Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship competitor Thomas Hylkema displayed his undoubted potential during the first event of the 2010 season at Thruxton in Hampshire at the weekend, 3rd/4th April – only bad luck preventing the 21-year-old from a potential run at the podium.
Thomas certainly achieved his aim of qualifying inside the top 10 at the first event of the year, an excellent performance during the round two session securing fifth on the grid with a time of 1m09.751 seconds (121.59mph) – just 0.311 seconds outside team-mate Will Stevens’ pole position.
Making a fantastic start to round two at the 2.35-mile track, the Dutch racer quickly moved into the top four and as Manor Competition team-mate Lewis Williamson and CRS Racing’s Harry Tincknell battled, he was well placed to move into the top three.
Holding fourth position out of the complex and through the Noble and Goodwood sequence of corners, as Thomas headed through Village and Church he looked to make ground on Tincknell but the reigning Graduate Cup Champion moved across forcing the Manor star to take to the grass.
Although recovering in seventh position, the Delft-based driver climbed back into the top six quickly but was then pitched into a spin at the complex on lap five after running in the middle of a three-car sandwich including Jordan Oakes and Tama’s Pa’l Kiss.
Eventually taking 12th position, Thomas was disappointed with the end result but very happy with his pace. His quickest lap time of 1m10.111 seconds was exceptionally fast and only a couple of 10ths of a second shy of Williamson’s new lap record.
He commented: “Second qualifying was really good, I was very happy with my performance, and in the race I had a great start and was faster than (Harry) Tincknell. He was fighting with my team-mate Lewis (Williamson) so I took a normal line through Church but Tincknell moved into me and so I had to avoid him by taking to the grass.
“I rejoined in seventh and got back up to sixth but then I was sandwiched into the complex and spun, dropping out of the top 10. I’m really frustrated about that race as I was comfortable at the front and I believe we really could have been on the podium – we had that potential.”
Round one qualifying on Saturday morning took place on a damp-yet-drying track and Thomas was unlucky to miss out on the prime window of opportunity. Lapping with a best time of 1m16.327 seconds (111.12mph), he concluded the session 16th fastest.
Making good progress throughout the first race of the weekend, the Club Car and TORO-backed racer gained three positions on the first lap and after a short Safety Car period on laps two and three, he pushed on to an eventual finish of 12th place. Combining his scores from the weekend, Thomas is equal 10th in the championship.
Formula Renault UK will be back in action three weeks from now, 24th/25th April, at Rockingham International Super Sports Car Circuit in Northamptonshire for rounds three and four of the 2010 season. Looking ahead, Thomas said: “We’ve had very good pace this weekend so we need to take that forward to Rockingham and be on it from the start, that’s what I’m fully focused on doing.”
2010 Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship driver standings (after Rds1&2):1st Will Stevens, 60pts; 2nd Tama’s Pa’l Kiss, 54pts; =10th Thomas Hylkema & Chrissy Palmer, 18pts
