Any chance of Max repeating or even bettering his 2008 performance was thwarted by the type of tyre supplied. Last year Kumho produced a tyre with a construction that evened out the chances of the British series runners and Max qualified as the top Brit in 6th place. He also bagged the event’s fastest lap as well.

This year however, he could only manage a deflating 24th place finish out of the 36 runners. Hugely disappointed, Max described the problem he and the other British runners faced;

“It was clear in the practice session on Saturday that we would really struggle. The tyre wasn’t the same as last year’s; it was apparently very similar to the tyre the Euroseries guys race on regularly. It needs a different technique and a different car set-up to be quick on the tyre and we only got the half hour practice on Saturday to get used to it before qualifying.”

Hence Max qualified down in 31st place, a big shock to him and the Carlin team who found all bar one of their drivers down at the back of the field.

“Obviously with each session out on track I improved,” Max said. “We got the gap to the front runners down from around three seconds to about one and a half, but that’s still a big gap and a big shock.”

In the race Max made an excellent start and gained places straight away on the run down to the first corner. He got a bit baulked going around the outside and dropped back a couple of places before settling into 28th place by the end of the opening lap.

“It’s obviously disappointing racing at the back of the field, but I actually really enjoyed the race.” Max explained after he had brought his Dallara Volkswagen home in 24th place. “I knew after practice that we were never going to be competitive here, so I just enjoyed the battle I was having with the other drivers around me. It was good clean racing and I like the Zandvoort track. It’s just such a pity that Kumho didn’t supply the same tyre as last year, then we might have had a chance of a better result.”