Information on Loughborough

Pivotal Race for Apotex Driver Bratt

Posted on 31/08/2007
P. Klein

loughborough based team apotexFormula Renault UK title contender Will Bratt sees next weekends 17th and 18th rounds of the season at Donington Park Grand Prix Circuit as pivotal to his chances of entering the championship finale at Thruxton in mid-October with a realistic hope of claiming the 2007 drivers crown.

The 19-year-old Apotex Scorpio Motorsport sensation has enjoyed an outstanding year in the category with four race wins and three other podium finishes helping place him third overall in the title race. Bearing in mind there are still 128 points in total up for grabs to any one driver, the destiny of the Formula Renault UK crown is far from decided.

Having been 92 points adrift of the lead in the championship following the sixth round of the season, Wills superb mid-to-late season run has enabled him to peg the gap back to 52 points, when taking into consideration the categorys double-drop score ruling, with just four races now remaining in the 2007 campaign.

Taking his fourth win of the season during the last round at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit, Will has high hopes Donington Park will provide a similarly good return and the teenager is also relishing the opportunity of racing on the world-famous Grand Prix configuration at a meeting which is expected to attract over 100,000 enthusiasts on 8th/9th September.

Away from its usual slot on the British Touring Car Championship package, Formula Renault UK will act as support to the British round of the World Series by Renault next weekend and as a genuine championship challenger and multiple race-winner, Will is bidding for nothing less than two podium finishes " although his chief aim is to stand atop the rostrum.

"Im really looking forward to Donington, Itll be an absolutely huge event and were confident we have a good chance to do well. Having said that, we know Fortec (Motorsport " championship leading entrant) will be very strong but we just need to concentrate on our own programme and hopefully the results will come.

"Its been a fantastic season for us and weve had some excellent races, the guys at Apotex Scorpio have done an excellent job all year. Obviously I want to win both races at Donington to keep us in the title fight into the last event of the year at Thruxton, but if we can take a couple of podiums itll be a good weekend.

The World Series by Renault event will see the beginning of a new partnership between Will and the worlds leading independent software publisher Serif (Europe) Ltd, the Nottingham company striking a deal to support the talented young single-seater racer for what will most certainly be the biggest event of his career.

The build-up to the race meeting starts for Will on Tuesday, 4th September, when he will join colleagues from Loughborough-based Apotex Scorpio Motorsport at Serifs Nottingham offices for the official unveiling of the new agreement.

Official testing will then take place the following day, Wednesday, 5th September, at Donington Park Grand Prix Circuit with qualifying expected to get underway at 13.15 on Saturday, 8th September.

For this race meeting, the regular qualifying format of two sessions is to be replaced with just one meaning each drivers best lap time will determine their starting position for round 17 with second fastest times forming the grid for round 18.

Both races are timetabled for Sunday, 9th September, with round 17 set to begin at 09.00 and round 18 scheduled to start at 16.00.

Provisional 2007 Formula Renault UK Standings (after Rd16 " inc. drop scores)

1st Dean Smith, 392pts; 2nd Duncan Tappy, 385pts; 3rd Will Bratt 340pts