FORMULA BMW UK NEWS

QUAIFE-HOBBS' STIRRING DRIVE.

Tonbridge racer Adrian Quaife-Hobbs took another top ten finish at his home track of Brands Hatch yesterday, despite struggling with gear selection problems on his Formula BMW car.  The day's opening race also proved eventful, as he fought his way back from dead last to take 14th at the flag after a second lap collision.

The 16 year-old MSA British Race Elite/BRDC Rising Star driver had high hopes of a podium finish at the Kent track following his fourth place last time out, but sadly a brake calliper problem in practice cost him dearly.  Come qualifying on Saturday, he posted ninth quickest time in both sessions, but again the former T-Car Champion headed into the two races determined to make amends.

Race one was to prove his worth after a great start saw him hold position until lap two when a coming together at Druids with Anthony Comas dropped him to dead last some ten seconds behind the pack.  A sterling recovery though saw him scythe his was through the field, overtaking several cars along the way to take 14th place.

“I made a good start off the line to hold position and I was behind Comas on lap two going into Druids.  I made a move to pass him up the inside but we touched on the exit and I spun off.  I managed to keep going and rejoined down in last position and I was nearly ten seconds behind. 

“So I just got my head down and tried to close down the gap to the others.  It was good comeback drive, which I was quite happy with, and towards the end I was right on the tail of the battle for ninth but time just ran out.”

Race two again saw Adrian start from the inside of row five and another good start saw him hold position as the pack filed into Paddock Hill Bend, before a good move to take Comas on the inside of Paddock on lap two gave him eighth.  With Jonathan Legris ahead Adrian was just lining up to take the place when he suddenly found himself stuck in fourth gear.

With the problem unable to be rectified, Adrian lost two places along the start-finish straight before he found a way to drive around the problem on the exit of Paddock Hill and another superb drive saw him retake the places, getting up to seventh at the flag.

“I had a problem changing up and down the Hewland gearbox, but from the exit of Clearways to the first corner I managed to find a way to drive around it and then was able to close down the gap and retake the places. By the end of the race, I'd managed to close the gap to two hundredths of a second but there were yellow flags out from lap six until the flag from Paddock right round to Graham Hill Bend, which greatly reduced the overtaking opportunities.”

Adrian now enjoys a two week break until the last double-header rounds, at Knockhill near Dunfermline in Scotland on 1st/2nd September.

Round 15 - Results
1. Marcus Ericsson Fortec Motorsport 21:12.911
2. Henry Arundel Fortec Motorsport 21:19.116
3. Valle Makela Nexa Racing 21:20.296
4. Jonathan Legris Motaworld Racing 21:28.040
5. Oliver Webb Carlin Motorsport 21:36.878
6. Daniel McKenzie Fortec Motorsport 21:42.038
14. Adrian Quaife-Hobbs Fortec Motorsport 22:02.563

Round 16 - Results
1. Marcus Ericsson Fortec Motorsport 23:42.064
2. Josef Kral Double R Racing 23:45.208
3. Henry Arundel Fortec Motorsport 23:45.470
4. Valle Makela Nexa Racing 23:45.836
5. Kimiya Sato Nexa Racing 23:47.831
6. Jonathan Legris Motaworld Racing 23:51.324
7. Adrian Quaife-Hobbs Fortec Motorsport 23:51.352