Ben Hingley at Donington before Race 1 (photos by Rob Allender)
WRDA member Ben Hingeley, from Abergele, finished the 2017 BRDC F3 championship in 3rd place after adding to the 3 wins he had already this season in his Fortec run car, on Saturday and picking up some vital points in the final 2 races on Sunday!
In race 1 of the weekends 3 races, Ben started from pole, with the 2017 Champion, Enaam Ahmed, in 2nd place. At the start Ahmed got a good start and challenged for the lead at Redgate, the first corner. Ben was un-phased and held his nerve to establish himself in the lead, and although he and Ahmed were never far apart, Ben was always just ‘out of reach’! After taking the chequered flag in 2nd place Ahmed was generous enough to stop by Bens parent and confirm, ‘Ben drove well, he deserved to win’
Apart from normal F3 Trophy, Ben was also presented with the Muriel Tomlinson Trophy by the Donington Park Racing Association Club. (The Muriel Tomlinson Trophy commemorates her role as Chairman of the Donington Park Racing Association Club and marks her 25 years of involvement with the club) and he confirmed “I felt really good through the first sector, I felt like I pulled away a little bit but in the middle sector he was always putting me under a lot of pressure. It basically yo-yoed throughout the lap each time and it was a lot of pressure throughout the whole race, well done to him. He was right with me and put me under a lot of pressure through the last sector and luckily the chequered flag was there and it was a great race. Thanks to the Fortec lads, it was a great job by them, qualifying was mega’ With 4 races wins, Ben has more wins than anyone else, except the Champion Enaam Ahmed!
Ben with his Mum & Dad after race 1!
However under championship rules, the grid from race 2 is the reverse order from the race 1 result. This meant that Ben would start race 2 in 8th place! He moved up to 7th and was elevated to 5th late on, when the long time leader was taken out! In some kind of justice, his assailant damaged his own car and was out as well! In Race 3 he finished in 4th place and the points gained were enough to give Ben 3rd place in the Final Points standings! An excellent result for Ben who has done the difficult task of being a tough racer and yet staying a super person