Team JLR’s Stephen Simpson (Enfield, Middlesex) enjoyed by far his most impressive outing since joining the 2004 Formula Renault UK Championship during pre-race testing at Silverstone International Circuit today (Thursday, 6th May).
The 20-year old set the sixth fastest time of the three-hour session, just four 10ths of a second slower than pace-setter - and new outright lap record holder - Mike Conway (Sevenoaks, Kent) who led the way with a best time of 1m 19.166 seconds (102.27mph) to eclipse Mark McLoughlin’s two-year old best by a 10th of a second.
Fortec Motorsport’s star driver, who currently leads the championship by 14 points, is looking to bounce back after missing out on a win at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit a fortnight ago and underlined his intent to return to the top step of the podium with an excellent lap.
Motaworld Racing team-mates Joey Foster (Truro, Cornwall) and Oliver Jarvis (Burwell, Cambridgeshire) set the second and third fastest times respectively, Foster ending the session 0.235 seconds adrift of Conway with Mark Burdett Motorsport’s Alex Storckenfeldt fourth.
Brands Hatch double-winner Westley Barber (Wimbish, Saffron Walden) set the fifth fastest time for Comtec Racing with a lap of 1m 19.555 seconds, marginally ahead of Simpson in sixth position and the Manor Motorsport pairing of Paul Di Resta (Bathgate, West Lothian) and Patrick Hogan (Whitfield, Northamptonshire) in seventh and eighth places.
Canadian 18-year old Sean McIntosh, who currently heads the Graduate Cup standings by five points, set the ninth quickest time for Team Firstair with Comtec’s Susie Stoddart (Northampton) rounding out the top 10 with a lap half a second slower than Conway’s best.
The test session also saw a special guest appearance by 2003 Le Mans 24 Hours Winner, and 1995 Formula Renault UK Champion, Guy Smith (Hull) who tested a Team JVA car on behalf of motorsport publication Autosport magazine.
Smith’s return to a Formula Renault cockpit saw him post a very respectable lap of 1m 20.928 seconds (100.04mph) to end the session 24th overall and just 1.7 seconds adrift of Mike Conway’s best lap.
Rounds five and six of the Formula Renault UK Championship take place this weekend, 8th/9th May, at Silverstone International Circuit in Northamptonshire. Qualifying will be held on Saturday with both 14-lap races scheduled to take place on Sunday.
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