DOUBLE WIN AND CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD FOR FAULTLESS MORRIS

Seb leads at Brands Hatch (photos by Jakob Ebrey Photography) 

Teenage motor racing sensation & WRDA member Seb Morris got his 2011 Ginetta Junior Championship campaign off to a tremendous start at Brands Hatch in Kent over the weekend of 2nd/3rd April, with a memorable double race win and near-perfect points haul during the first two races of the new season.

Arriving at the venue’s 1.2-mile Indy Circuit as a very real contender for success, the 15-year-old Kings School Chester pupil didn’t disappoint with pace and racecraft far belying his tender years and experience. Ahead of the next two rounds at Donington Park a fortnight from now, the Hillspeed driver has a healthy 15 point lead at the top of the championship table.

“Hopefully this is the start of a really good year for us”, said Seb, “It’s fantastic to win the first two races and it’s obviously great to be leading the championship. I’ve taken everything on board I’ve been taught and it’s all worked out really well this weekend. Thank you to everyone at the team and to my sponsors Liberty Properties and Legat Owen.”

Although just missing out on pole position for round one during Saturday’s qualifying session, by a mere 10th of a second, the reigning Winter Series Champion’s consistency was such his second best time of the session gave him pole for race two.

Making a great start to round one, Seb launched his Ginetta G40 brilliantly into the lead and he moved across to the inside line to ensure a clean run through the daunting Paddock Hill Bend for the first time. No sooner had the race begun though than the Safety Car was required due to a multi-car collision behind and a decision was the taken by officials to show red flags and stop the race.

Keen to make a similarly strong getaway at the re-start, Seb had to settle for second behind pole-sitter Jake Giddings but into McLaren two thirds of the way through the lap he scythed past for the lead with a stunning move.

Immediately setting about building a good cushion, the Welsh racer reeled off a series of very quick laps and in the end he took the unchallenged victory by more than three seconds – his first win in the main summer series to add to last year’s Winter Championship race victories.

In round two, Seb slipped to second from pole position but he piled on the pressure to Giddings lap after lap and on the 10th tour produced an impressive move to take thelead into Surtees. Giddings hit back as Seb went slightly wide into Paddock Hill Bend but on lap 14 he moved back into the lead with a great piece of driving and never relinquished his advantage from that point on.

He said: “We knew we had the pace to get ahead in the second race, I had to back off a bit in the slipstream though as Jake (Giddings) was sliding around a lot. It was hard to know whether to attack or defend the cars behind, as soon as he left a gap though I went for it. He got back ahead as I ran wide, but I learnt from that and when I had my next chance I didn’t make the same mistake twice.”

Seb holds the winners trophy aloft (Jakob Ebrey Photography )
Seb’s next race action will come just a fortnight from now over the weekend 16th/17th April with a visit to the Hillspeed team’s home circuit, Donington Park in Leicestershire, for rounds three and four of the 2011 Ginetta Junior Championship – the venue of his maiden podium finish in 2010.

2011 Ginetta Junior Championship Driver Standings (after Rd2):
1st Seb Morris, 71pts; 2nd Tom Howard, 56pts; 3rd William Foster, 46pts

Thanks to Victoria for the report

More information available at http://www.sebmorris.com