Weekend hampered by second race collision - dropping him to last Michael shows incredible ability to average 0.467 a lap faster than race winner in damaged Samsung Smart Motorsport car
Reigning Carrera Cup Gb Champion, Michael Meadows, had a weekend of varying successes as the 2013 season began around the Brands Hatch Indy Circuit in Kent. His pole position and podium finish came as a side story to the immense pace that was illustrated in both Round One and Round Two.
After being held up by an early collision ahead in Round One, Meadows hunted down the race winner in terrible conditions - setting consecutive fastest laps in the process - to end the race just 0.694 seconds adrift. However, it was the second race that showed Meadows true pace. A tangle on lap 10 saw the Samsung Smart Motorsport car sustain suspension and rear-wing damage, forcing Meadows in to the pits for checks. He returned to the track two laps down on the race lead and set about gaining a crucial point for fastest lap. Over the remaining twenty-three laps Meadows gained 10.7 seconds on the race leader, with an average lap time of 0.467 seconds a lap faster.
It was a strong message to his rivals at one of his least favourite tracks and Meadows feels that the pace he has shown is more important than his points score this weekend. It was a strange weekend as I should not be this happy coming away with third in the Championship. However, I should have had two poles were it not for a yellow flag on my hot laps and I struck back with two fastest laps. And despite two difficult races, I managed to post two fastest laps in both rounds. Our speed in Race Two was particularly impressive and had it not been for the incident early in the race I feel the win was very much possible. I would like to thank my Samsung Smart Motorsport Team for providing me with a great car and support during our first weekend together, and Im looking forward to pushing for our first race victory together at Donington next time out.
The results sees Meadows end the weekend just thirteen points off the Championship lead with eighteen races remaining. The next of which takes place at Donington 19-21 April.
