Team Firstair returned to the front of the Formula Renault UK pack at Silverstone this weekend when Luciano Bacheta qualified on the front row.
The British racer, who is a contender for the Formula Renault Eurocup title this year, joined Firstair for a one-off outing in the UK series with the team at Silverstone. Race-winning Team Firstair returned to Formula Renault this year after a four-year absence, and this was the team’s best showing yet of its comeback.
Bacheta, whose car was tended by his regular Eurocup engineer Harvey Spencer, could have had pole position if one rival had not made an inspired choice to switch to slick tyres on a drying circuit. But Bacheta’s time was an amazing 0.419 seconds clear of the next rain-tyre runner.
Unfortunately, Bacheta’s grid position was on the wet side of a track made damp by early-morning rain. He therefore slithered down the field on the opening lap, and was eliminated due to a flat tyre while battling for seventh at half-distance.
He qualified 11th for race two but fought through to take eighth place, and set the sixth-fastest lap of the race in dry conditions.
“In the first race I was in the worst possible place for the first two corners. I’ve been thinking about what I could have done different, but I don’t think there’s much – I’ve literally never been so mugged in a race! Later in the race I went to make an overtaking move but we collided lightly and it just took the valve out. I haven’t driven here for so long and track knowledge is an advantage, but the car felt really good.
“The second race was just a product of us getting higher and higher up the order. It’s a shame some of the testing was wet because we were getting quicker all the time when it was dry.”
Welshman Richard Singleton returned to the team to drive the other car, tended by respected FRenault engineer Andy Parker. Unfortunately Singleton suffered from a series of electronics problems which meant he got very little track time and failed to finish either race. Renault will now take many of the parts away for inspection to try to solve the problem.
Singleton had run very strongly early in testing on Friday, when he and Bacheta were among the quickest for a period of running.
Team principal Ian Barnwell said: “Our drivers were very equal in testing, so it’s a shame for Richard what happened and we’re very disappointed for him. With Luciano, we felt that the times were good and in different circumstances we could have got a very good result. But now we’ve got proof that the potential is there.
“Richard has always been very quick with us when he has tested and Luciano is no slouch – he said the car was good and in the wet it was awesome. That’s good for us and we’ll come out fighting for our next race, at the World Series by Renault meeting at Silverstone in a month’s time.”
The Formula Renault UK Championship again enjoyed live coverage of its second race at Silverstone on ITV4, and was streamed live on itv.com. Firstair’s next appearance will be back at Silverstone, this time on the Grand Prix circuit, on September 18/19.
