NEC FORMULA RENAULT 2.0

Published on 02 October 2007

QUAIFE-HOBBS SHINES IN NEC FORMULA RENAULT 2.0

Rising British star Adrian Quaife-Hobbs made an impressive debut in the Northern European Cup (NEC) Formula Renault 2.0 this weekend, storming to fourth and fifth places in the two races at the Oschersleben track. The 16 year-old, driving for championship leading Motopark Academy has competed in just two previous Formula Renault races before stepping into the fray this weekend.

The amalgamation last year of the German and Dutch national Formula Renault championships created the NEC which has attracted some 35 drivers from across Europe for an eight-round championship. This weekend's double header was round six and provided Adrian with useful mileage as he looks ahead to 2008.

Come rain or shine, the MSA British Race Elite/BRDC Rising Star showed great maturity which belied his relative inexperience at this level to run with the front runners in both races. Qualifying sixth quickest for race one the Tonbridge teenager struggled in his first start in Formula Renault in the rain and dropped three places into the first corner.

He quickly recovered though and was soon in amongst the battle for second place being contested by championship leader Frank Kechele, Pierre Selander and Tobias Hegewald, double winner of the last two rounds. Despite the atrocious conditions and his lack of knowledge of the German track, Adrian drove superbly, pushing Kechele and Selander all the way to the flag to cross the line fourth and top Briton ahead of Hegewald and former World Karting Champion Oliver Oakes.

Race two was held in dry conditions and had Adrian take up the seventh position on the grid. A superb start saw him gain two places into the first corner and another stirring drive saw him hold off the vastly more experienced Dane Steffen Möller but was just unable to catch fourth placed Oakes by the flag as he went on to record a superb fifth place.

“I'm very happy with the whole weekend,” said Adrian. “It was my first time racing at the circuit and the others had all raced there already this year, so I think it was a good result. I had to learn it quickly and I was very pleased to have qualified sixth and seventh quickest in the wet.”

Adrian's next race will be the seventh round which takes place at the Spa Francorchamps circuit high in the Ardennes region of Belgium
on the 13/14 October, 2007