2009 News & Reports
Snetterton December
Alex got another great opportunity to test F3 earlier in the month. This time with a different team, Team West-Tec, and at a different circuit, Snetterton`
Despite the very cold and wet weather Alex improved his times steadily throughout the day completing more laps than expected. “I was impressed with the Team and pleased with my performance, making more progress in the transition from Formula Ford to Formula 3.” Alex reported at the end of the day.
“I am just looking forward now to finalising our plans so that we can get underway in earnest when testing starts again in February 2010”.
Look out for more news in 2010
Despite the very cold and wet weather Alex improved his times steadily throughout the day completing more laps than expected. “I was impressed with the Team and pleased with my performance, making more progress in the transition from Formula Ford to Formula 3.” Alex reported at the end of the day.
“I am just looking forward now to finalising our plans so that we can get underway in earnest when testing starts again in February 2010”.
Look out for more news in 2010
Alex tests at Silverstone with T Sport
Silverstone Monday, 2nd November - Alex samples Formula 3 at the wheel of a T-Sport Dallara Honda-Mugen. On his maiden outing in an F3 car Alex found the "high speed grip amazing". "For the first two sessions I was finding my way around the GP circuit, the weather was windy and overcast with the track damp in places. This didn't help getting comfortable with the car or getting used to the down force and physical aspect of driving a Formula 3 car, but by the third session I was setting competitive lap times which was great. For the last session I was all set to run on new tyres but we unfortunately had a technical problem which meant we couldn't do anymore running for the day."
"I thoroughly enjoyed both driving the car and working with the T-Sport team. I am looking forward to getting behind the wheel again. I was able to gel quickly with the team and car and managed to put in some very competitive times for my first outing. The performance of the car was very impressive and it was a fantastic experience".
Russell Eacott, Team Manager of T-Sport reported "We are very surprised by Alex's first performances in the Formula 3 car. I think he has a big future ahead of him in Formula 3 and motor sport. He acclimatised very well to the car in far from ideal weather conditions. He gave good technical feedback and showed great ability and discipline in working with the team at this level. We very much hope we can work with him in the future."
Alex is looking forward to having more seat time to gain more experience in Formula 3. He and his team are currently working with potential sponsors and partners for a season in British Formula 3 National Class next season 2010.
"I thoroughly enjoyed both driving the car and working with the T-Sport team. I am looking forward to getting behind the wheel again. I was able to gel quickly with the team and car and managed to put in some very competitive times for my first outing. The performance of the car was very impressive and it was a fantastic experience".
Russell Eacott, Team Manager of T-Sport reported "We are very surprised by Alex's first performances in the Formula 3 car. I think he has a big future ahead of him in Formula 3 and motor sport. He acclimatised very well to the car in far from ideal weather conditions. He gave good technical feedback and showed great ability and discipline in working with the team at this level. We very much hope we can work with him in the future."
Alex is looking forward to having more seat time to gain more experience in Formula 3. He and his team are currently working with potential sponsors and partners for a season in British Formula 3 National Class next season 2010.
Alex wins Sporting Champion 2009
Saturday, Oct 10 2009
| News
Your Champions 2009 - Overall Sporting Champion for North Wales
Scottish Power and Trinity Mirror North Wales again joined forces to launch "Your Champions 2009", an exciting venture which lets the local community pay tribute to those who make a difference in their area.
Alex was a finalist for Anglesey's "Sporting Champion of the Year", defined as "either an individual or a team that has excelled in his/her or their community during 2009 and become an example for others".
The awards were announced at a presentation dinner at the St George's Hotel, Llandudno last night (Friday 9th October). Nominated as Sporting Champion for Anglesey, Alex was surprised, pleased, and very proud to win the "Overall Sporting Champion 2009" for the whole region of North West Wales.
The award was presented by Bob Champion MBE, legendary Grand National winning jockey.
Alex was a finalist for Anglesey's "Sporting Champion of the Year", defined as "either an individual or a team that has excelled in his/her or their community during 2009 and become an example for others".
The awards were announced at a presentation dinner at the St George's Hotel, Llandudno last night (Friday 9th October). Nominated as Sporting Champion for Anglesey, Alex was surprised, pleased, and very proud to win the "Overall Sporting Champion 2009" for the whole region of North West Wales.
The award was presented by Bob Champion MBE, legendary Grand National winning jockey.
Castle Combe - First Race Last Round
Tuesday, Oct 6 2009
| News, Race Report
Rounds 24 & 25 MSA British Formula Ford Championship
Saturday 3rd October
Alex encountered the highs & lows of motorsport in a fraught finale to the highly competitive 2009 MSA British Formula Ford Championship at the high speed Castle Combe circuit in Wiltshire on Saturday - the first time he has raced there and the last two rounds of the Championship.
After qualifying 8th fastest in the wet morning session, which saw the first 10 cars covered by less than 1 second, he knew a good start would be essential to move him up the field. On the rain soaked track, which was now drying out to a greasy sheen, he got an excellent start and made up a handful of places to run in 4th place. Looking to challenge for a podium place, the race was then slowed for several laps behind the safety car as a result of several cars having crashed at the notorious Quarry Corner. On the re-start of the race Alex got hit in the scramble for the first corner and found himself back in 5th. On the next lap, he overtook team-mate Daniel Cammish for 4th place, but on the penultimate lap fell victim to a dubious manoeuvre which saw Cammish hit Alex's car side-on, taking them both out, to make it 6 cars damaged & sidelined at Quarry Corner.
Alex explained "After the re-start I was hit on the run to the first corner and it damaged my steering, that made the car difficult to drive. Even so you don’t expect your team-mate to crash into you!"
After some frantic work by Kevin Mills team and Alex's mechanic James, his car was repaired enough to make the grid for the second race. However, even though with another flying start (something he is becoming a specialist at) he was initially able to get up to 6th place, his pace faded and he eventually finished 8th.
Afterwards Alex revealed ‘It was difficult as the car was jumping out of gear! I knew after Race 1 this was going to be a problem but we didn’t have time to sort it out after the crash so I had to hold it in 3rd gear most of the way!’ This was an incredible handicap at such a high speed circuit like Castle Combe, forcing him to drive one-handed but highlighting his undoubted skill to be able to bring his crippled car home.
"In a very competitive field, this has been a great learning year for me" said Alex at the end of just his second season in car racing. I have succeeded in putting the car on pole, achieved a podium finish, and consistently qualified at the top end of the field. For 2010 I have the benefit of working with a top management team who will be advising and guiding me on several possible options that will build on my 2009 experiences and move my career forward. I'm really looking forward to it."
Saturday 3rd October
Alex encountered the highs & lows of motorsport in a fraught finale to the highly competitive 2009 MSA British Formula Ford Championship at the high speed Castle Combe circuit in Wiltshire on Saturday - the first time he has raced there and the last two rounds of the Championship.
After qualifying 8th fastest in the wet morning session, which saw the first 10 cars covered by less than 1 second, he knew a good start would be essential to move him up the field. On the rain soaked track, which was now drying out to a greasy sheen, he got an excellent start and made up a handful of places to run in 4th place. Looking to challenge for a podium place, the race was then slowed for several laps behind the safety car as a result of several cars having crashed at the notorious Quarry Corner. On the re-start of the race Alex got hit in the scramble for the first corner and found himself back in 5th. On the next lap, he overtook team-mate Daniel Cammish for 4th place, but on the penultimate lap fell victim to a dubious manoeuvre which saw Cammish hit Alex's car side-on, taking them both out, to make it 6 cars damaged & sidelined at Quarry Corner.
Alex explained "After the re-start I was hit on the run to the first corner and it damaged my steering, that made the car difficult to drive. Even so you don’t expect your team-mate to crash into you!"
After some frantic work by Kevin Mills team and Alex's mechanic James, his car was repaired enough to make the grid for the second race. However, even though with another flying start (something he is becoming a specialist at) he was initially able to get up to 6th place, his pace faded and he eventually finished 8th.
Afterwards Alex revealed ‘It was difficult as the car was jumping out of gear! I knew after Race 1 this was going to be a problem but we didn’t have time to sort it out after the crash so I had to hold it in 3rd gear most of the way!’ This was an incredible handicap at such a high speed circuit like Castle Combe, forcing him to drive one-handed but highlighting his undoubted skill to be able to bring his crippled car home.
"In a very competitive field, this has been a great learning year for me" said Alex at the end of just his second season in car racing. I have succeeded in putting the car on pole, achieved a podium finish, and consistently qualified at the top end of the field. For 2010 I have the benefit of working with a top management team who will be advising and guiding me on several possible options that will build on my 2009 experiences and move my career forward. I'm really looking forward to it."
GRAND PRIX SHOOTOUT - RESULTS
Friday, Oct 2 2009
| News
Results of the vote for the three free entries to the GP Shootout are now published. Alex sends his thanks to all his family, friends, press and supporters who canvassed for him and everyone who went online to vote for him. All your efforts are very much appreciated.
Full results can be viewed at: http://www.driverdb.com/drivers/14694/
Full results can be viewed at: http://www.driverdb.com/drivers/14694/
Brands Hatch Race Report
Thursday, Sep 10 2009
| Race Report
Rounds 19, 20, & 21 MSA British Formula Ford Championship
Brands Hatch 5th/6th September
Making the long journey down on Thursday evening, thinking about the weekend ahead, Alex knew that on an unfamiliar circuit, and with no Friday test, he would have his work cut out to put in a competitive qualifying time. He was not too disappointed on the day with a qualifying time that gave him 10th place on the grid for Race 1. Moreso, as once again the timings were very close with just 2 tenths of a second separating him from 5th position.
Saturday Race 1:
Alex made a good start and, although looking for some extra pace, ran a clean race to finish in 8th position, almost taking 7th across the line.
Sunday Race 2:
With progress made overnight on car set up, and with the experience from Saturday's outings, Alex was looking forward to competitive racing on Sunday. Despite starting 11th on the grid, he made good headway in the first few laps before a hit from behind, under braking at Druid's, weakened his tracking and from there on it was a case of struggling to maintain pace and position. Although doing a sterling job, he fell back into the clutches of a kamikaze Cunhill on Paddock Hill bend who took them both out on Lap 17.
Sunday Race 3:
A decent fastest lap achieved in the first few laps of Race 2 saw Alex line up 9th on the grid. Another great start and he was up to 7th by the exit of the first corner. Alas, it just wasn't to be this weekend for Alex as he suffered a hit from behind going into Graham Hill bend on Lap 1, breaking the rear suspension and forcing another retirement.
Undeterred, Alex left Brands taking away the positives from his own performance during the weekend and looking forward to returning there in two weeks' time for the pen-ultimate rounds of the Championship on the Grand Prix circuit.
Brands Hatch 5th/6th September
Making the long journey down on Thursday evening, thinking about the weekend ahead, Alex knew that on an unfamiliar circuit, and with no Friday test, he would have his work cut out to put in a competitive qualifying time. He was not too disappointed on the day with a qualifying time that gave him 10th place on the grid for Race 1. Moreso, as once again the timings were very close with just 2 tenths of a second separating him from 5th position.
Saturday Race 1:
Alex made a good start and, although looking for some extra pace, ran a clean race to finish in 8th position, almost taking 7th across the line.
Sunday Race 2:
With progress made overnight on car set up, and with the experience from Saturday's outings, Alex was looking forward to competitive racing on Sunday. Despite starting 11th on the grid, he made good headway in the first few laps before a hit from behind, under braking at Druid's, weakened his tracking and from there on it was a case of struggling to maintain pace and position. Although doing a sterling job, he fell back into the clutches of a kamikaze Cunhill on Paddock Hill bend who took them both out on Lap 17.
Sunday Race 3:
A decent fastest lap achieved in the first few laps of Race 2 saw Alex line up 9th on the grid. Another great start and he was up to 7th by the exit of the first corner. Alas, it just wasn't to be this weekend for Alex as he suffered a hit from behind going into Graham Hill bend on Lap 1, breaking the rear suspension and forcing another retirement.
Undeterred, Alex left Brands taking away the positives from his own performance during the weekend and looking forward to returning there in two weeks' time for the pen-ultimate rounds of the Championship on the Grand Prix circuit.
Silverstone Race Report
Sunday, Aug 16 2009
| Race Report
Rounds 16, 17, & 18 MSA British Formula Ford Championship
Silverstone 15th/16th August
Arriving at Silverstone with high hopes of bagging some top results following his podium success at Donington, Alex realised it was not gong to be an easy task given the general pace at Friday's test day. He knew he would have to work hard for a decent qualifying position on Saturday morning and was not too disappointed at achieving 7th & 6th places respectively on the grid for Races 1 & 2.
Saturday Race 1:
A great start propelled him up to 3rd position before the end of Lap 1 but with emerging handling/tyre issues he was having to drive hard to maintain position. For a while things seemed to go his way with a lengthy deployment of the safety car as a result of two separate incidents. When the safety car pulled in there was just seven minutes remaining, but with the field closed back up and struggling for pace, Alex slipped to 4th. In the penultimate lap contact with another driver saw him lose another couple of places to finish in 6th place.
Sunday Race 2:
A flying start saw Alex take off from 6th on the grid and into 5th before the end of Lap 1. Still struggling with the handling/tyre issues he was unable to maintain or defend his position and slipped a couple of places to 7th where he hung on for the most part of the race. On Lap 9 he lost place to Rogier de Wit, and although he fought back valiantly & regained position, he eventually had to settle for an 8th place finish. The problems also hampered his efforts to put in a good lap time for Race 3 and he would start that one from 10th on the grid.
Sunday Race 3:
Another excellent start was ruined when Alex was hit from behind on the first lap spinning him out of position and resulting in damage to the gear box. This damage eventually forced him to retire on Lap 7, but not before an inspired drive that saw him not only catch up from a long way back, but start making progress through the field.
After the race a philosophical Alex commented, "The Team worked hard to overcome the problems we had in testing and give me the best they could for the three races, but it just didn't happen for me this weekend. The changes made for Race 3 felt good and the car was coming on each lap but the collision and damaged gear box prevented me from getting the advantage out of them."
Brands Hatch Test
A quick turn around saw Alex travel home to Anglesey on Sunday for an overnight stay before heading back South to test at Brands on Tuesday, 18th. "I love driving at Brands" says Alex "and am looking forward to getting back on pace quickly".
Silverstone 15th/16th August
Arriving at Silverstone with high hopes of bagging some top results following his podium success at Donington, Alex realised it was not gong to be an easy task given the general pace at Friday's test day. He knew he would have to work hard for a decent qualifying position on Saturday morning and was not too disappointed at achieving 7th & 6th places respectively on the grid for Races 1 & 2.
Saturday Race 1:
A great start propelled him up to 3rd position before the end of Lap 1 but with emerging handling/tyre issues he was having to drive hard to maintain position. For a while things seemed to go his way with a lengthy deployment of the safety car as a result of two separate incidents. When the safety car pulled in there was just seven minutes remaining, but with the field closed back up and struggling for pace, Alex slipped to 4th. In the penultimate lap contact with another driver saw him lose another couple of places to finish in 6th place.
Sunday Race 2:
A flying start saw Alex take off from 6th on the grid and into 5th before the end of Lap 1. Still struggling with the handling/tyre issues he was unable to maintain or defend his position and slipped a couple of places to 7th where he hung on for the most part of the race. On Lap 9 he lost place to Rogier de Wit, and although he fought back valiantly & regained position, he eventually had to settle for an 8th place finish. The problems also hampered his efforts to put in a good lap time for Race 3 and he would start that one from 10th on the grid.
Sunday Race 3:
Another excellent start was ruined when Alex was hit from behind on the first lap spinning him out of position and resulting in damage to the gear box. This damage eventually forced him to retire on Lap 7, but not before an inspired drive that saw him not only catch up from a long way back, but start making progress through the field.
After the race a philosophical Alex commented, "The Team worked hard to overcome the problems we had in testing and give me the best they could for the three races, but it just didn't happen for me this weekend. The changes made for Race 3 felt good and the car was coming on each lap but the collision and damaged gear box prevented me from getting the advantage out of them."
Brands Hatch Test
A quick turn around saw Alex travel home to Anglesey on Sunday for an overnight stay before heading back South to test at Brands on Tuesday, 18th. "I love driving at Brands" says Alex "and am looking forward to getting back on pace quickly".
Podium Finish at Donington
Wednesday, Jul 22 2009
| Race Report
Rounds 13, 14, & 15 MSA British Formula Ford Championship
Donington Park 18th/19th July
Saturday Race 1:
The first race of the weekend kicked off with a great start for Alex and his Australian team mate Daniel Erickson who took his maiden victory in British Formula Ford. From fifth on the grid Alex got the benefit of the two second runners colliding, taking them both out on the warm up lap. This enabled Alex to quickly move up into third place off the start line. With rapid pace he was soon making a bid for second place. An exciting duel ensued with Alex making a decisive and successful move on lap 3, but falling victim to Joseph Newgarden behind who managed to dive past into second. They raced on to get clear away from the rest of the field and Alex achieved his first podium of the season in third place. With team mate Daniel Cammish taking 4th place and the Scholarship win, this was a great result for Kevin Mills and the Spectrum drivers in 1st, 3rd & 4th places. "It's been a long time coming," said Alex. "I'm really happy for the Team. Its been a fantastic day for Kevin Mills Racing." Kevin Mills was delighted with the results delivered by his young drivers, describing it as "Mega. We have been promising this for quite a while and it is terrific to deliver." "Fantastic" was how Australian Spectrum designer Mike Borland summed up the result. "We're also racing at Sandown this weekend for the Victorian Championship. Spectrum chassis won the Formula Ford and Formula Ford 1600 races at Sandown and then we sat up to watch live timing and see the two Dans and Alex crowd the podium in their KMR Spectrums. It is very satisfying to see our cars winning races around the World within a few hours. Congratulations to Kevin, his Team and the Drivers on a well earned result."
Sunday Race 2:
Following Saturday's podium Alex was keen to get going again on Sunday morning, confident he could bring in another good result. Making an excellent start, he was in a good position to make progress but things didn't work out quite as planned when he suffered a broken 3rd gear a couple of laps in and dropped back to 10th place. Fortunately there was a sizeable gap behind the top ten runners and the pursuing pack and he skilfully nursed the car home to maintain 10th place over the finish line.
Sunday Race 3:
The downside of the broken gear in Race 2 meant that Alex was unable to get in a decent qualifying for Race 3 and started this one from 13th on the grid. On the bright side, it had rained before the race so everyone went out on wet tyres. With Alex being acknowledged for his skill in wet driving conditions he was looking forward to moving up the field quite rapidly. Up to 10th by lap 7 and creating a gap behind, deployment of the safety car on lap 9 following an accident meant the field closed up again. Unfortunately, for Alex when the race resumed on lap 11 he got hit from behind putting him on the grass and losing places. With just a couple of minutes left and with the track drying out he was unable to make the same progress, and despite closing the gap had to settle for 13th place. Nevertheless, a good weekend's racing and the satisfaction of his first podium this season.
Donington Park 18th/19th July
Saturday Race 1:
The first race of the weekend kicked off with a great start for Alex and his Australian team mate Daniel Erickson who took his maiden victory in British Formula Ford. From fifth on the grid Alex got the benefit of the two second runners colliding, taking them both out on the warm up lap. This enabled Alex to quickly move up into third place off the start line. With rapid pace he was soon making a bid for second place. An exciting duel ensued with Alex making a decisive and successful move on lap 3, but falling victim to Joseph Newgarden behind who managed to dive past into second. They raced on to get clear away from the rest of the field and Alex achieved his first podium of the season in third place. With team mate Daniel Cammish taking 4th place and the Scholarship win, this was a great result for Kevin Mills and the Spectrum drivers in 1st, 3rd & 4th places. "It's been a long time coming," said Alex. "I'm really happy for the Team. Its been a fantastic day for Kevin Mills Racing." Kevin Mills was delighted with the results delivered by his young drivers, describing it as "Mega. We have been promising this for quite a while and it is terrific to deliver." "Fantastic" was how Australian Spectrum designer Mike Borland summed up the result. "We're also racing at Sandown this weekend for the Victorian Championship. Spectrum chassis won the Formula Ford and Formula Ford 1600 races at Sandown and then we sat up to watch live timing and see the two Dans and Alex crowd the podium in their KMR Spectrums. It is very satisfying to see our cars winning races around the World within a few hours. Congratulations to Kevin, his Team and the Drivers on a well earned result."
Sunday Race 2:
Following Saturday's podium Alex was keen to get going again on Sunday morning, confident he could bring in another good result. Making an excellent start, he was in a good position to make progress but things didn't work out quite as planned when he suffered a broken 3rd gear a couple of laps in and dropped back to 10th place. Fortunately there was a sizeable gap behind the top ten runners and the pursuing pack and he skilfully nursed the car home to maintain 10th place over the finish line.
Sunday Race 3:
The downside of the broken gear in Race 2 meant that Alex was unable to get in a decent qualifying for Race 3 and started this one from 13th on the grid. On the bright side, it had rained before the race so everyone went out on wet tyres. With Alex being acknowledged for his skill in wet driving conditions he was looking forward to moving up the field quite rapidly. Up to 10th by lap 7 and creating a gap behind, deployment of the safety car on lap 9 following an accident meant the field closed up again. Unfortunately, for Alex when the race resumed on lap 11 he got hit from behind putting him on the grass and losing places. With just a couple of minutes left and with the track drying out he was unable to make the same progress, and despite closing the gap had to settle for 13th place. Nevertheless, a good weekend's racing and the satisfaction of his first podium this season.
3rd at Donington Park
Saturday, Jul 18 2009
| Race Report
Alex had a great first day at the re-scheduled Donington Park event, qualifying 5th fastest and finishing Saturday's race in 3rd place. Alex's first podium of the season puts an end to his run of bad luck and means that he can look forward to Sunday's two races with renewed optimism!
Solid finishes at Snetterton
Monday, Jul 6 2009
| Race Report
Rounds 10, 11 & 12 MSA British Formula Ford Championship
Snetterton: July 4th & 5th 2009
Saturday's 10th round of the Championship took place on a hot and sunny day at Snetterton, very different to last year's torrential downpours.
From 8th on the grid Alex made a good start. A few laps in, creating a gap behind and looking for the opportunity to overtake, progress was delayed when the safety car was deployed to rescue Josh Hill's stranded car. When the safety car pulled in, the field closed up again, so it was back to the start and alas for Alex, any hopes of working up through the field were dashed when he was hit from behind at Sears bend sending him into a spin where he was collected by Rogier de Wit's car, sadly taking them both out of the race.
Undeterred Alex arrived at the circuit on Sunday morning determined to make the best of the remaining two races.
Sunday did turn out to be a better day with Alex taking a top 10 finish in both races. Although not getting the results he wanted, Alex is gaining in experience and was less than 0.5 secs off the fastest lap in each race. He is therefore on the pace and has the ability to run at the front and so he will be looking for some real progress at the next meeting at Donington Park in two weeks' time.
Alex on Pole at Knockhill
Monday, Jun 15 2009
| Race Report
Rounds 7, 8 & 9 MSA British Formula Ford Championship
Knockhill: June 13th & 14th 2009
Alex came away from his weekend at Knockhill somewhat frustrated at not achieving his first win of the season after starting from pole position and from 3rd on the grid in two of the three races. He can however, be greatly encouraged by the fact that he was one of the quickest drivers all weekend and will be even more determined to get a result at the next race at Snetterton.
Knockhill: June 13th & 14th 2009
Alex came away from his weekend at Knockhill somewhat frustrated at not achieving his first win of the season after starting from pole position and from 3rd on the grid in two of the three races. He can however, be greatly encouraged by the fact that he was one of the quickest drivers all weekend and will be even more determined to get a result at the next race at Snetterton.
Saturday started really well with Alex showing the kind of form that has made him a potential race winner. Along with eventual pole sitter Ben Barker he set the pace in qualifying finishing 3rd quickest overall, just 0.03 secs behind Barker. His times were also good enough to secure pole position for the second race on Sunday.
However at the end of the qualifying session Alex had quite a large accident on his flying lap when his throttle stuck open. Fortunately he was not injured thanks to the safety barriers. The problem was later traced to a stone jamming the throttle, picked up on track following an earlier excursion into the gravel by another driver. In the interval before the first race Alex's team made a fantastic effort to get the car raceworthy again and Alex made it onto the grid with his Spectrum almost totally rebuilt. Nevertheless this "off" would eventually come back to bite Alex in the first race, but given his speed and grid position expectations were naturally very high.
Alex made a great start to the first race and passed McKenna to move into 2nd place with a daring move on the outside just before Turn 3. An exciting duel continued for a couple of laps with slight contact between the two cars working in Alex's favour and he started to build up a gap behind him. With leader Ben Barker comfortably ahead Alex looked like he would realistically achieve 2nd place. but then on lap 9 his gearbox main shaft sheared and his race was over. It seems most likely that the problem was a result of the earlier incident in qualifying.So after the highs of qualifying 3rd and on pole, Saturday ended in frustration for Alex.
Sunday was to be another mixed bag of fortune. On pole for the first race and with the knowledge that he had the speed there was a good chance of a race win. However Alex was possibly a little too eager to get away quickly and made a jump start. Although he then led the first lap he was forced to come into the pits on lap 4 and dropped to the back of the field. Emerging in 19th place he then drove a brilliant race, demonstrating great skill and determination to cut his way right through the pack and get up to 9th place. With a couple of laps to go he made his move for 8th place but was hit by the driver he was passing which took them both into the gravel and out of the race ...........!
To compound matters grid positions for the final race of the day were determined by lap times from the second race and as Alex had to battle his way through traffic he was unable to put in a fast lap time and so qualified 9th on the grid. With a need to get a finish and score some points Alex drove a strategic and slightly more cautious race running in 7th and 8th place for most of the race before settling for an 8th place finish.
After a very tough weekend which had looked so promising after qualifying Alex was still upbeat and wanted to record his thanks to the Kevin Mills Team who worked so hard to repair the car and get him out in the races. "The team were brilliant - everyone pitched in and worked relentlessly to get me back out there. Thanks guys!"
He certainly didn't get the luck he deserved after his performance in qualifying and in the first two races and so he will be even more determined to get a result at the next race at Snetterton on July 4-5th.
3rd in qualifying, pole for Race 2 at Knockhill
Saturday, Jun 13 2009
| Race Report
Rounds 7, 8 & 9 MSA British Formula Ford Championship
Knockhill: June 13th & 14th 2009
Alex had a good start at Knockhill taking 3rd place in qualifying just 0.03 secs behind the fastest car. He was actually quickest through 3 of the 4 sectors and will line up 3rd on the grid for Saturday's first race. He will also be in pole position for Race 2 on Sunday thanks to having the fastest second lap in qualifying.
Knockhill: June 13th & 14th 2009
Alex had a good start at Knockhill taking 3rd place in qualifying just 0.03 secs behind the fastest car. He was actually quickest through 3 of the 4 sectors and will line up 3rd on the grid for Saturday's first race. He will also be in pole position for Race 2 on Sunday thanks to having the fastest second lap in qualifying.
Elite Cymru backs Alex
Saturday, Jun 6 2009
| News
Alex has won valuable backing from Elite Cymru, a programme run by the Sports Council for Wales, aimed at providing elite and potentially elite sports competitors with a wide range of support to assist them to fully achieve their potential. It is an achievement in itself to be included as a member of the scheme and Alex is naturally thrilled to be included. He is also one of the first motor sport competitors to be taken on. Membership will be reviewed annually against clearly defined performance plans and targets
Rockingham basks in sunshine
Monday, Jun 1 2009
| Race Report
Rounds 4, 5 & 6 MSA British Formula Ford Championship
Rockingham: May 30th & 31st 2009
A lovely sunny start to the race weekend at Rockingham. Friday's test had not gone to plan for Alex and he went into Saturday knowing he would have to dig deep to qualify well. "I just have to get on it and nail it as best I can," commented Alex before the session. And that's what he did, qualifying on the 4th row of the grid for both Race 1 and 2 in 8th & 7th position respectively, with just 4/10ths of a second separating him from pole.
Rockingham: May 30th & 31st 2009
A lovely sunny start to the race weekend at Rockingham. Friday's test had not gone to plan for Alex and he went into Saturday knowing he would have to dig deep to qualify well. "I just have to get on it and nail it as best I can," commented Alex before the session. And that's what he did, qualifying on the 4th row of the grid for both Race 1 and 2 in 8th & 7th position respectively, with just 4/10ths of a second separating him from pole.
Saturday 3.30 pm Race 1:
After the unfortunate round at Oulton, Alex knew he had some points to catch up so the aim for this race was to get a good start and finish as high up as possible. He got away well gaining 7th place by the end of the first lap. Already creating a gap behind him he looked like making further progress, but deployment of the safety car for a short period put paid to that allowing the field to close back up. Alex then enjoyed trading places in an intense battle between him, Daniel Erickson (team mate), De Wit, Chrissy Palmer, and Liroy Stuart for 5th place, Alex ultimately finishing where he had started in 8th place.
Sunday 12.55 pm Race 2:
7th on the grid, Alex did not make the best start and lost a few places before the first corner. Recovering well he retook the places "scything through the pack" was the comment. An aggressive move on the first hairpin backfired, however, as he locked up and went off track losing several places, but recovered places over the remaining laps to finish in 11th position. Disappointing result for Alex but an exciting race.
Sunday 16: 4.47 pm Race 3:
A good start from Grid position 7 saw Alex up to 5th before the first corner. On pace and with a podium in his sight he was called up for a drive through penalty, but fought back valiantly to cross the line a respectable 12th.
Rockingham preview
Thursday, May 28 2009
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After a long break of six weeks inbetween race meetings, British Formula Ford drivers take to the grid again this weekend for the second round of the MSA Championship at Rockingham in Leicestershire.
The weather looks set to be sunny and Alex says "I am really looking forward to the weekend. Rockingham is a circuit that has been good to me in the past. I have been working hard and going well in testing so it's all looking very promising."
A new focus for Alex!
Monday, May 25 2009
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Wednesday, 20th May - Alex had the thrill of demonstrating the new Ford Focus RS at an event day at Preswold Hall in Leicestershire. Prestwold is a disused airfield with a basic track layout and Alex spent the day driving the new Focus RS giving high-speed lap rides to Ford customers and staff.
Ford's 301bhp Focus RS sets new standards in the hot hatch class and will be the most powerful ever road going Ford. It is also the first RS to feature a five-cylinder engine.
"The RS is very exciting to drive" Alex reported, "it has tremendous torque coming out of the corners and great grip and stability under braking. With a revised version of the ST's turbocharged 2.5 litre Duratec motor and front-wheel drive it produces mega power, doing 0-60mph in under six seconds with a top speed of over 155mph. I thoroughly enjoyed taking people around and giving them the experience of how a fast car can perform. It was good to see their appreciation and pleasure - "awesome" and "fantastic experience" were words I heard a lot during the day, which also made my day really worth while."
But now it is time to re-focus on the single-seater Ford with the second round of the MSA Formula Ford Championship coming up next weekend, 30th/31st May.
Ford's 301bhp Focus RS sets new standards in the hot hatch class and will be the most powerful ever road going Ford. It is also the first RS to feature a five-cylinder engine.
"The RS is very exciting to drive" Alex reported, "it has tremendous torque coming out of the corners and great grip and stability under braking. With a revised version of the ST's turbocharged 2.5 litre Duratec motor and front-wheel drive it produces mega power, doing 0-60mph in under six seconds with a top speed of over 155mph. I thoroughly enjoyed taking people around and giving them the experience of how a fast car can perform. It was good to see their appreciation and pleasure - "awesome" and "fantastic experience" were words I heard a lot during the day, which also made my day really worth while."
But now it is time to re-focus on the single-seater Ford with the second round of the MSA Formula Ford Championship coming up next weekend, 30th/31st May.
Knockhill
Friday, 15th May. As expected from the forecast, Knockhill weather presented changing & challenging conditions, both dry and wet at various times throughout the day. However, Alex was more than happy to go for it, making good use of the changing track to test different set ups and identify areas for improvement. He came away satisfied at the end of the day "Its a 700 mile round trip up here but it has been well worth it, we know the areas to work on and I am just looking forward to the next test to continue improving."
Testing times ....
Alex continued his in season test programme at Snetterton on Friday, 1st May followed by Silverstone on Friday, 8th May. Fantastic weather at Snetterton made the productive day even more enjoyable, although a very tired Alex made the long journey home after over 100 laps of the circuit.
Silverstone was more typical of our British weather with a damp start, but Alex shone in both wet and dry conditions with fast and consistent performance throughout the day. Summing up Alex said "Over the two test days I have had more valuable seat time and look forward to continuing the programme in preparation for the next race meeting at Rockingham."
All goes well at Silverstone
"After the disappointment of Oulton Park it was good to be back in the seat at Silverstone and towards the front of the timesheets on both wet and dry track" reported Alex. "I drove smoothly and worked to iron out some problems that had been hampering me pre-season". Having taken another step in the right direction with both car and driving Alex is now looking ahead to the Snetterton test next Friday and continuing the good work.
Listen to Alex!
Friday, Apr 17 2009
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You can listen to Alex being interviewed by Rob Allender from the Welsh Racing Driver's Association website by clicking here.
