Official pre-season testing for the 2010 Protyre Formula Renault BARC Championship saw Fortec Motorsport’s Mitchell Hale (Bristol) top the timesheets at a sun-soaked Silverstone National circuit on Thursday, 8th April.
The 16-year-old former Ginetta Junior racer, who is coached by 2001 Clio Cup Champion Danny Buxton, posted a best overall time of 55.571s (106.17mph average) during the exclusive full-day test – 0.192s ahead of nearest rival and team-mate Joseph Reilly (London).
Hillspeed’s James Theodore (Telford), returning for his second season, went third quickest overall with SWB Motorsport’s Luke Wright (Shaftesbury, Dorset) and 17-year-old Alice Powell (Chipping Norton), who raced in the National-level Formula Renault UK series last year, rounding off the top five.
In glorious sunshine, 16 drivers took to the 1.64-mile Northamptonshire circuit for the morning session. Hale, Reilly and Powell all posted strong times early on as did 18-year-old Theodore. Hale eventually went quickest for the morning but the session also saw good times from Josh Webster (Suffolk), running with Fortec Motorsport, and Antel Motorsport’s Matthew Parry (Bury St Edmonds).
After the lunch break the leading drivers of Hale, Reilly, Theodore, Wright and Powell all went to the top of the timesheets with Webster and Parry again looking quick ahead of the season opener at Kent’s Brands Hatch Indy circuit on 17th/18th April. The second session also saw Anglo Motorsport’s Kasper Krogh (Denmark) set quick times along with returning driver Kourosh Khani (London) racing with Welch Motorsport. The session though belonged to Hale who set the fastest time of the day on new tyres on his 28th on 41 laps run.
Just over a week now remains until the start of the 2010 season which sees the introduction of the outgoing Formula Renault UK car to the grid alongside the existing BARC car in a one-class championship, together with a Privateer Cup for independently-run entries.
Commenting on his performance, Hale said: “I’m really pleased with how things have gone as we’ve been quick all day. Fortec Motorsport have done a great job with setting up the car and it also helps having a quick team-mate in Joseph Reilly, along with my coach Danny Buxton passing on his experience.”
The opening rounds of the 2010 Protyre Formula Renault BARC Championship take place at Kent’s Brands Hatch Indy circuit on 17th/18th April.
For all the latest Protyre Formula Renault BARC Championship visit the official Renault Sport UK website www.renaultsport.co.uk
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