Five months since the 2015 Michelin Clio Cup Race Series and Road Series burst into action at Rockingham, the season will reach its conclusion on the opposite side of Northamptonshire next weekend, 19th/20th September, at the home of the British Grand Prix – Silverstone.
Marking the first ever visit for the Clio Cup Series to the world-famous venue, the final two races of the year will take place on the International Circuit which incorporates the iconic Hangar Straight and Stowe Corner, as well as the International Pits Straight which runs past the Silverstone ‘Wing’.
Providing an impressive location for the crowning of the respective Race Series and Road Series champions, the finale promises some sensational door handle-to-door handle action at the 1.85-mile track as well as the possibility of both title battles going down to the wire.
The fight in the headline Michelin Clio Cup Race Series is the closest of the two with championship leader Luke Herbert (Chichester) going into the last two races of the year with an 11 point cushion over his sole challenger, privateer driver Paul Streather (Hinckley).
Herbert’s position is even stronger under the championship’s ‘drop score’ ruling, where each competitor has to deduct their lowest result of the season before determining final totals. With zero to subtract, due to a non-finish in round nine at Brands Hatch, the Westbourne Motorsport driver will count every point scored at Silverstone.
“The plan in qualifying is to give it our all”, said Herbert, “The safest place to be in Clios is at the front, like I proved at Oulton when I was able to get away. If I don’t manage to qualify well it’ll be a case of staying out of trouble and finishing as close behind Paul [Streather] as I can.
“I do think Silverstone could suit us. I’ve never raced this configuration but I have done the full GP track in Mazdas on the old and new circuit – although I’ve never been to Silverstone in front-wheel drive before. Ideally, I’d like to go out and win the first race and then be able to have a relaxing race two. Until qualifying is over, though, we won’t really know what to expect.”
Streather, meanwhile, currently has a drop score of 14 which means he slips 25 points behind Herbert on net totals. Therefore, the second year Clio racer has a much harder task on his hands going into the finale but with a total of 68 points on offer at Silverstone anything could happen.
Up to now, Herbert – who is already the most successful driver in the history of the Race Series with 11 career wins – has six victories to his credit so far in 2015, along with two other podiums, while Streather has four victories and two further rostrums.
“I’m just going to go out and do my best as I always do”, said Streather, “It’s been an up and down year for me really, the start didn’t go to plan but there have been some good results – obviously the wins. It’s definitely do-able [to win the championship] and I’ll be trying my best, I feel like the car and I are better than we have been all year so I’ll be pushing as hard as I can to do what I can.
“I have raced on the full GP circuit but never on the International, and although Silverstone isn’t one of my favourites I am looking forward to it. Thankfully we solved the problem we had at Oulton with the car cutting out, there was a wiring issue in the variable valve timing, so we’ll be fighting hard.”
While all eyes will undoubtedly be on the title fight, there is plenty more at stake too with Brett Lidsey (Gravesend), Sam Randon (Ashbourne), Andy Jordan (Bridgnorth), Adam Hatfield (Cranworth) and James Dorlin (Barnsley) all mathematically able to end the year in the championship top three.
Lidsey, driving for 20Ten Racing, currently holds third in the standings with a 10 point lead over Westbourne’s Randon, while Finesse Motorsport’s Jordan is just two points further shy. Sport Class racer Hatfield, who has switched to Team Pyro for the finale, is sixth in the standings and locked in a tight battle with Westbourne’s Dorlin – the latter a multiple podium finisher in his first year.
No let-up from Pinder in pursuit of Road Series title Jade Developments driver Luke Pinder (Shipley) can already be considered to have one hand on the Michelin Clio Cup Road Series champion’s trophy with a 45 point lead on drop scores going into the season finale, but the former rally driver says it will be full-on attack as usual in rounds 12 and 13.
With eight victories from the 11 races contested so far this year, Pinder has been the dominant force in the category for track converted road-going Clio Renaultsport 197 cars and has a great chance to wrap-up the title in the opening Silverstone contest next Saturday.
Even if closest challenger Tyler Lidsey (Dartford) wins the first encounter for 20Ten Racing and takes the two bonus points for fastest lap, Pinder can secure the crown with one race to spare by finishing in third position.
“We’ll just be approaching the weekend as we normally do, it’s never done until it’s done”, said Pinder, “We’ll be pushing as much as always, it’s worked so far so it wouldn’t make much sense to go changing what we do now. The main thing is not to take any unnecessary risks.
“If we can qualify at the front, the game plan is always to get in the lead and then back second and third up a little bit and let them battle it out. It’s another new track for me, we’ve not been there before but I don’t think anyone else has either so hopefully it’ll be a bit more equal from the start.”
Lidsey isn’t Pinder’s only threat, though, with CGHimports.com driver Nic Harrison (Burton-on-Trent) and Pinder’s team-mate Jake Honour (Devizes) all mathematically able to steal the title. The trio are incredibly closely matched in the championship table, with just nine points on drop scores splitting them, so there really is everything to play for.
While Pinder has taken the lion’s share of wins, Lidsey and Honour have both tasted victory so far in 2015 and Harrison is a former race winner – any one of the quartet could emerge on top in the two Silverstone contests. Behind the lead four, Westbourne’s Sarah Franklin (Kettering) holds a 19 point advantage over Paint Perfect Motorsport’s John Creasey (Lincoln) in the fight over fifth in the table.
Provisionally, qualifying for rounds 12 and 13 of the season at Silverstone International Circuit will get underway at 10.20 on Saturday, 19th September, with the first race of the weekend following at 15.00. On Sunday, 20th September, the final race of the year is scheduled to start at 11.15.
Along with headline sponsors Michelin and Protyre, the Clio Cup Series is additionally supported by Ferodo, Safety Devices and ALS Performance.
Provisional 2015 Michelin Clio Cup Race Series Driver Standings (after Rd11 minus drop scores): 1st Luke Herbert, 287pts; 2nd Paul Streather, 262pts; 3rd Brett Lidsey, 212pts; 4th Sam Randon, 202pts; 5th Andy Jordan, 200pts; 6th Adam Hatfield, 158pts
Provisional 2015 Michelin Clio Cup Road Series Driver Standings (after Rd11 minus drop scores): 1st Luke Pinder, 295pts; 2nd Tyler Lidsey, 250pts; 3rd Nic Harrison, 245pts; 4th Jake Honour, 241pts; 5th Sarah Franklin, 196pts; 6th John Creasey, 177pts
