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| Race Report - Rounds 5 & 6 - Silverstone | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mixed results at soggy Silverstone
Qualifying proved a difficult experience, with the damp track hampering Paul’s progress. “We had some problems with the car which didn’t help”, he commented. At the end of the twenty minute session Paul had the ninth fastest time, leaving him with work to do, starting from the fifth row. Michael Simpson started from pole position with Paul’s championship rival Ed Pead joining him on the front row. The race, taking place late on Saturday afternoon, started on a drying track, but with the drivers opting for slick tyres, there remained some slippery spots on the track. This became evident almost from the moment the red lights went out, as Paul showed his Clio experience to make a strong start as many around him struggled. “I think the only people that didn’t get it sideways in front of me on the first lap were Ed [Pead] and Michael [Simpson], so I got past the rest fairly easily. It was a good result and it was good to be on the podium again” Despite starting the weekend’s second race from 5th on the grid – four spots better than Saturday, Paul’s hopes were for the race were not necessarily to go all out for victory. “The diff is on its way out so it will be a case of damage limitation”, he said. ”Even more so today than yesterday. We only found it this morning and it was too late to do anything about it.” Unfortunately the race did not quite go to plan. In fact, for Paul, it ended as early as the first lap. He was forced to retire when his Boulevard Team Racing Clio suffered damage due to contact in the latter stages of the lap. “It’s not the result I was hoping for”, said Paul. “There was nothing I could do. Jonathon Adam hit me and it damaged the car. Hopefully we will have a better run at Oulton Park. We’ll sort the diff problems out and then start afresh.” The results leave Paul with a hefty 40-point margin to make up to catch current series leader Ed Pead, but with fourteen races still to come this year – and over 350 points on offer – there is still plenty to race for. Add to this the dropped scores rule, which allows a driver to discard his three worst scores of the year, and the championship fight is very much alive and kicking. The next two races take place at Oulton Park over the weekend of 22/23 May. |
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The highlight of a mixed weekend for Paul at Silverstone was a second place finish in round five. Going in to the meeting just two points behind championship leader, Ed Pead, Paul was hoping to continue his strong form that has seen him with a 100% podium finish record in the opening four rounds of the season.
