Swedish sensation Alex Storckenfeldt took both his and Mark Burdett Motorsport’s maiden Formula Renault UK Championship race victory at Silverstone International Circuit yesterday after one of the most exciting races of the season so far.
The 19-year old, who hails from Ljungskile in Sweden, qualified third on the grid for round five behind Team aka’s James Jakes (Cullingworth, West Yorkshire) and Manor Motorsport’s pole-sitter Paul Di Resta (Bathgate, West Lothian).
At the start, Di Resta got away from the line well into the lead with Jakes in second place but a problem for the young Graduate Cup runner dropped him down the order on lap one leaving Storckenfeldt to assume second position with Manor’s Patrick Hogan (Whitfield, Northants) in third place.
By lap three Di Resta’s lead was almost three seconds but by mid-race distance Storckenfeldt started to close in on the Scotsman. Then, on lap 11, the Swede made the decisive move to take the lead and head towards his first ever Formula Renault UK victory.
Storckenfeldt crossed the line over two seconds clear of Di Resta with Fortec Motorsport’s Mike Conway (Sevenoaks, Kent) and Comtec Racing’s Westley Barber (Wimbish, Saffron Walden) an impressive third and fourth respectively, having started seventh and 10th on the grid.
Patrick Hogan achieved his best ever result with fifth position ahead of Team JLR’s Stephen Simpson (Enfield, Middlesex) in sixth position. Graduate Cup leader Sean McIntosh continued his good run of form with seventh place for Team Firstair while Motaworld Racing’s Oliver Jarvis (Burwell, Cambridgeshire) rounded out the top eight.
Comtec’s Susie Stoddart (Northampton), meanwhile, drove well to finish 11th having started a lowly 21st on the grid. Mike Conway retains the championship lead ahead of this afternoon’s sixth round with 145 points.
Speaking on his debut win, an ecstatic Storckenfeldt said: “This result is fantastic. The team did a superb job. It was easier because I had new tyres but it was difficult at the beginning as it was very slippery – then the conditions got better and my tyres started to perform very well. I thought I’d be able to catch Paul and thankfully I did. I’m so happy to win for me and the team.”
Di Resta said: “I wasn’t as happy in these conditions as I was yesterday in the wet but it’s still a good result. To finish on the podium again is great for me and the team and being on the front row for the next race will hopefully mean we can fight for the win again.”
Mike Conway commented: “I knew it would be difficult starting from seventh on the grid so I just had to try and get some good points, which we achieved. Third place is very good and my aim was to finish on the podium so I’m happy.”
Mark Burdett, meanwhile, was over the moon to have seen his young Swedish charge secure the Skegness-based team’s first ever Formula Renault UK race win. He commented: “I’m really pleased as the team has worked so hard for this, especially when you consider where we came from last year.
“The whole team is working so hard and it’s just so nice to get this result and to prove to everybody we can do the job. We knew we were quick on the test day and have felt we’re there or thereabouts – but we didn’t expect to win. This gives the team more incentive to go on and get more good results.”
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