SPEED EuroSeries, Le Castellet - Race 2

It was almost a perfect result for Jonathan France’s WFR team. As in the Honda-powered SPEED EuroSeries race one, the two new Formula CN cars from Ossett swept by the chequered flag in first and second places. So, why ‘almost’? Well, things did not go exactly to plan.

Once again the WF03s were slow off the line and on the first lap it was Maurizio Fratti (Wolf) in the lead having benefitted from the pole time set by team mate Alex Caffi, followed by Nigel Greensall (Ligier). However Warren and Joey quickly took over at the front, the former leading for the rest of the stint. With Alex having chosen to drive in the second half of the race, the pair found themselves untroubled by the factory Wolfs this time, the other Italian car having failed to start.

At half distance the WFR pair handed over to Jody Firth and young Nigel Moore respectively and so it continued.
A formation finish seemed to be on the cards. Then, as Jody later admitted, “I celebrated too early!” A slightly embarrassed Nigel observed, “I didn’t expect him to back off like that” after having slipped past to win by about a tenth of a second.

Jonathan did not seem too worried though, with his four drivers now sharing the lead of the series as it heads for rounds three and four at Spa-Francorchamps on May 5-7. Any stories of revenge, controversial orders and fierce inter-team rivalry can be discounted, at least for the time being; this is not Formula One. Indeed, it seemed to be smiles all round, even if Nigel’s did appear a little sheepish.

Notice that the WF03s may not always have it their own way was served in the second half of the race.

An unwell Robby Kerr in the Lanan Racing Ligier JS51 that he shares with Alex Craven, whacked in three consecutive fastest laps late in the race, not a bad performance for a man with a severe headache.

Ultimately, though, the quickest lap of 2mins 01.338secs went to Steven Kane in the older HMR Ligier JS49. At the start of the race this car had still been minus engine and did not actually get out on track until the time of the pit stops. 

Even then it only lasted nine laps but during that time Steven was really on a charge. The Craven/Kerr was at least classified in fourth place, one behind the Dean Stirling/Massimo Vignali If Motorsport Ligier JS49.

Alex Caffi was unable to catch up the leaders during his stint and so the factory Wolf finished fifth ahead of Sarah Reader and Darren Burke in the new TFL Racing Juno. Sarah was delighted just to have been in the race, a replacement hub having to be flown out from Preston that morning while an alternator had been changed between the two races.

Of the other front-runners from the first race, Jono Coleman and Nigel Greensall (Ligier) were forced into retirement following a puncture and subsequent inability to be able to tighten up the wheel.