12 April, 2009: Home-circuit hero James Cole was the dominant force in the first race of the new MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain season at Oulton Park yesterday, seizing pole position at the wheel of his Jamun Racing Mygale and a race one win.

Twenty-year-old Southport-based Cole made a strong start to head the field into the first corner and remained in front to the end. "This weekend's gone very well," said James. "We got pole and won the race, with fastest lap as well, so very good." Cole is hoping that tomorrow's second and third rounds will prove just as successful for him: "In the next two races really anything apart from a win is going to be disappointing after today."

A chaotic start to the race saw the JTR Mygale of Josef Newgarden unable to get away from the grid and a subsequent collision which left the American championship debutant, Josh Hill and Fabio Gamberini out of the running as Cole, Daniel Cammish in the Kevin Mills Spectrum and Garry Findlay's works Van Diemen romped away at the front.

After a brief Safety Car period, introduced during clearing-up of the startline smash, Dutch driver Liroy Stuart continued his strong progress in the surviving JTR Mygale. Promoted to fifth (from ninth on the grid) on the opening lap by the crash, Stuart snatched fourth from his countryman Rogier De Wit when the Getem Mygale driver ran wide at Old Hall.

The race soon began to take form, with the leading trio running nose to tail and working together to pull away from the remainder of the pack. Gradually Cole was able to break away from Cammish and Findlay, extending his lead to a second by the seventh of the 10 laps. Behind him, Findlay managed to make a move: a brave dive up the inside of Cammish's Spectrum at Old Hall elevated him to second place.

The battle for fifth was another hot one, with De Wit reeled in and passed by Chrissy Palmer, who was giving the all-new Juno an impressive race debut. Reigning Scholarship Champion Palmer started 12th and battled hard with De Wit, securing fifth only on the final lap.

Cole's victory margin over Findlay was 1.3s. Garry was pleased with his result: "It's good: good points straight away and I think that we're in a strong position. On Monday we'll be going for the wins, but we've just got to get through the first corner…"

Cammish took third and was top finisher in the Scholarship Class - a superb Formula Ford debut. "It's been a great weekend so far," he said. "Friday was difficult being a novice, but I've surprised myself."

Stuart held on to fourth, ahead of Palmer, Ben Barker - another excellent first-timer - De Wit, Peter Barrable, Kieran Vernon and Australian driver Daniel Erickson, who battled to 10th from 22nd on the grid after having his best qualifying lap time disallowed.

Hinting at competitive times ahead this season, drivers from five different teams, using four different types of chassis, occupied the top five finishing positions…

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