Andy Richardson added more silverware to his collection despite a tough weekend on track as the Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain season resumed at Snetterton.
The South Lincolnshire-based 21-year-old went into the weekend hoping to challenge for top honours at the front of the field to strengthen his championship position, but was forced to contend with overheating and tyre issues that would have a major impact on his chances on race day.
With a clutch issue on his newly installed engine in Friday practice limiting time on track, Andy went into qualifying aware that a challenge lay ahead, and had to settle for tenth on the grid having been restricted to just five laps with turbo-boost problems.
Unfortunately for Andy, overheating issues in the opening race would then restrict him to seventh place overall, although he was able to pick up third amongst the Scholarship Class runners.
Excessive tyre degradation then limited Andy to ninth in the second race of the weekend but he stayed out of trouble in a chaotic finale to take fifth in race threeposting his quickest race lap of the weekend and picking up his second Scholarship Class podium.
Heading away from the Norfolk weekend, Andy sits eighth in the overall championship and fourth amongst the Scholarship Class racers.
Its been a tough weekend for usprobably the toughest one weve had so far this year, he said. The overheating issues that weve had this weekend really hurt our chances and we also suffered with tyre degradation, so we need to have a look at what caused the problem with the tyres to make sure we dont have a repeat.
When the car was running properly early in the races, it felt really good but we werent able to show what we were really capable of, as the issues we faced were probably costing us a few seconds a lap by the end.
It was important for us to keep pushing however, and even with the problems, weve come away from the weekend with two pieces of silverware. Well work to get to the root of the overheating issues to ensure there is no repeat when we head to Scotland later in the month.
