Quick-thinking Charlie Robertson managed to salvage his sixth podium finish of the BRDC Formula 4 Championship season at Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit over the weekend, 27th/28th July, when a gear-shift problem in round 13 of the campaign robbed the youngster of victory.For the second race meeting in succession, the Whyteleafe-based teenager encountered all sorts of misfortune. Despite the rostrum finish in the opening race on Saturday afternoon, which he sealed even though stuck in fifth gear, the return to Charlies home venue wasnt an altogether happy one.
His pace was expectedly strong from the off, the HHC Motorsport driver setting the second fastest time in free practice and then lapping third quickest in qualifying for the opening racejust a couple of hundredths of a second shy of the front row of the grid.Making a terrific getaway from the inside of the second row, Charlie instantly climbed into second place and ran close behind pole-qualifier Jake Hughes for the first three laps before then making his intentions clear with the fastest lap of the race on the fourth tour. Into lap five, just 0.068 seconds split the pair across the line and Investigo-backed Charlie continued to apply pressure.However, hopes he had of challenging for the lead were thwarted when a recurring fault with the steering wheel-mounted paddle-shift resulted in Charlie being unable to shift up the box. Stuck in fifth gear, the 16-year-old wisely chose not to down-shift and instead nursed the car home impressively in an eventual third place. Early race leader Jake Hughes, also blighted with technical issues, finished fourth.Although taking another podium was good, it was really disappointing to have more problems with the paddle-shift, commented Charlie, Its the second race weekend in succession weve lost crucial points due to car failures of some kind which is pretty frustrating. The team did a fantastic job with the set-up though and we definitely had the pace to win.During the first of Sundays two encounters, round 14, the MSA Academy driver lined-up in sixth place on the reverse grid but a troublesome getaway meant he slipped to 10th position and faced a tough challenge thereafter. On lap four though, an unfortunate excursion at Sheene Curve dropped him down to 19th place. He eventually ended the race in 18th position.As well as losing a potential win in Saturdays race, the knock-on effect of the troubles meant Charlie was unable to post quick lap times when the Yokohama tyres were at their best. This then impacted his starting position for race three of the weekend, round 15, with the grid order for the final outing formed from each competitors best race lap across the previous two encounters.Charlie therefore started in fifth place and he quickly made progress into the top four part way around lap two. On the subsequent tour, however, he again ran off the circuit at Sheene, while chasing down a possible podium, but this time the excursion resulted in retirement.
Ive only got myself to blame really for the non-finish, admitted the Surrey racer, The car did feel a bit loose at the rear but I made the mistake. Its been a bad weekend for the championship, we just need to put it behind us and come back fighting harder and stronger at Silverstone.Rounds 16, 17 and 18 of the BRDC Formula 4 Championship will take place at Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit in Northamptonshire three weeks from now on 17th/18th August.Provisional 2013 BRDC Formula 4 Championship Standings (after Rd15):5th Charlie Robertson, 214pts
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