BFREN: Snetterton test report 2002-05-22

Green shoots to the top in Formula Renault test.

Jamie Green (Broughton Astley) headed official Formula Renault testing for the first time this year as the UK Championship's teams and drivers shook down their cars at Snetterton, Norfolk yesterday.

Fortec Motorsport driver Green set a best lap time of 1m06.357s - an average speed of 105.90mph around the 1.96-mile circuit. Championship leader Mark McLoughlin (Buckingham), on his North Walsham team Paston Racing's home circuit, was second fastest, just a fraction of a second slower than Green.

Both drivers were underneath Snetterton's Formula Renault race lap record of 1m06.650s, set by 2000 Champion Kimi Raikkonen.

During last November's winter championship - when he made his Formula Renault debut having switched straight from top-level Formula A karts - and this year's opening three rounds, Green has shown he is a potential race-winner. The 19-year-old said: "I've been learning with every test day, qualifying session and race and at Snetterton I came away for the first time feeling I'd got the best out of the car and myself on the same day.

"This gives me a lot of confidence for the next round at Silverstone - I was third fastest there in last month's official test so a podium finish has to be my goal. We're looking in good shape for the rest of the season."

Motaworld Racing's Alex Lloyd (Port Soderick) and Fortec's Danny Watts (Northampton) were third and fourth fastest in Snetterton's test. John Village Automotive's Ryan Sharp (Aberdeen) and Motaworld's Gary Turkington completed the top six.

Elsewhere, Saxon International driver Chaz Small (Silverstone) escaped injury after barrel rolling his Formula Renault at over 100mph. The 18-year-old lost control of his car through the fast, right-hand Riches bend before its wheels dug into the grass, flipping it over. Saxon team boss Jason Coffin said: "Chaz was a bit shaken but otherwise fine. The car stood up extremely well to what was a very heavy landing and we see no reason why we won't have it rebuilt in time for Silverstone."

After missing round three of the championship at Thruxton, Swede Richard Goransson returned to action with the Cliff Dempsey Racing squad. Meanwhile, the JVA team fielded promising Italian racer Matteo Pellegrino who made an immediate impact with his pace to complete the day 17th fastest overall, just over a second off the top time.

<pre> Official Formula Renault UK Champion Test: Snetterton, Norfolk, 21/05/02 Weather: Cloudy/Mild/Dry

Pos/Driver (NAT)                Entrant                         Time
1. Jamie Green (GBR)            Fortec Motorsport               1m06.357s
2. Mark McLoughlin (GBR)        Paston Racing                   1m06.491s
3. Alex Lloyd (GBR)             Motaworld Racing                1m06.725s
4. Danny Watts (GBR)            Fortec Motorsport               1m06.744s
5. Ryan Sharp (GBR)             John Village Automotive         1m06.871s
6. Gary Turkington (GBR)        Motaworld Racing                1m06.943s
7. Lewis Hamilton (GBR)         Manor Motorsport                1m07.001s
8. Charles Hollings (GBR)       Mackie Motorsport)              1m07.014s
9. Luciano Garcia (BRA)         Fortec Motorsport               1m07.077s
10. Robert Bell (GBR)           Motaworld Racing                1m07.167s
11. Will Davison (AUS)          Motaworld Racing                1m07.181s
12. Robin Rudholm (SWE)         Falcon Motorsport               1m07.306s
13. Patrick Long (USA)          Manor Motorsport                1m07.361s
14. Keith Dempsey (IRL)         Cliff Dempsey Racing            1m07.370s
15. Stefan Soderberg (SWE)      John Village Automotive         1m07.379s
16. Ivor McCullough (GBR)       Status Motorsport               1m07.390s
17. Matteo Pellegrino (ITA)     John Village Automotive         1m07.490s
18. James Rossiter (GBR)        Falcon Motorsport               1m07.499s
19. Richard Goransson (SWE)     Cliff Dempsey Racing            1m07.584s
20. Susie Stoddart (GBR)        Team DFR                        1m07.688s
21. Matt Griffin (IRL)          Manor Motorsport                1m07.752s
22. Ernesto José Viso (VEN)     Manor Motorsport                1m07.811s
23. Chaz Small (GBR)            Saxon International             1m07.826s
24. Robert Scott (IRL)          Aztec International             1m08.015s
25. Oliver Scullion (GBR)       Scorpio Motorsport              1m08.017s
26. David Hall (IRL)            Scorpio Motorsport              1m08.066s
27. Philip Kershaw (IRL)        Status Motorsport               1m08.179s
28. Ben Reeves (GBR)            Falcon Motorsport               1m08.201s
29. Katherine Legge (GBR)       Fortec Motorsport               1m08.353s
30. James Murphy (IRL)          Paston Racing                   1m08.694s
31. Darren Taylor (GBR)         Saxon International             1m08.694s
32. Vasilije Calasan (FRA)      John Village Automotive         1m10.225s

For all the latest Formula Renault news visit the official Renault UK motorsport website www.renaultsport.co.uk

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