Round one of the 2004 Formula Renault UK Championship at Thruxton Circuit was dominated yesterday afternoon by Fortec Motorsport’s Mike Conway (Sevenoaks, Kent) as the championship favourite began his season in the best possible way.
Having already taken NGK Laser Platinum Pole Position earlier in the day, the 20-year old didn’t get the best of starts off the grid but still managed to keep fast-starting Team Firstair driver James Murphy (Towcester, Northants) and Comtec Racing’s Westley Barber (Wimbish, Saffron Walden) behind him into Allard Corner.
Following a three-lap period under the Clio Renaultsport V6 255 Safety Car following an incident at Segrave Corner, the race was green flagged on lap 10 with Conway maintaining the lead. By lap 13 Barber began to close on Murphy as he attempted to wrest second place away from the Irishman and this he managed a lap later just before Murphy was forced to retire.
Conway eventually took the win on lap 18 by over five seconds with Barber second and Manor Motorsport’s Paul Di Resta (Bathgate, West Lothian) completing the podium. The Scottish 17-year old drove well after qualifying 10th on the grid and fought hard to pass Eurotek Motorsport’s Ruben Carrapatoso, who finished fourth, and Motaworld Racing’s Joey Foster (Truro, Cornwall), who finished fifth. Mark Burdett Motorsport’s Swedish driver Alex Storckenfeldt was sixth.
Race winner Conway also set a new race lap record with a time of 1m 09.751 seconds while Team JLR’s Stephen Simpson (Enfield, Middlesex) was declared ELF/Atol Driver of the Day after finishing an excellent 12th having qualified in 29th position on the grid.
Speaking on his perfect start to the season Conway said: “I came to Thruxton expecting to be a race winner and that’s what we achieved. I was fastest in qualifying and fastest in the race so it’s a job well done. I hoped we could carry on the fantastic pre-season form and we’ve managed to do that so I’m very happy.”
Second placed Westley Barber commented: “This is great. For a new team to come in to the championship and get a result like this is tremendous. We’ve been the best of the rest really through the pre-season with Mike just a little bit ahead. But I’m sure we’ll soon find the extra we need and then we’ll be able to challenge for wins regularly.”
Paul Di Resta, meanwhile, added: “I had a problem in qualifying with a driver getting in my way on my fastest lap when it was a drying track but in the race we resurrected ourselves from 10th on the grid to finish on the podium. It’s a great result and good points this early in the season.”
Round two of the 2004 Formula Renault UK Championship will take place at 14.35 today, Sunday, 11th April.
Click here for the Official Formula Renault web site - designed and built by Racecar
