Dream One-Two Finish For SWR As Graham Takes Maiden F4 Win

Matty Graham scorched to his maiden car racing victory during round 14 of the BRDC Formula 4 Championship at Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit on Sunday, 28th July, while a dramatic last lap pass for second place from team-mate Jack Barlow gave the SWR squad a dream one-two result.Taking the Chipping Norton-based outfits third success of the campaign, with Barlow having claimed wins at Silverstone and Oulton Park earlier in the season, Graham was in truly outstanding form with Barlow equally inspired. The one-two finish was also the first for any team so far in BRDC Formula 4.Adding his third podium of the season with a top three result in round 15, Graham has climbed into seventh position in the championship standings. Barlow, meanwhile, has moved into the series top fourjust 10 points shy of third place.Weve had more than our fair share of bad luck this year so its about time I got my first win, said 17-year-old Graham, Weve had quite a few DNFs already, but this weekend weve started climbing back up the championship. The car was great, we made some small changes along the way which all worked really well. More podiums at the next round now would be nice!Round 14 was clearly the highlight of the weekend for SWR, beginning with Graham lining-up second on the reverse gridhaving finished in seventh place during round 13 on Saturday, 27th Julywhile Barlow started in fourth position, as a result of taking fifth in the opening encounter.

Edmundbyers-based racer Graham made a good getaway and pressured pole-starter Raoul Hyman over the opening three laps. Getting a great run into lap four, the SWR rookie then dived alongside into Paddock Hill Bend to take the lead, which he would never relinquish.In fact, the first year single-seater racer pulled well-clear of Hyman during the second half of the encounter and built an advantage of three seconds going into the final tour, as Hyman had to focus more and more on his mirrors with Barlow trying everything he could to find a way past.

The Hastings 18-year-old, who held fourth early on, grabbed third on lap four at Graham Hill Bend shortly after Graham had moved into the lead. Barlow then immediately set off after Hyman but remained bottled up behind the South African until the last lap when he seized his opportunity, shooting past at Paddock Hill Bend for the memorable SWR one-two.Sunday mornings outing was also a strong one for returning Chinese driver Zou Sirui, the Brands Hatch event marking his first back in an MSV F4-013 chassis since the Snetterton races in June due to clashing racing commitments in the Far East.Beginning round 14 from 21st on the grid, following an unfortunate retirement on Saturday, Sirui put together an excellent first lap to climb into the top 16 and by the fifth tour he had made his way into 14th position where he remained to the flagmatching his best of the year.Graham and Barlow shone brightly again in the final race of the weekend, round 15, with equally strong, if contrasting, performances. Starting in fourth place, Graham moved into the top three on the second tour where he remained to the chequered flag on lap 14.Barlows quest was somewhat tougher, lining-up in 10th position on the grid, but after making a great start he moved into eighth place on the opening lap and then took seventh on lap two. An excursion for Charlie Robertson on the fourth tour enabled Barlow to take sixth where he stayed to the finishall the while pressuring James Fletcher but also working hard to fend off Gustavo Lima.Its been a fantastic weekend, said SWR owner Sean Walkinshaw, Its a great feeling being the first team in Formula 4 to take a one-two result. Matty and Jack were really quick all weekend, were delighted for Matty hes taken his first win and was able to add another podium too in the final race.Aside from his second place in race two, Jacks drive to sixth in the third race was outstanding. He produced some great overtaking in a race where there generally werent many position changes at all. Its a shame Zou had a couple of retirements but he showed some good pace this weekend.Next on the calendar for SWR is a return visit to the teams home track, Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit, over the weekend 17th/18th August for rounds 16, 17 and 18 of the BRDC Formula 4 season.2013 Provisional BRDC Formula 4 Championship Driver Standings (after Rd15):4th Jack Barlow, 239pts; 7th Matty Graham, 204pts; Zou SiruiDoes Not Score


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