Latest news from Sean Walkinshaw Racing… For immediate release: Monday, 1st September 2014 Ref: SWR14-18 FIRST YEAR ROOKIE ALBERT STARS AT BRANDS GP WITH DOUBLE TOP FIVE Jordan Albert produced, by far, his best and most competitive showing of the BRDC Formula 4 Championship season at Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit over the weekend, 30th/31st August, with a brace of superb top five results for the SWR Caterham F1 Driver Development Programme Team. Chalking up the highest points finishes of his maiden season in F4, the 17-year-old from Silverstone was fifth in rounds 16 and 17 and went on to add a seventh place finish in round 18 to climb through into 11th position in the driver standings. Team-mate Diego Borrelli had an unfortunate non-finish in the second race, but he book-ended that result with 14th position in rounds 16 and 18 and those results were enough to move the Venezuelan into 16th place in the championship for Chipping Norton-based SWR Caterham. “Jordan did an absolutely fantastic job and really did deserve his great results”, said team owner Sean Walkinshaw, “It was great to see him fighting, and beating, some of the best drivers in the championship with some incredible performances. He put together excellent starts, probably the best of any driver out there, and showed the pace is there – we’re really pleased. “When you’re starting back in the thick of the pack like Diego did, it’s always difficult and especially at a track like Brands Hatch GP which isn’t the easiest for overtaking in these cars. Race two was a real shame for Diego as he got taken out at the first corner, but it was a steady weekend overall with two more decent points scores in races one and three.” Albert starred in round 16 on Saturday afternoon with the first of his top five finishes, confirming the teenager’s continued improvement. Qualifying an excellent sixth fastest, within 0.7 seconds of pole position, Albert took fifth on lap one and remained there for the duration as a constant threat. Pressuring Raoul Hyman throughout, Albert just wasn’t able to open-up a clear cut passing opportunity and so took the chequered flag on lap 14 only 0.2 seconds shy of fourth place. The SWR Caterham racer certainly impressed with his pace and tenacity and almost managed to get ahead of Hyman three laps from the end after running side-by-side through Paddock Hill Bend. Borrelli, starting in 15th position, was nudged back to 16th on lap three but quickly moved into the top 15 at the expense of Rodrigo Fonseca. Staying there until lap 10, the Venezuelan climbed into 14th position as fellow South American Alfredo Zabalza dropped back and Borrelli went on to finish almost two seconds clear of the Mexican. Starting round 17 on Sunday morning from fourth on the grid, Albert climbed into the top three on the first lap as team-mate Borrelli unfortunately came to grief at Paddock Hill Bend after contact from a rival. Albert, meanwhile, continued in third place but on lap three he was nudged back to fifth after the two leaders tangled at Druids and the delay allowed others to nip through. Remaining there to the conclusion, he pressured Hyman once again and the SWR Caterham youngster lapped marginally quicker than his rival with a best time just 0.1 seconds shy of the race winner’s best. For round 18, Albert and Borrelli were eighth and 15th on the grid respectively and the former again made a tremendous launch to climb into seventh place. With overtaking at a real premium, Albert swarmed all over the back of the car ahead but couldn’t quite prise open the chance he required and had to settle for seventh position. Borelli was edged back to 16th position initially in the third and final BRDC Formula 4 race of the weekend but worked his way back into the top 15 and then 14th place right near the end to post another solid finish. There are just three weeks to wait for the penultimate event of the BRDC F4 Championship season, rounds 19, 20 and 21, which will take place at Donington Park Grand Prix Circuit in Leicestershire over the weekend 20th/21st September.
Posted on: Mon, 01 Sep 2014 11:31:39 +0000
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