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| June 19, 2012 |
| British Renault 2.0: Title Bid Back On Track for Webster with Second Win |
 | Josh Webster revisited the Formula Renault BARC Championship victory podium with the race two win at Thruxton
(Photo: Jakob Ebrey Motorsports Photography) |
ENGLAND (June 18, 2012) - Protyre Formula Renault BARC Championship front-runner Josh Webster got his title ambitions firmly back on track at Thruxton Circuit in Hampshire on Sunday (June 17), with a richly deserved double podium – including his second race win of 2012.
Arriving at the 2.35-mile track third in the championship after dreadful misfortune at Rockingham last time out, the MSA Team UK driver enjoyed his most successful weekend of the season so far after sealing pole position for both races and then taking his podium tally for the year to five from seven race starts.
The Stowmarket 18 year-old also posted the fastest lap in race one, 1:13.656 seconds (115.15 mph), and the combined haul of 62 points – the most of any driver this weekend – has lifted Webster to second in the championship.
“Thruxton has been 10 times better than Rockingham was,” said the Nine Group, Admiral Solutions & Support and Integra ICT-supported racer. “Starting off with the double pole position was great, the MGR guys did an awesome job with the car, and a win and a second place is almost as much as you can ask for. We’ve taken a big haul of points away so we’re definitely back in the title hunt now.”
Webster was expectedly strong in qualifying with a fastest time of 1:12.857 seconds (116.41 mph), almost 0.3 seconds clear of his closest challenger, and a consistently rapid second best time of 1:13.057 seconds (116.09 mph).
Leading away from pole position in round six, the Suffolk driver headed Scott Malvern for the first couple of laps but on the third tour at Goodwood the latter managed to edge ahead. Remaining glued to Malvern’s tail for the remainder of the race, Webster had to settle for second place – albeit with two bonus points for fastest lap – a mere 0.5 seconds adrift.
Determined to go one better in round seven, the MGR Motorsport racer led away once again and controlled the first couple of laps before the Safety Car was deployed on track following an incident at Allard.
At the re-start on lap nine, Webster continued to lead, but Malvern got ahead on lap 12. Continuing to circulate nose-to-tail, everything changed again on the 14th tour, when Webster moved back to the front following unfortunate contact between the two leaders at the complex.
“There was a bit of contact there near the end,” said Webster. “[Scott] Malvern was in front, we both braked together into the corner, but then he stopped on the apex and I had nowhere to go. It’s unfortunate, I never like to have contact with anyone, but it was unavoidable and the race officials agreed with that.”
Webster now has a five week break from race action with rounds eight and nine of the Protyre Formula Renault BARC season set to take place over the weekend July 21-22, at Croft in North Yorkshire.
Josh Webster races in support of the charity EACH (East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices).
Learn more at http://www.joshwebster.co.uk / twitter.com/#!/joshjwebster / http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1449695612 |
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