Radical Masters & UK Cup, Silverstone - Race One

Roger Bromiley and Shaun Balfe had their patience rewarded at Silverstone, when Per Staaf Jnr spun at Copse in the closing laps of race one, to hand them victory.

Staaf had already forecast his own win in race two, which he duly confirmed, after GP3 ace Alex Sims set a cracking pace.

There was some contact between poleman Manhal Allos and Derek Johnston as they rounded Copse at the start of race one, but Allos took the initiative, with Bromiley slotting into second, from Chris Hyman, John Stanley, Johnston and Greg Hart.

While Allos started to pull away, Hyman kept the pressure on Bromiley, which allowed Stanley to close on them too. But Staaf came charging from virtually the back of the grid to the top six within four laps, before ousting Hart and Johnston on consecutive laps to hold fifth.

After Allos had a touch with a backmarker, Bromiley began to close rapidly and after six laps it was down to 0.487secs. Hyman was still in third, but he had become Staaf’s next quest, after he took Stanley for fourth at Farm.

Bromiley’s challenge came into Brooklands on lap eight, when he dived successfully for the inside. Staaf had made it past Hyman on the same lap and caught the erstwhile leader napping at Stowe. It then became side by side then between Bromiley and Staaf through Luffield for the lead, but both dived for the pits.

Hyman briefly led before pitting to hand to Alex Mortimer, but Allos was down to eight after a spin. “I had some vibration in sixth gear, up until then I was able to stay with Roger,” said Hyman.

Balfe had taken over from Bromiley and was back in the lead, but under immediate harassment from Staaf. Terrence Woodward had taken over from Johnston and was in a distant third, but soon lost out to the charging Allos.

Staaf led from Village on lap 13 and immediately started to open a gap. “I didn’t really know how long was left or where we were lying, but decided to let Per go, to see how his tyres lasted,” said Balfe. Having lost out to Allos, Woodward found himself under attack from Mortimer for third too.

Balfe’s decision proved to be the right one, when with three laps to go Staaf spun at Copse. “The tyres had really gone at the end, but at least I didn’t hit anyone when I spun and managed to hold onto second,” said Staaf. “Staggering, a massive win for me after poor testing,” said Bromiley.

Mortimer was back to third after Allos was given a drive through penalty. “I stalled at the pit stop and struggled a bit with oversteer,” he said.

Despite starting from the pitlane Christian Kronegard/William Vermont came through to claim fourth, with Stanley/James Swift fifth after trouble restarting from the pits.

Woodward just held onto sixth from Alex Sims/Rachel Davies, while Allos struggled home eighth. “A bodywork clip came off and gave me bad understeer. It was hard to stay on the circuit, so Roger caught me and I spun,” he explained.

The SR3 class went to Mark Smithson/Stuart Moseley, after Moseley reeled in Richard Carver in the closing laps. Smithson had a good battle during the first half with Tom Ashton, but after handing the car to owner Jonathan Wright, handling problems put them down the order. “We both got held up by slower cars and pitted in a line of four,” said Smithson. “Mark did a good job, kept us in it and I just had to chase down the short stoppers to win, which we did,” said Moseley.

David Thorburn/Rob Wheldon claimed second with a lap to go, leaving Carver to take third. “I tried not to look at my pit board, especially when I led,” Carver added.

Race One Result

Overall & SR8’s

1 Roger Bromiley/Shaun Balfe 18 laps in 38m17.465s (103.40mph);
2 Per Staaf Jnr +5.427s;
3 Chris Hyman/Alex Mortimer;
4 Christian Kronegard/William Vermont;
5 John Stanley/James Swift;
6 Derek Johnston/Terrence Woodward;
7 Rachel Davies/Alex Sims;
8 Manhal Allos;
9 Jaap Bartels;
10 Said Alfaisal/Benjamin Bailly.

SR3:

1 Mark Smithson/Stuart Moseley;
2 David Thorburn/Rob Wheldon;
3 Richard Carver;
4 Colin Noble;
5 James Abbott;
6 Jeremy Ferguson.

Fastest lap: Sims 1m58.889s (111.01mph).