Atech Reid GP secured it's first 1-2 of the season at Croft on Saturday with Jack Hawksworth making a dream debut for the team, leading home team-mate Tio Ellinas in round nine of the 2011 Formula Renault 2.0 UK Championship. Starting from pole, 20 year-old Hawksworth made the perfect start to take the lead, quickly followed by Ellinas, who made a great getaway from the second row.Dan Wells also made a perfect start to jump into sixth from row four but there was disappointment for Oscar King who was tipped into a spin at the hairpin on the opening lap, forcing the deployment of the safety car. With the race now extended to 16 laps, Hawksworth continued to hold the lead at the front from Ellinas and went on to take victory and record the team's first 1-2 in the series.After a superb start which saw Wells hold on to sixth for the first ten laps, he was forced down to seventh on lap 11, but picked up more valuable championship points. King recovered to finish 11th and take fourth in the graduate cup to consolidate his ninth place in the overall points.Qualifying for the quartet had seen mixed fortunes, with Hawksworth and the whole Atech Reid GP team delighted with the Bradford racer's first appearance, notching up his first pole in Formula Renault. Ellinas had to settle for third on the grid after struggling to find the right lines in the wet in the first sector while Wells struggled to find the balance in the closing, faster minutes of the session. For King the session proved trying after setting a good pace early on running fourth, with his car cutting out over the bumpy track.Jack Hawksworth: "I'm very pleased with that, what a dream debut! I made a great start and got into the lead straight away and although Tio (Ellinas) pushed me hard for pretty much the whole race, and in particular towards the end, I was able to keep the lead and the fastest lap. Tomorrow will be a bit tougher from sixth but the car is great so hopefully I can make up some places."Tio Ellinas: "I had a great start and was able to get into second place and get quite close to Jack (Hawskworth). I looked several times to take him but he drove defensively and I wasn't about to risk a 1-2 for the team. It was important for the championship to get another strong result, and after the changes we made before today's race, I'm looking forward to another good result tomorrow."Dan Wells: "I managed to get past Mitch (Gilbert) at the hairpin on lap one and things were looking good for sixth, but I made a slight mistake on lap ten and he got past me again at Tower. The pace was good though, so although I start down the grid tomorrow, if I can get another good getaway, I'm hoping for another strong finish."Oscar King: "I made a good start, didn't make up any places but was harassing those around me, when I was hit in the side of the car at the hairpin on lap one. My car was beached and the safety car came out which helped me close down the gap to the field once I'd got restarted. I was running fourth fastest for pretty much the whole race and so am happy with my pace ahead of tomorrow's second race."Team Principal David Hayle: "We are over the moon with our first 1-2 in Formula Renault and delighted for Jack to have secured his first win with us. He drove a superb race and came under intense pressure from Tio, who also drove a great race. Dan made another good start and was looking in really good shape, his race pace was good as was Oscar's who was very unlucky to have been taken out on lap one. Hopefully all four can continue this form into tomorrow's race and we can get another strong finish."Qualifying for race two will see Ellinas once again as the team's pace-setter, the 21 year-old lining up fourth for Sunday's race after struggling with oversteer in the second session. The Cypriot however remains confident that the changes made after the session will allow him to move up the order. Hawksworth will line up on row three after admitting to making a few mistakes, but also happy with his race pace and eager for a return to the podium.Wells and King will start towards the back after a disappointing second session, but with both drivers happy with today's race pace, remain optimistic for a return to form tomorrow. Race two will get underway at 13.50 on Sunday.
Click here for the Official Renaultsport web site - designed and built by Racecar
