DOUBLE JOY FOR
BRANDS HATCH EUROCUP VICTOR MALVERN
ROUND 12, BRANDS
HATCH 19 JUNE 2011: Scott Malvern sealed his place in the
history books by winning the inaugural Formula Ford Eurocup
contest after a dramatic rain-afflicted final race at Brands Hatch
on Sunday afternoon. Malvern mastered the treacherous conditions
in his Jamun Racing Mygale to take his third win of the weekend
around the Brands Hatch Grand Prix loop.
Malvern's three
wins put him comfortably clear in the Eurocup contest, which is
awarded to the highest scoring driver across the course of the
weekend. The hat-trick of victories also means that Malvern has
stretched his advantage in the Dunlop MSA Formula Ford
Championship of Great Britain title race and extends his winning
streak to nine races in a row. "It's been a dream weekend for
me," said Malvern. "I came here with the aim of
overturning the deficit in the domestic championship, but to land
the Eurocup as well makes it even more special."
Round 12: In almost
a mirror image of the opening round of the weekend, rain again
played a large factor during the course of the race. It started in
dry conditions and featured a changed front row: although Malvern
aced Saturday's qualifying session, his third fastest time was
good enough only for second on the grid as his team-mate Nick
McBride took his turn at the front.
McBride's glory was
shortlived, however, as Malvern dragged alongside on the run into
Paddock Hill Bend. McBride claimed the inside line but Malvern
wasn't to be denied and kept his foot in to pull off a fantastic
pass around the outside of the corner and snatch the lead. McBride
drove excellently in the early stages to stick on Malvern's tail
while avoiding the attention of Geoff Uhrhane, who maintained his
place from third on the grid to run immediately behind his
countryman.
Uhrhane's repeated
attempts to draw alongside into Hawthorns forced McBride on to the
defensive line, which allowed Malvern to edge clear. Malvern
forged a gap of just over two seconds, at least until the elements
came into play. After four laps, the dark clouds above the track
again opened and drenched the circuit. Malvern lifted off to try
to manage the grip as his slick tyres cooled and lost traction.
McBride took the chance to close on to the back of the leader, but
opted against trying a pass as the rain intensified. The pack
tip-toed around for a further lap before the race organisers
ordered the red flag when it became clear that the rain wasn't
going to let up.
When the field took to the track again, fitted with suitable wet
Dunlop rubber, the race was reduced to a five-minute sprint, which
meant two laps separated Malvern from a near-perfect weekend. The
Barkingside driver again got a good getaway to head McBride. This
time spray became a factor and McBride confessed to being blinded
in Malvern's wake. The conditions prevented Malvern's rivals from
getting too close and enabled the leader to take a relatively
untroubled third win.
"It was one of
the toughest races I've ever had," said Malvern. "I got
a good gap in the dry and then saw people in the crowd putting
umbrellas up, next thing I knew it was a monsoon. The car was
sliding all over the place, and it was difficult to hold on to it.
Luckily I learned to drive go-karts on slick tyres in the wet, so
that experience served me well."
McBride took second
place after keeping Uhrhane at arm's length during the closing
laps. "The rain was ridiculous and made any chance to pass
impossible," he said. "I couldn't see anything down the
straight for spray so I was forced to lift early into the corners
instead of thinking of challenging Scott. It's disappointing
because I've had the pace for a win this weekend, but I know I'm
getting closer."
Jesse Anttila
produced a great drive in the wet conditions to bring the works
Ray GR11 up to fourth place, having started 10th on the grid.
Philippe Layac completed his strong weekend with fifth ahead of
Neil Alberico, who again impressed in the Cliff Dempsey Racing Ray
GR10 when the rain fell. It was a different story for former
championship leader Jeroen Slaghekke: the Dutchman was running
fourth before his car slowed coming up Hawthorn Hill when his
engine wiring loom burned out. His second non-score of the weekend
means he has fallen to third in the standings.
Cavan Corcoran
continued his invincible progress in the Scholarship class,
racking up class win number 12 in the Getem Racing Mygale. Joey
van Splunteren took his second victory in the Dutch
Championship-counting class; he placed seventh overall ahead of
Jesper Egebart and his class rivals Nils Vestergaard and Bas
Schouten.
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