Scott Malvern continued his inexorable march towards the Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain title at Donington Park this afternoon, claiming his 16th victory of the British season for the Jamun Racing team.
Malvern led all the way from pole position to chequered flag despite race-long pressure from his team-mate Nick McBride, who was just 2.8s adrift of the champion elect at the line. It was another copybook performance from Malvern, who is on target to clinch the Formula Ford crown at Donington tomorrow.
“I knew that I had to get a good start and push like mad in the first few laps,” said Malvern. “Nick was still in my mirrors, I made a few mistakes but luckily he did as well so I was able to ease a gap. This result has set a good foundation for the rest of the weekend, I’m just going to go out there and keep taking as many points as I can, hopefully then I will be able to wrap up the title by the end of the weekend.”
Said McBride: “My start was reasonable and I was able to keep on Scott’s toes for the first 10 minutes as I wanted to get away from the battle that was going on behind me. Unfortunately I made a few costly mistakes and then lost ground over Scott, I just couldn’t get back in it after that. I’m feeling very good looking ahead to the rest of the weekend, I know that I need to go out there and win some races at this stage of the year so that will be my aim.”
Jeroen Slaghekke claimed third to make it a Jamun 1-2-3, the Dutch driver outbraking both Antti Buri and Geoff Uhrhane into the Melbourne hairpin on the seventh lap to take the position. In his wake, Buri and Uhrhane touched and spun into retirement. “I had a bit of a bad start and lost a few places,” said Slaghekke. “I managed to make my way up to fifth after being seventh in the first corner, from then I knew that I had to push and put pressure on Antti and Geoff. I passed Antti and then I don’t really know what happened, but they made contact and I was able to get away. I tried to keep pushing for the fastest lap time but unfortunately it didn’t come off for me.”
Dan de Zille continued his recent run of form for the JTR team to claim fourth ahead of Fluid Van Diemen man Matt Parry, the latter driving well from eighth on the grid. Luke Williams and his Mygale lifted sixth from Neil Alberico’s Dempsey Ray with five laps to run. Dutch drivers Steijn Schothorst and Jelle Beelen were eighth and ninth respectively for Geva Racing, with Philippe Layac 10th.
New JTR signing Max Marshall enjoyed a superb car-racing debut to place 12th overall, behind Spike Goddard, and claim the Scholarship Class honours. New Scholarship champion Cavan Corcoran fell by the wayside on the opening lap. Fluid’s Matt Rao was the final finisher, in 13th.
CORCORAN CLINCHES SCHOLARSHIP CLASS TITLE
24 September 2011: Despite failing to finish at Donington Park this afternoon, Cavan Corcoran went home with the Scholarship Class championship title, the Derbyshire 18-year-old’s points tally now enough to secure the coveted ‘junior championship’ title.
Cavan started his season with a Mygale chassis run by the Getem Racing team, with which he won the class on 12 consecutive occasions, before switching to a Cliff Dempsey Racing Ray for the second half of the year and claiming a further two class wins.
The Matlock-based driver says he hopes to return to the Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain in 2012: “It’s been a brilliant season, particularly since I have limited single seater experience. I have hardly done any testing this year, so I have been very much up against it, and I am still learning. Despite this I have made very good progress and changing to Cliff Dempsey Racing has definitely helped me improve; hopefully I will be pushing for the title in the main class next year.”
Corcoran’s Scholarship title represents a major bounce back to form after he sustained serious injury in a sports car crash in 2007 which put him out of the sport for a year.
“Cavan has driven brilliantly all year,” said championship co-ordinator Penny Mattocks, “and is a worthy Scholarship title winner. Everyone in Formula Ford wishes him every success in his future track career.”
NEW FORMULA FORD IMPRESSES DONINGTON CROWDS
24 September 2011: The all-new Formula Ford chassis, which will join the Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain in 2012, was a big draw for spectators at Donington Park this afternoon. It went on display outside the Ford paddock race centre after being brought to Britain from its successful public unveiling earlier this month at the Frankfurt motor show.
“We have had a lot of positive feedback from all who have seen the new car,” said championship manager Sam Roach, “and in particular from the young drivers currently competing, all of whom I am sure would like the chance to drive it, and from teams.”
The new car is the first tubular steel single-seater to meet the latest FIA safety standards, and is powered by a 1.6-litre Ford EcoBoost direct injection turbo engine.
Provisional resultsDunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great BritainRound 19 (of 24)Donington Park GP 24/9/1112 laps / 29.85 miles1 Scott Malvern GBR/Ilford Jamun Mygale 18m 46.468s / 95.38mph2 Nick McBride AUS Jamun Mygale +2.837s3 Jeroen Slaghekke NED Jamun Mygale +7.127s4 Dan de Zille JEY JTR Mygale +13.588s5 Matt Parry GBR/Cardiff Fluid Van Diemen +15.880s6 Luke Williams GBR/Sowerby Williams Mygale +22.212sScholarship Class: Max Marshall GBR/Welford JTR Mygale +49.308sFastest lap: McBride 1m 33.223s / 96.05mph Est Rec
Provisional championship standings1 Malvern 502 points; 2 Slaghekke 400; 3 McBride 392; 4 Antti Buri 376; 5 de Zille 307; 6 Geoff Uhrhane 261 etcScholarship class 1 Cavan Corcoran 434; 2 Matt Rao 135 etc
Next rounds 25 September, Donington Park
