2013  International & Single Seater News

News of WRDA members who are competing in the International & Single Seater arena.

 

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Morris retains 3rd  place in the BRDCF4 title stakes after another podium visit at Oulton Park

report and photos by Rob Allender and  Marion Allender

 

With the Qualifying and 3 races all compressed into one day, WRDA member Seb Morris who was 4th fastest in the early morning qualifying session at a sunny and blisteringly hot Oulton Park, pronounced himself happy with his performance. ‘I can do something from there, as there is only a few tenths between us and pole! More importantly my main rivals Charlie Robertson & Jake Dalton are behind me and some way back!’ Series points leader Robertson would have to start from 7th place and 2nd place Dalton would start the first 12 lap/20 minute race, way down in 11th place!

Catch him if you can (photo left)

 

At the start of the first Race, urged on by an 80 strong army of fans, family & friends, Morris settled into 4th place, which he quickly made into 3rd place. However later in the race, he came under extreme pressure from Ross Gunn, which he successfully resisted, to take another podium place, “My tyres started to go off after 5 laps so I backed off a little, and they came back to me. We will have to see if we can find out why that happened!”  However, the good news was that Charlie Robertson was sidelined early on, and would score no points in this race. So the post race scores meant Jake Dalton, although he finished 7th in race 1, was now the points leader with 175 points, whith Seb Morris was in Joint 2nd place on 166 points with Jake Hughes! Charlie Robertson had dropped to 4th place, still on 164 points.

 

 

Hear Sebs Podium Interveiw                                                (above) Plenty of support for Seb

 

 

(below)(Seb gets strapped in for Race 2)                                            In the 2nd race of the day featuring the top 8 drivers reversed, Dalton would be on the front row with Seb Morris starting in 6th  place, which he occupied early on, before profiting from some good luck to move up to 4th place, after the 2 drivers ahead clashed at Old Hall Corner, leaving one car stranded and the other way back! Even so Seb had to defend his position for most of half the race, from Ross Gun, Jake Hughes and others, which he did with great determination!

 

Afterwards Morris and the Hillspeed engineers were locked in very intense and earnest discussions about what could be done to improve the performance of the car for the final race, where he would start in 6th place again.

 

 Seb sums up after race 2

Meanwhile, Charlie Robertson made full use of his DNF in race one, by starting from the pit-lane and setting the fastest lap in race 2 on his way to a lowly 14th place. However this meant he was able to use the quirky qualifying procedure for race 3, to start from pole position! However Robertson was not able to convert his pole position to a win and eventually finished in 3rd place. The race was run by Ross Gunn, with Jake Hughes 2nd.

 

Seb finished 7th after starting 6th, but as a small compensation, he was 2 places better off than the erstwhile points leader Jake Dalton who finished in 9th place!

 

So the new points table shows that Seb is still in 3rd place, but now with 198 points, and is only 14 points away from regaining the title lead. However Ross Gunn, who scored well on the day, is a substantial 50pts behind in 7th place, having had nothing like the steady points finishes that Morris has achieved in the previous races.

 

The next rounds in the 2013 championship are at Brands Hatch on 27/28 July on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit. Clearly the problems that became apparent at Oulton Park need to be solved if  Seb and the Hillspeed team are to make the final push for that so far elusive win, and Seb confirmed ‘We should be able to start attacking more when our testing schedule ramps up. Our lack of testing compared to the others has held us back a bit’  The welcome boost in the form of a brand new sponsor – Warrington-based Cable Systems Ltd who are suppliers of specialist equipment to the Hazardous Area Industry and the Industrial Electrical Market, will certainly help in that regard.

 

 

Seb left almost straight after the races, for a 10 day charity bike ride around Wales with his father Phillip and his best friend Matt Groome . The trio hope to raise £700, i.e. £1 for each of the 700 miles they will be cycling around the circumference of Wales, with the money raised going to the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity. Starting off in Wrexham and heading to Montgomery, Kilpeck, Caerleon, Burry Port, St.Davids. Aberaeron, Aberdovey, Nefyn, Cemaes Bay and back home; it promises to be a stiff challenge even for the ultra-fit Morris!

You can keep track of their progress on twitter @sebmorris31 and Facebook  www.facebook.com/sebmorrisracing

 Donations can be made www.justgiving.com/SebMorris-MattGroome

 

 

 F4 - 2013 Calendar                                               

27/28 July Brands Hatch GP                                        

17/18 August Silverstone GP  

7/8 September Snetterton 300                                 

28/29 September Donington Park GP

 

BRDC F4 Championship - points after 12 rounds
1st Jake Dalton 212 points. 2nd Jake Hughes 206 pts  3rd Seb Morris 198 pts

4th Charlie Robertson 191 pts 5th Matt Bell 188 pts

 

 

On the MSV F4-013 (designed by Ralph Firman), the 185 bhp Cosworth Duratec-powered MSV F4-013 chassis, engine, gearbox and shock absorers are all sealed. Chassis adjustments are limited too; with ride heights, tracking, cambers and castor, free within specified limits. Anti-Roll bars and wings are adjustable and there a choice of 3 spring rates. There will be three 20 Minutes races per event. The grid for race 1 will be decided by a 20 minutes Qualifing session, and grid for races 2 will be decided by the finishing order of race 1. In race 2 the first 8 places will be switched. The grid for the third race wilbe decided in order of fastest laps from race 1 or 2. Points will be scored from 30 for a win to 1 for 20th. The two worst results from races at events entered will be dropped from final championship points.

The championship winner will get £25,000 in cash and an F3 test with Carlin + the £5,000 Who Zooms’ Award, sponsored by Yoozoom for the driver who gains the most grid places during the 2013 season. The leading six drivers at the mid season point will also be rewarded with a special tour of the renowned McLaren Technology Centre in Woking. Aslo the winner may be selected as a McLaren Autosport BRDC finalist

The 24-race season will conclude over the weekend 28th/29th September at Donington Park GP Circuit in Leicestershire 

http://www.formula4.com/ 

Website: www.sebmorris.com Twitter: @sebmorris31 Facebook: www.facebook.com/sebmorrisracing


 

 

 

 

 

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