Photo: Team Dolan
Team Dolan’s Chris Middlehurst and Jason Smyth won United Formula Ford’s races at Donington Park today after two dicey battles.
It was Smyth who had the advantage in qualifying, setting a 1m13.28s to claim race one pole by a sizeable 0.404 seconds over the returning Middlehurst, with team-mate Morgan Quinn a further 0.046s behind.
Tom Nippers put himself out of contention for victory in the races after an incident into the chicane which meant he only got five laps done, and three of those were deleted for track limits abuse. His fastest lap put him eighth on race one’s grid.
Drivers’ second-best laptimes determined race two’s grid, and a 1m13.52s earned Smyth pole by 0.21s over Middlehurst. Quinn trailed by 0.374s, Charlie Mann was fourth fastest and Nippers was down in 15th after Rob Hall withdrew.
Nippers only took three laps to get into fourth, and set the fastest lap as he did so.
Middlehurst dived down Smyth’s inside at turn one on lap five to take the lead, and Smyth tried getting back past at McLean’s. Nippers mad his move on Quinn into turn one on lap six, as further back a huge multi-car fight was on for sixth.
Smyth reclaimed first place on lap seven, and while remaining on his tail Middlehurst then had to defend from Nippers. He hugged the inside into turn one on laps nine and 10, with the top four now grouped together.
Three was a three-wide moment starting lap 12, and Nippers tried the outside again on lap 14. Two laps later he finally had enough momentum, and grip, to stay there but still could not overtake. It initially helped Smyth, but Middlehurst was then attacking him at the end of the lap.
Half a second split the top four entering the final tour, but there was not enough grip on the outside of corners to make passes and shake up the order. However Smyth did not get the drive he wanted out of the final chicane, and Middlehurst drew alongside.
He met the chequered flag 0.02s ahead to steal victory, with Nippers only 0.138s away from winning.
Oldfield Motorsport’s Ben Cochran was initially fourth, then after losing out to Nippers was gradually hunted down by Ammonite Motorsport’s Anthony Amato after he escaped the pack. They battled briefly late on before an incident sent Cochran into retirement. Amato finished a distant fifth, with Mann in sixth.
Race two was similar, with a lack of grip on the outside at Redgate leading to pack racing and few brave moves.
Nippers took one lap to get to ninth, and a further way to get to fifth. The top three were stuck together again, and Mann was fourth.
Middlehurst went down the inside of Redgate to take the lead from Smyth on lap four, but Smyth drew back alongside until getting ahead at Old Hairpin.
The top two were side-by-side again on lap nine, this time through Hollywood, and when Middlehurst tucked back in he actually set up a switchback move and squeezed past on the inside before Craner Curve.
Smyth got back ahead though, and Middlehurst had to spend lap 10 fending off Quinn’s attacks. A lack of grip meant Middlehurst’s next turn one attempt on lap 11 did not work, but then he pulled off a switchback there on lap 13.
There was a quick response from Smyth again, as he got alongside at Old Hairpin and was ahead into McLeans.
Middlehurst still had the pace to pass, but finished 0.137s behind points leader Smyth.
Once Nippers got past Mann he brought Amato with him, and could not shake them off. When Mann was forced into retirement with damage and Amato fell down the order on lap 15, it left Nippers with a gap but a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits put him fifth behind Oldfield’s Connor Willis.
Results round-up
Race 1 (14 laps)
1 Chris Middlehurst Team Dolan [Van Diemen LA10] 21m12.364s
2 Jason Smyth Team Dolan [Van Diemen RF00/JL12] +0.020s
3 Tom Nippers [Van Diemen RF01] +0.138s
4 Morgan Quinn Team Dolan [Van Diemen RF99] +0.713s
5 Anthony Amato Ammonite Motorsport [Ray GR22] +12.757s
6 Charlie Mann Mann Motorsport [Ray GR20] +14.951s
7 Connor Willis Oldfield Motorsport [Van Diemen JL13] +17.911s
8 Ian Campbell Vertical Racing [Ray GR08] +18.601s
9 Spencer Shinner Oldfield Motorsport [Van Diemen JL13] +18.609s
10 Maris Schulte Oldfield Motorsport [Van Diemen JL13] +20.887s
Pole: Smyth, 1m13.280s
Fastest lap: Nippers, 1m13.709s
Race 2 (17 laps)
1 Smyth 21m14.174s
2 Middlehurst +0.137s
3 Quinn +1.097s
4 Willis +7.733s
5 Nippers +8.120s
6 Shinner +9.048s
7 Amato +16.098s
8 Schulte +19.365s
9 Campbell +19.751s
10 Adrien Laissac Team Dolan [Van Diemen BD19] +20.167s
P: Smyth, 1m13.520s
FL: Middlehurst: 1m13.801s
Championship standings
1 Smyth 338 2 Nippers 213 3 Quinn 203 4 Amato 167 5 Mann 154 6 Shinner 149 7 Middlehurst 122 8 Schulte 105 9 Laissac 96 10 Willis 92