James Cole (21) left the penultimate round of the MSA British Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain at Brands Hatch closer than ever to grasping the 2009 Drivers Championship. After taking a victory in the first race of the weekend followed by a fifth place in the second, Cole now awaits the outcome of an appeal by nearest rival Josef Newgarden to determine whether he has secured the drivers crown.
It was the first race of the weekend which produced the uncertainty over the driver’s championship. After qualifying on pole, Cole was prepared for battle with rival Newgarden who started in second place. As the race got underway the duo resumed the season long on track battle for the lead. American Newgarden made a run on Cole out of Surtees on the opening lap and took control of the race. A safety car period interrupted the battle, before Cole developed a technical problem on his Jamun Racing Mygale. Cole did a sterling job of maintaining his second place to the line after a fuel surge problem in the dying few laps, causing him to run round in fourth gear for two laps.
After the race, Newgarden’s car was excluded after it was found his alternator was disconnected. This promoted Cole to the victory and taking full points in the race, however the outcome is being appealed by Newgarden and his team, a decision which has gone to the MSA.
The second race of the weekend saw Cole start from second on the grid. However the young championship contender struggled to keep with Newgarden, before slipping down the order, Cole crossed the line in an eventual fifth place after a conservative drive to consolidate his point’s advantage.
Cole said of his weekend at Brands Hatch, “The weekend was certainly a tough one, it was probably the hardest day I’ve ever had in racing, more mentally than the actual driving part. You go into each race with a strategy which fits with your goals, but with the championship so uncertain, it was hard to know how to tackle the second race yesterday. I feel like I’m in limbo.
“I would obviously much rather the results were determined on track rather than by the stewards, but I just have to go to Castle Combe with the mind set of maximum points to ensure we maintain the advantage. Josef is a very strong racer and he had a good car under him at Brands Hatch, so I’m sure it won’t be easy.”
The final race weekend of the season takes place at Castle Combe, Wiltshire in two weeks time. If Newgarden wins in the first of the two races, Cole needs to finish in eighth or above, to ensure victory in the Drivers Championship.
