Atech Reid GP topped the times sheets in both the morning and afternoon sessions at Donington Park on Thursday in preparation for the third and fourth rounds of the 2011 Formula Renault 2.0 UK Championship at the Leicestershire track. Cypriot Tio Ellinas, who scored podium finishes in the opening two races, was the fastest of the runners in both sessions, with his British team-mate Oscar King also running impressively to wind up eighth and ninth respectively.
For Ellinas, the weekend marks a return to the circuit he competed in last season in Formula Ford, while today was the first time he has tested in Formula Renault with the Cardiff-based Atech Reid GP team, leaving the 18 year-old delighted with his pace. Today’s test was the first time on the 3.3 km National circuit for King, who set an impressive pace early on before a red flag ended his charge, leaving him confident ahead of qualifying on Saturday.
Tio Ellinas: “I’m very happy with that obviously, I’ve raced here before in Formula Ford but this was my first time testing with the Atech Reid team and we had to make just a few changes and were immediately on the pace. It’s a great way to start the weekend. It’s always important to be up at the front in qualifying I think the last rounds showed that, but there it was a small track and hard to pass. Here it will be important to be on the first two rows but I think there is the opportunity for some good racing and so I hope to be fighting for podiums again and hopefully to win.”
Oscar King: “I’m pretty happy with the day to be honest, it’s my first time here so I spent much of the morning learning the track and was quite pleased with P8. This afternoon I was running second for part of the session and then dropped to fourth when the red flag came out. At the restart the others were all queuing in the pit lane and I decided to wait to try and get a clear lap, which in hindsight was probably a mistake as I got less flying laps at the end and dropped down. But still I think it was good, I’m still learning and I head into qualifying on Saturday reasonably confident. The track is good, very flowing and although I haven’t raced here before and didn’t get the chance to follow anyone today to try it out, I feel it could be quite easy to overtake. I’ll be looking for a top five finish.”
Team Principal David Hayle: “We’ve had a great day’s testing today and I’m very pleased with both Tio and Oscar. To be fastest in both sessions, pretty much from the start sets us up well for the weekend and I know that Tio is more than capable of more podiums this weekend. Oscar was particularly impressive as it’s his first time at the circuit, and he could have been fourth or fifth if the red flag hadn’t ended the session. I’m hopeful of a good result from both of them this weekend.”
The team will get the race weekend underway with two 20-minute qualifying sessions on Saturday at 10.30 and 14.45 and two 16-lap races on Sunday, which take place at 10.05 and 15.45.
