field, with Byford setting the Fastest Lap of 1min 19.479s (88.65mph), the battle was on for the final podium spot with Colbert hanging on ahead of Williams. But on the penultimate lap, the 28-year-old slid wide and onto the marbles at Coppice corner allowing both Williams and Doyle to pass. Williams then kept a cool head on his young shoulders to bring the car home in third place and become the youngest driver to stand on the Clio Cup podium.

Rivett’s victory cuts Onslow-Cole’s Championship lead to 99 points and the two-time former Champion has renewed hope going into the second half of the season. Rivett said: “Hopefully this can be a turning point in the Championship and in Clio Cup you never know what can happen. It’s been very hard for me lately but today I was able to get away as everyone else seemed to come together. We’re only just past halfway in the Championship and even though Tom’s got a big lead, I’ve not given up yet.”

Byford was delighted to return to the podium on his return to Clio Cup, saying: “I set myself a target of top four in qualifying and a podium finish. I didn’t quite get in the top four on Saturday but today’s podium makes up for it. The Fastest Lap is a sweetener really because it proves I’ve got the pace to challenge for race wins later in the season.”

For Williams, his third place finish was the result of some hard work over the last few rounds. He also won the Armor All Driver of the Day award, adding: “I had a really positive result in the first round at Brands Hatch but it’s not gone so well since and I’ve had a bit of bad luck. It was a close battle with Michael and Stephen today but clean as well and once he got on the marbles I got through and kept it going until the end.”

After the race, the Clerk of the Course gave Nick Adcock a three-point endorsement on his licence and deducted three Championship points. Steven Hunter received two penalty points and had two Championship points deducted.

Rounds 13 and 14 take place at Snetterton circuit in Norfolk on 12th/13th August.

Drivers’ Championship standings after Round 12 - provisional

1 Tom Onslow-Cole GBR Total Control Racing    351 pts2 Paul Rivett  GBR Boulevard Team Racing   252 pts3 Stephen Colbert GBR Mardi Gras Motorsport   225 pts4 Nick Adcock  GBR Total Control Racing    212 pts5 Steven Hunter GBR JHR Racing Developments   211 pts6 Philip House  GBR PH Motorsport with JHR   168 pts7 Michael Doyle GBR JHR Racing Developments   164 pts8 Mark Speller  GBR Total Control Racing    153 pts9 Robert Lawson GBR Mardi Gras Motorsport   148 pts10 James Williams GBR Total Control Racing    147 pts