A superb lights to flag victory for Tamás Pál Kiss at Oulton Park on Sunday, coupled with third place in Saturday’s opening Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship race, has extended the Atech Grand Prix driver’s lead to 18 points over his rivals. His team-mate Marlon Stockinger had his best qualifying of the season on Saturday with the third fastest time but was denied a potential podium finish in the race when he was punted off the track on lap one.
Sixth place in Sunday’s second race netted a secure sixth place for the Swiss Filipino which puts him eighth in the championship. The third member of the team, Briton Nick Yelloly drove a solid race in the opening round to sixth to consolidate his seventh place in the championship but a lowly qualifying position for race two saw him finish 14th.
Race one looked like offering Stockinger the chance to improve on his previous best result of third place earlier this year with a second row start, leading the Atech GP trio. However after a good getaway the 19 year-old was T-boned by Harry Tincknell as they approached the hairpin on the opening lap, pitching them both off the track. A superb recovery allowed Marlon to continue to the flag, despite damage to the side of his car, and finished 11th.
Ahead Pál Kiss had also made a good start and was quickly up into third place from his sixth on the grid. However with the safety car deployed during the course of the race was unable to challenge for victory despite a determined effort by the Hungarian. Yelloly made good his ninth place grid position with another strong race into sixth place.
In Sunday’s second race, a stunning getaway from Pál Kiss catapulted him into the lead ahead of pole-sitter Tom Blomqvist. After trading fastest laps with Blomqvist throughout the course of the 15 lap race, Tamás was denied that additional point as he went on to a secure his third victory of the season to extend his championship advantage.
Behind, Stockinger had a solid run into sixth place, closing the gap down to the battle for fourth between Will Stevens and Lewis Williamson. On a track notoriously difficult to pass on, 19 year-old Yelloly was left frustrated by tactics of some of the drivers as he attempted to improve on his grid position.
The teenager had suffered an uncharacteristically difficult qualifying session and as a result started 13th. Despite that the youngster drove a sensible faultless race to bring his car home in 14th place and collect vital championship points to keep his title bid on track.
Team principal David Hayle was pleased with the outcome of the weekend which sees all three drivers in the top eight in the series. “It has been a very eventful weekend for us one way or another. Tamás drove superbly again in both races and we’re all delighted that he has extended his lead in the championship.
“Marlon drove very well in Saturday’s qualifying and we were all hopeful of at least another podium for him but he was just a passenger when he got to the hairpin in race one and there was nothing he could do. Nick drove another strong race on Saturday to collect more points with a solid drive into sixth place which has given his championship bid a boost.
“He was very unlucky today as overtaking at Oulton is so difficult and it’s hard to come through the field if you don’t get a good qualifying. Our next race however is Croft where he was on the pace in testing so hopefully he can repeat that in two weeks time.
“Overall though it was a good solid weekend from all of them and they’ve all shown a tremendous pace which I hope we can carry forward into the next rounds.”
