Werrington-based Formula Renault UK Championship driver James Gornall was a guest of his local Renault dealership, Smiths of Peterborough, last week during a special open evening featuring his own JA Motorsport-run car and a static R23 Renault F1 Team car.

The 19-year old, who last year won the club-level BARC Formula Renault Championship before moving into the manufacturer-backed Formula Renault UK Championship this season, was on hand at the dealership to talk to guests and give them an insight into his own career and driving in the UK’s premier junior single-seater category. 

Smiths have been supporting Gornall since the start of the year and through its body shop provided a brand new livery for the Werrington ace. “I thoroughly enjoyed the event and was very pleased to be asked by Smiths to attend”, said Gornall.

“They did a fantastic job with the livery on my own car at the beginning of the year and have recently ‘touched it up’ after the first 10 races of the year to make it look as good as new for the start of the second half of the season in a few weeks time.”

Rounds 11 and 12 of the Formula Renault UK Championship take place on 24th/25th July at Croft Circuit in North Yorkshire and James can’t wait for the series to resume, adding: “I’m training hard and really looking forward to getting back out in the car.”

Daniel Fitzjohn, general manager at Smiths of Peterborough, commented: “We painted James’ race car for him at the beginning of the season in our body shop and thought it would be nice to be able to display the car for others to see – after all, it is a Renault!

“To have the Formula One car on display too was something special and it was nice to see James alongside it. We hope, like everyone involved with James, that one day soon we will actually see him achieve his aim of being in F1. It would be nice if that was a Renault also!”

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