DAVISON CARRIES ON CLIO CUP LEARNING CURVE

Posted on May 4, 2012 by admin

Picture credit : Kingsley Newman

Salisbury’s Will Davison, carried on his learning curve in the Air Asia Renault Clio Cup, with a pair of top 20 finishes on a treacherous weekend at Thruxton last weekend. It was also the Stratford Motors backed driver’s first races at Thruxton.

It was 16 year old Davison’s third weekend of Clio Cup competition. The Thruxton circuit in Hampshire is the fastest track in the UK. It is hard enough in the dry, let alone the torrential rain that the weekend produced. Davison qualified in 21st place with a time of 1:34.084, his second fastest time that would set the grid for Sunday’s sixth round of the championship, saw him climb up into 20th with a 1:34.095.

Round five on a damp circuit saw Davison involved in a race long battle, with Lithuanian driver Tautvydas Barstys and Darren Wilson. Davison’s persistence paid off as he found a way past Barstys with two laps to go and took 18th place. Davison is also in the Rookie Cup category for drivers under 23, with less than four Clio Cup races before the season started. Davison would claim a seventh place in class, gaining points on drivers who did not finish the 12 lap race.

Round six on Sunday saw the rain so heavy that the race had to begin under the safety car. The race shown live on ITV4, saw Davison once again battle with Barstys, with the Salisbury teenager once again coming out on top. Davison also found himself on the final stage of the last lap fighting with a recovering Nic Hamilton, the brother of 2008 Formula One champion Lewis. Hamilton just edged Davison to the line by half a second. Davison also claimed another seventh place in the Rookie Cup.

The Clio Cup has a five week break before the next round at Oulton Park in Cheshire, Will Davison finds himself in 17th place overall and in 7th place in the Rookie Cup. Davison is growing more confident with every race, Oulton Park could see the youngest driver in the championship go further up the leader board.

 

Dan Blake

Westbourne Motorsport Press Officer

 

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Thruxton – Saturday 28th 2012 – NEWSLETTER

Posted on April 30, 2012 by admin

Welcome to Thruxton with Westbourne
This weekend sees the TOCA package visit Thruxton, the fastest track in the country. It has been wet and windy for the majority of the weekend. We will look back at a fantastic Saturday for the team and preview the second race which takes place this afternoon. We hope that you enjoy the day’s racing which seems to have a much better prospect than the weather.
This newsletter will keep readers updated with progress and behind the scenes features from our drivers, James Colburn, Ant Whorton-Eales and Will Davison

Thruxton, April 28th–29th 2012
Courageous Colburn Takes Impressive Victory

Picture credit: Kingsley Newman


James Colburn kick started his 2012 campaign in style, by winning round five of the Renault Clio Cup.
Starting from third on the grid, Colburn made a fantastic start finding the gap between the front row men Josh Files and Adam Bonham. By the time the cars reached the first corner, James was ahead and starting to pull out a small gap over his pursuers as the lap went on.
Bonham started to drop back, and it was a two car race between James and Files. James found himself under intense pressure as the race went on. The two young chargers put on a fantastic display for the crowd, as they raced bumper to bumper.
Files tried making a move on the outside of James coming into the final chicane, in the words of James, “ I saw him coming to make a move on the outside of the chicane, but not on my watch!”
Files also tried to overtake James going round the inside of the complex but again James showed a cool head and saw off the challenge from the Pyro driver. It may not have been the streets of Monaco, but the battle between Colburn and Files was very similar to the iconic battle between Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell nearly 20 years ago.
James held on to take the flag and well deserved scenes of jubilation from the team, as the Worthing driver took his second Clio Cup victory.
It was also a successful day for Ant, who made six places off his grid position of 16th. He again made a rapid start and by the first corner he had made two places. Kim Andersson’s retirement on the first lap saw him go up another position. There was an edge of the seat moment for Whorton-Eales as Nic Hamilton’s spinning car came ever close to the side of his car at the final chicane.
Ant finished in tenth place and with Andersson not finishing it meant he extends his lead in the Rookie Cup to 37 points over new second place man Josh Cook.
Will finished in 18th place after having a race long battle with Lithuanian driver Tautvydas Barstys and Darren Wilson. Will got past Barstys following a frustrating spell behind him. He would also finish 7th in the Rookie Cup.
Yesterday’s result saw Westbourne climb above Scuderia Vittoria in the team championship and rise up to second place. James’ win saw him move up to seventh in the championship, just behind Ant.
The Clio’s are out again for Round Six at 1:00. James finds himself on pole, after getting the quickest second best time. Will he win again?

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WHORTON-EALES RETAINS ROOKIE CUP LEAD

Posted on April 30, 2012 by admin

Picture credit: Kingsley Newman

Shenstone’s Ant Whorton-Eales, retained his lead in the Rookie Cup of the Renault Clio Cup, despite a difficult round six at Thruxton. He leads the Rookie Cup by 24 points,as the series nears the halfway point.

The 17 year old BRDC Rising Star, was racing on the fastest circuit in the country, for the first time in his career. Before this weekend Ant hadn’t driven his Clio Cup car in the rain, but the weekend saw atrocious conditions at the Hampshire circuit.

Saturday’s qualifying saw Whorton-Eales have a pair of 16th places with his fastest time a 1:32.779, his next lap would be his second quickest a 1:32.861. Whorton-Eales was learning about the circuit though with every lap that he completed in the pouring rain.

Picture credit: Kingsley Newman

The first race, the fifth round of the championship, was run in better conditions than qualifying. The rain had stopped but the track was still damp. Whorton-Eales made another great start and by the end of the first lap, found himself in 11th place, a gain of five from his starting position. There was a major scare at the end of the first lap. Nic Hamilton, the brother of 2008 Formula One world champion Lewis, span and so nearly ended up going backwards into Whorton-Eales’ passenger door.

The SSFT, One-Lux and Westbourne Motors backed driver, picked up a further place and would end up in 10th by the end of the 12 lap race and third in the Rookie Cup to strengthen his overall lead.

Picture credit : Julie Macpherson

Sunday saw torrential rain, to the extent the race had to be started behind the safety car. There was drama for Whorton-Eales, as his windscreen had misted up and he had to visit the pits. The race started the lap after he came in, losing him valuable time. Another safety car would however bring the Shenstone teenager back with the rest of the pack. Whorton-Eales made up six places following the restart and ended up finishing in 15th to limit the damage caused by having to pit.

Whorton-Eales was relatively happy of how the weekend went, “ it was my first race weekend at Thruxton and the weather certainly didn’t help. The problem with the windscreen happened at the wrong time, but we managed to recover some crucial points back. Thanks to my sponsors and to Westbourne Motorsport. We still lead the Rookie Cup which is a good way to end the weekend.”

The Clio Cup has a five week break now, with rounds 7 and 8 at the picturesque Oulton Park circuit in Cheshire. The race meeting is held on the 9th and 10th of June and Whorton-Eales is determined to be back on the top step of the podium.

Dan Blake

Westbourne Motorsport Press Officer

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