Formula Renault at Croft

racingdick · 12 Jul 2003, 10:36 (Ref:659467)

Qualifying just started

Lloyd out from the start so no repeat of the last two qualifying sessions

racingdick · 12 Jul 2003, 10:39 (Ref:659470)

not yet in to the 18's

Jenson is out for Jenson

racingdick · 12 Jul 2003, 10:40 (Ref:659471)

hamilton popped in one half second up on lloyd

racingdick · 12 Jul 2003, 10:53 (Ref:659477)

1 3 HAMILTON 1:19.028
2 46 ROSSITER 1:19.308
3 16 SPENCER 1:19.487
4 17 LLOYD 1:19.545
5 4 JIMENEZ 1:19.646
6 10 SISLEY 1:19.665
7 22 STORCKENFELDT 1:19.720
8 26 CONWAY 1:19.722
9 43 MURPHY 1:19.741
10 1 SCOTT 1:19.797
11 11 DI RESTA 1:19.815
12 14 MENEGHELLO 1:19.884
13 6 HOLLINGS 1:20.009
14 28 SODERBERG 1:20.022
15 15 STODDART 1:20.127
16 66 COULTHARD 1:20.268
17 5 WILSON 1:20.340
18 21 TAHINCI 1:20.411
19 2 STROUD 1:20.517
20 25 EPTON 1:20.584
21 12 THOMAS 1:20.810
22 55 KERSHAW 1:20.875
23 19 MUSSI 1:20.963
24 38 O'MAHONEY 1:20.970
25 20 REEVES 1:20.984
26 8 CALASAN 1:21.111
27 27 BYRNE 1:21.170
28 9 LUNN 1:24.162

Mr Jinxx · 12 Jul 2003, 21:53 (Ref:659745)

Race 1

Rossiter DNS - looked like a collapsed rear N/S wheel bearing - the wheel almost fell off on the green flag lap.

Hamilton shoots off from the start as expected, but a radical change to Spencer's car sees him defend aginst the fast-starting Lloyd and then pull a gap over Lloyd's evil-handling newly-liveried red car. Spencer then chased Hamilton down, setting fastest lap on the way. He got close a couple of times but was unable to make a pass. They were both 4/10ths quicker than 3rd fastest man, Lloyd.

Hamilton made a couple of mistakes as Spencer started to close, and reported having a collapsed damper after having made a mistake which dropped him off a kerb a number of laps into the race, but was still able to manage rapid laps to the end of the race to keep ahead of Spencer, although Spencer was right under his gearbox on a couple of laps.

Some reports say Hamilton's purported damper problem was on lap 9 and others say it was on lap 2, which would be surprising as he set his fastest lap (1:20.1) on lap 4. Bearing in mind Lloyd could only manage a best lap of 1:20.5, and all the quick laps were at the beginning of the race, Hamilton was still very quick at 1:20.4 on lap 9 and 1:20.7 on the penultimate lap - a time which even then was 5th fastest. Hamilton's set-up seemed to be quick for a few laps at the start, but (notwithstanding the reported damper problem) not so quick towards the latter stages of the race.

Jiminez stayed 4th just behind Lloyd, with Murphy making a great start to jump into 5th, where he held up Sisley Storckenfeld and Conway and DiResta for the whole race.

Tomorrow, I expect Hamilton to retain his pace, but if Lloyd can take advantage of the lessons learned with Spencer's car, and with Rossiter having new tyres, it could be interesting. Hamilton cannot afford another DNF, and might not fancy a few wheel-to-wheel encounters, so it may be that his advantage is eroded tomorrow.

Lewis takes over the championship lead with Lloyd 2nd.

You have to say that Lewis is looking very strong now with 3 consecutive race wins. I do hope that Alex's run of bad luck (the last 4 race weekends) is now over and that Motaworld's much-vaunted engineers can find the key, because, trying my best to lay any partiality firmly to one side, I genuinely don't believe anyone else can stop Hamilton, not even the 2 Fortec cars.

Frank_White · 13 Jul 2003, 16:38 (Ref:660071)

Mr. Jinnx, apparently u are right. hamilton has made it four wins in a row, with a fastest lap as well in the last race

Paul Rayner · 13 Jul 2003, 19:43 (Ref:660173)

Jinxx, do you want a job reporting for me?

Wages aren't much though, I'm afraid...

Quote:

Originally posted by Mr Jinxx
Some reports say Hamilton's purported damper problem was on lap 9 and others say it was on lap 2, which would be surprising as he set his fastest lap (1:20.1) on lap 4.

My report says lap 2, because that's what Lewis told me. I agree, it seems pretty strange, but that's what he said. Maybe the car just started to feel a bit dodgy at the start and then it properly broke later on.

We're now half way through the season (okay, 8 is the lesser half of 17, but 6 meetings is the greater part of 11) and Lewis has had a fantastic first half to the season. He's been the most consistent driver, having never finished off the podium, the only time he hasn't finished on it was his DNF at Brands. And as you can drop 2 scores, half way through the season that's an average you can handle.

I hope someone can put up a decent challenge to him, but I'm not so sure now that they can. I think that the other top four can challenge him for wins, but doubt that any ONE can be consistently challenging for them. To be honest this is what most people expected from the start of the season, it's just that Lewis didn't seem want to follow that script until round five.

Mr Jinxx · 13 Jul 2003, 20:11 (Ref:660191)

Your reports are great, Paul. I haven't read this one yet, but generally they are good, informed, unbiased and accurate.

I can't comment on this weekend yet as far as Alex is concerned, because I can't believe that, for 4 consecutive weekends, his Motaworld car has been substandard, and I am really annoyed and frustrated. Which other driver can stop Hamilton? Only Alex, but there is something very wrong with that car. It went from no grip at all in qualifying to a waterbed in race 1 to a complete bag of nails today.

Mr Jinxx · 13 Jul 2003, 20:13 (Ref:660193)

P.S. Lewis told me lap 9 for the damper in race 1

Alex said it did look like there was something wrong with his car part way through the race

**bella** · 13 Jul 2003, 20:48 (Ref:660213)

ohhhhh the sunburn.

anyway. the racing.

like everyone else, i'm very impressed with lewis and he's completely unstoppable. felt terribly sorry for rossiter in race 1. was it just me or were they really fast on the uptake for scrutineering?

Paul Rayner · 13 Jul 2003, 21:16 (Ref:660229)

What do you mean about the scrutineering? Could it just be that it's something you don't normally notice at most circuits because scrutineering isn't normally somewhere you walk past? I must admit I never normally notice it but did there.

**bella** · 13 Jul 2003, 21:46 (Ref:660249)

no, i notice how long they take to have the cars, and after how long they let them go. it just seemed like an awfully long time after the end of the second race that they sent the cars back, that's all. rossiters took forever to come back, i felt sorry for the mechanics.

but i'm sure you're right and i'm talking out of my arse.

Mr Jinxx · 13 Jul 2003, 22:04 (Ref:660266)

Like every other driver, I was very impressed with the grip generated by Hamilton's car. It looked superb, like it was on rails.

I think you have to be impressed with Manor here. Lewis made a few mistakes in race 1, one of which he said was enough to break a damper. I don't get it ... if dampers are so important, as everyone suggests they are, then his lap times were such that there are a few people would have liked to be in that Manor car, duff damper or not!! How so?

**bella** · 13 Jul 2003, 22:47 (Ref:660294)

is it illegal to put blue peter strength double sided sticky tape on the tyres? from the outside it looked like hamilton was hardly trying, absolutely amazing.

No 4 · 14 Jul 2003, 10:29 (Ref:660581)

Where did Spencer finish?

Daisy · 14 Jul 2003, 10:39 (Ref:660587)

1st race: 2nd
2nd race: 3rd

Paul Rayner · 14 Jul 2003, 11:18 (Ref:660621)

Quote:

Originally posted by bella
no, i notice how long they take to have the cars, and after how long they let them go. it just seemed like an awfully long time after the end of the second race that they sent the cars back, that's all. rossiters took forever to come back, i felt sorry for the mechanics.

but i'm sure you're right and i'm talking out of my arse.

I didn't mean to say you were wrong, I just meant to say what I said - that it was something which isn't normally as "on show" as it is at Croft, and that I personally don't normally notice, but I did there. Rossiter's car did take a long time to leave, not sure why that was.

No 4 · 14 Jul 2003, 15:27 (Ref:660865)

Thanks Daisy!

Daisy · 14 Jul 2003, 18:58 (Ref:661064)

Now a question from me to the biggest British F Renault followers, how many drivers from the top will drive in British F3 do you think next year. I'm sure Hamilton will, but what about Lloyd, Sisley and the others. Rossiter maybe, or will he stay for another year in Formula Renault?

racingdick · 14 Jul 2003, 21:25 (Ref:661183)

it would be in Lloyds interest to. 3 years in the same series is a little too much.
As for Rossiter and Conway, Conway prob but i reacon Rossiter will stay and fight for next year..

**bella** · 14 Jul 2003, 21:28 (Ref:661186)

it depends who can afford it really. in the end, hundreds of thousands of pounds is an AWFUL lot of money for anyone, no matter how big a cheese you're associated/related to.

i wouldn't like to second guess anyone's moves to be honest. right now it's far too early to judge who's interested...

racingdick · 14 Jul 2003, 21:29 (Ref:661187)

wouldn't be surprised to see a few side-step.

Mr Jinxx · 14 Jul 2003, 23:05 (Ref:661248)

All down to money. That's the top and bottom of it. There seems no point in any of the top (race-winning)drivers staying for another year if they can raise the necessary dosh for F3. You either have to have it, or find the means to raise it.

If you can't, then it is probably better to do a Rob Bell and look elsewhere, rather than spend another year in UK FR. Unless you can get a great deal to help develop a car for a new or eager-to-progress team, like Tom Sisley has done.

Paul Rayner · 14 Jul 2003, 23:11 (Ref:661254)

I reckon 2 will move up. Don't know which 2, but I reckon 2, 3 at most from the top 5. Make that 3 or 4 for the whole field though, as somebody else might find the cash.

**bella** · 14 Jul 2003, 23:34 (Ref:661271)

i can think of a couple who might, good performances or not. there's not many drivers who have been there for longer than 2 years are there?

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Formula Renault - Croft	Russfeld	National & International Single Seaters	35	26 Mar 2004 12:25
Croft Formula Renault Race Predictions	Paul Rayner	National & International Single Seaters	10	14 Jul 2002 20:40