Radical European Masters - Silverstone - 21 Septemeber 2008

Radical European Masters - Silverstone
Derek Johnston and Stuart Moseley not only saw off the UK Challenge, but also the best that Europe could offer with a double victory on Silverstone full Grand Prix circuit.

A capacity 40 plus car grid lined up for Saturday’s race, with the SR8’s of UK cup duellists Terrence Woodward/Ross Kaiser, taking pole by 0.467secs from Johnston/Moseley. Francesco Sini’s SR8 LM headed the second row, from Filip Berg-Neilsen’s SR8, while Jamie Patterson’s PR6 had the edge over the SR3’s of Roger Bromiley/Rob Wheldon and Simon Dolan/Sam Hancock in the UK Supersports class.

It was an awesome sight as the massive grid rolled through Woodcote towards the start and it was Johnston making a scintillating get away that led into Copse. It was all in vain after a problem with the lights brought out the red flags.

Johnston needn’t have worried as he did the same again from the restart, but Sini was pressing him hard as they charged down to Stowe. “That first start was good, but then to have to do it all over again,” said Johnston. But a lap later Sini made his move and eased clear, with Hans Rubig’s SR8 following through into Abbey.

Some of the pressure was off Johnston when Woodward pitted to retire, for what was to be a disastrous weekend for the budding champion.  Berg-Neilsen snatched third at Stowe on the third lap and began to chase down the lead pair, as Johnston had to keep his eye on the closing SR8 of John Stanley.

With Rubig pitting to retire a lap later, Berg-Neilsen pushed on for the lead, and as they came past the pits on lap five, he was virtually on the grass in his quest to nose past Sini. But the Italian driver had it covered and managed to increase his lead as Berg-Nelsen was forced to back off, but only slightly.

Ben Jackson had also come into the equation and became well established in third by lap seven and began to make inroads on the lead pair as the pit stop window approached. In sixth Ernst Kirchmayr’s SR8LM was running solo, while in eighth Kapadia led his class for European purposes, but played second fiddle to Patterson as far as the UK Cup was concerned.

Berg-Neilsen and Johnston were the first to pit, but the shorter pitstops for the less powerful cars turned the race order on its head as the cars started to re-emerge from the stops.

Young Swede Christian Kronegaard was the new leader in his 1300 Prosport, with Berg-Neilsen, Patterson, and the Prosports of Tommi Antilla and Viktor Hallrup next up. Moseley rejoined in 10th, just behind Sini. “It was great, I didn’t know I was leading the race overall, until the team screamed in my radio to push harder. Up until then I thought maybe top ten, “said Kronegaard.

The second half became a race against time, and Moseley once again proved he was the man for the job. Within a lap he had taken Sini and with four more scalps a lap later, he was into fourth at Abbey by the end of the 16th lap.

Despite Kronegaard’s best efforts, Berg-Neilsen’s power advantage gave him the lead. But the timing screens showed that time was running out for Moseley in his quest for victory, until a dramatic last lap finale. While Moseley had eased his way through the slower traffic, Berg-Neilsen had struggled, which brought them side by side into Luffield. Moseley nosed ahead but Berg-Neilsen came back only to spin. So it was victory to Moseley/Johnston, with Kronegaard reclaiming second before Berg-Nelsen recovered. “I didn’t think he would come back alongside, but then he spun. I really did think we had run out of time, but didn’t know it was the last lap either,” said Moseley. “I had oil on my back tyres from a seal, but did know it was the last lap,” added Berg-Neilsen.

Patterson held onto fourth, with Sini fifth and Hallrup snatching a late sixth from Antilla. “That was excellent, had a couple of near misses with backmarkers, but the car was just great,” said Patterson.

In the classes Sini topped the SR8LM’s comfortably from Kirchmayr. Johnston/Moseley topped the SR8’s from Berg-Neilsen and Ben/Michael Jackson. The SR313 class went to Jay Boyd’s SR3 and the SR315’s to Bromiley/Wheldon, from Kapadia/Laddiman and Hancock/Dolan.  “It was all down to Rob again,” said Bromiley. “I have to say the car wasn’t bad at all today,” added Wheldon. The other class winners were Patterson, Dominik Ruff’s SR5 and Kronegaard, which was enough to crown the Swede the 2008 Nordic Champion.

1 Derek Johnston/Stuart Moseley (SR8) 21 laps in 41.9m11.157s (157.278kph); 2 Christian Kronegaard (Prosport) 41m25.074s; 3 Filip Berg-Neilsen (SR8); 4 Jamie Patterson (PR6); 5 Francesco Sini (SR8LM); 6 Viktor Hallrup (Prosport); 7 Tommi Antilla (Prosport); 8 Roger Bromiley/Rob Wheldon (SR3); 9  Daniel Laddiman/Alex Kapadia (SR3);  10 Ross Edwards (PR6).   Class winners: Sini; Jay Boyd (SR3); Bromiley/Wheldon (SR3); Patterson; Dominik Ruff (SR5); Kronegaard.

Fastest lap: Moseley 1m46.825s (173.252kph).

RACE TWO
After working through the night, Woodward/Kaiser’s SR8 was readied to line up alongside polesitters Johnston/Moseley for Sunday’s morning race. But with barely half an hour to go before the 9am start it was still dense fog covering the circuit, which fortunately cleared just in time.

It was Woodward that made the best getaway to head Johnston and Sini into Woodcote. But within yards it was all over again for Woodward.  “I touched the kerb at Maggotts, lost the rear end when I touched the grass and went off backwards into the barriers,” he explained.

Sini was left to chase Johnston and managed to power ahead into Stowe on the fifth lap. “I enjoyed that though, I felt in the groove straight away and lovely to lead a European race,” said Johnston.

Kirchmayr lost third to Kapadia on the second lap, and while the SR3 driver consolidated his position, Berg-Neilsen moved into fourth.

The lead pair managed to pull out a useful gap and despite a determined effort from Kapadia, he was forced to surrender third to Berg-Neilsen by the end of lap eight. Although Kirchmayr managed to hold onto fifth, Patterson became close in enough to pose a threat as the pit stop window approached.

Sini pitted with a lead of over 14 seconds over Johnston, but after Kapadia had pit in a strong fourth place, Laddiman jumped in the car and assumed the lead, from Kronegaard, Staaf and Patterson.  “My stint went well, I lost count of the cars I past. I just pushed as hard as I could to give Dan the best chance,” said Kapadia.

Sini and Moseley emerged in 10th and 11th places and after exchanging places within a lap, both worked their way through the order again. But while Laddiman built on his lead, Kronegaard came under pressure from Staaf, which allowed Moseley to surge past them both at Copse on the 19th lap.

With about five minutes to go the gap from Moseley to Laddiman was 5.7secs and closing rapidly. It was fairly leisurely when Moseley made the decisive move, easing past through Woodcote with four laps remaining. “It was a shame it didn’t finish a few laps earlier. I didn’t know I was leading overall, as I just wanted to keep a gap to the next UK car. Then on the radio they said that Stuart was coming,” said Laddiman.

By the flag the winning margin had grown to over 12 secs, with Sini grabbing second at Copse on the last lap. “I had a slight spin before the stops and flat spotted a tyre, causing it to vibrate. I drove for second as I knew I couldn’t beat Stuart today,” said Sini. “That was easier than the first race, as the SR8’s got a clearer run,” Moseley added. Laddiman/Kapadia held onto third, from Patterson, Kronegaard and Staaf.

Sini again topped the SR8LM’s from Kirchmayr, down in 12th Berg-Neilsen was still second best in the SR8’s behind Johnston/Moseley. Kapadia/Laddiman topped the SR3’s from Jeremy Ferguson/Ross Allen and Dolan/Hancock. “I had a fantastic start but Patterson and Kapadia just had too much,” said Ferguson. “I tried to gain on Patterson for the whole of my stint, but made little impression,” Allen added. But more importantly beat Patterson too to head for the final UK round at Rockingham with a one point class lead over their Irish rival.  Other class wins went to Luc Switten/Erik Janssens, Mindaugas Neliubsys and Kronegaard.

1 Johnston/Moseley 24 laps in 46m33.194s (159.023kph); 2 Sini 46m45.713s; 3 Daniel Laddiman/Alex Kapadia (SR3); 4 Patterson; 5 Kronegaard; 6 Staaf; 7 Jeremy Ferguson/Ross Allen (SR3); 8 Sam Hancock/Simon Dolan (SR3); 9 Hallrup; 10 Anders Gabrielsson (Prosport).  Class winners: Sini, Luc Switten/Erik Janssens (SR3); Laddiman/Kapadia; Patterson; Mindaugas Neliubsys (SR5); Kronegaard.

Fastest lap: Moseley 1m47.041s (172.92ph).

Issued by Peter Scherer for Radical Sports Cars, September 15th, 2008.		 Latest Radical News Menu
Back | Home | ^Top of Page