Swedish ace Sebastian Hohenthal set the fastest time in official Formula Renault UK Championship with Michelin testing at Oulton Park Island Circuit today – but it was countryman Alex Storckenfeldt who just edged ahead by five 1,000ths of a second to come out of the two days on top of the combined timesheets.
Fortec Motorsport driver Hohenthal lapped 0.168 seconds faster than Team Firstair’s Sean McIntosh at the Cheshire venue today, but Storckenfeldt’s time of 1m 18.885 seconds (101.58mph), from the opening test session on Wednesday, was good enough to place the Team AKA ace on top overall.
The European drivers have certainly been on form throughout the pre-season and Fortec’s Dutch star Yelmer Buurman backed this up with the third fastest time over the course of the two days, albeit just four 1,000ths ahead of the first home-grown talent, Oliver Jarvis (Burwell, Cambridgeshire) who was fourth overall for Manor Motorsport.
Canadian sensation McIntosh ended the two days with the fifth fastest time, thanks to his lap of 1m 19.058 seconds during today’s sessions, while the returning Ben Clucas (Reading) was an encouraging sixth overall for Nexa Racing – the latter still trying to piece together the required budget to contest the championship this season.
Manor’s Cheng Congfu was again on form today, the ever-improving Chinese driver setting a best lap of 1m 19.145 seconds to go seventh overall and an impressive fourth fastest on the day.
Fortec’s Stuart Hall (Halstead, Essex), meanwhile, was eighth on combined times with a time just six 100ths of a second ahead of Manor’s Patrick Hogan in ninth and the Irishman’s team-mate, Venezuelan driver Rodolfo Gonzalez, rounding out the top 10.
Taking into account the Thursday testing times only, Hohenthal was quickest from McIntosh in second position, Clucas in third place, Cheng in fourth and Hall in fifth position.
Official Formula Renault UK Championship with Michelin testing continues at Snetterton Circuit in Norfolk next Tuesday, 22nd March.
Full Oulton Park testing times attached or available at msttiming.com
For all the latest Formula Renault UK Championship with Michelin news visit the official Renault Sport UK website www.renaultsport.co.uk built by Racecar
