Aaron Steele couldn’t have wished for more as he started his 2011 season with a clean sweep, dominating the race weekend at Snetterton in the MSV F3 Cup.
Prior to the Friday test session Steele hadn’t turned a wheel in the car. “Firstly I knew the car had been stored for 2 years before it was run on Friday” explained Steele. “As a result I always expected there to be a few teething problems with it, and sure enough there was! But luckily these were all catered for in the first half of the test day after a top job by Grays Motorsport to get the car in race ready condition!”
With the first test out of the way it was on to qualifying on Saturday. “Going into qualifying was a bit of the unknown however the word on the pit wall from Fridays testing was that I was the fastest!”
Steele would continue his good form as he lapped the new Snetterton 300 circuit with times good enough to take pole position for both races. “I just went out there got some good laps in and did the best I could do. When I came back in I found myself almost 3 seconds quicker than the nearest competitor, I was very shocked but obviously more than happy.”
Following his blistering pace in qualifying Steele was confident ahead of the races; this wasn’t to be misplaced as he took victory in both with half a minute to spare ahead of the next competitor as the chequered flag came out.
“The races went exactly to plan, good starts, just getting my head down from the word go and leaving the field a long way behind me, in both races i managed to finish with around a 30 second lead!”
With the first race weekend of the season out of the way Steele and the Grays Motorsport team are out on track again at Donington Park on 2-3 April.
“So after the perfect start to the season, we're going to use the break to thoroughly go over the car and get all the finer details exactly how we want them which we didn't have time to do before this weekend so we can go to Donington confident and aim to do it all again!” says Steele reflecting on the weekend and the season ahead.
Not only was it Steele’s first time in the car this weekend it was his first time on the new Snetterton 300 layout at which he set the new lap record. “It’s very challenging but at the same time quite enjoyable,” says Steele of the new layout. “I’m looking forward to going back there later in the calendar!”
All sponsorship enquiries should be directed to Kevin Steele - kevin@aaronsteeleracing.com.
The MSV F3 Cup will cater for Formula 3 chassis built after 1980 and before 2005, with a race calendar consisting of the leading UK circuits. The inaugural season began on the Snetterton 300 circuit in March, which will mark the first ever race event on the new configuration. Other highlights include an outing on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit, plus visits to Donington Park and Oulton Park.
At the end of the season, a panel of judges appointed by MSVR will select one competitor from the series to win a test drive in a Williams F1-designed FIA Formula Two Championship car.
Each race weekend will comprise of one 25 minute qualifying session and two 20 minute races, and series organisers MSVR will be assisted by MSV F3 Cup Series Manager John Gray, with administration support from the Monoposto Racing Club.
Participants of the MSV F3 Cup are also eligible for the Sunoco GRAND-AM 200 Challenge where the ultimate prize is a race-seat in the Continental Series GS class in the GRAND-AM 200 race at the same race weekend as the Rolex 24 at the legendary Daytona International Speedway.
