UK 2000: Conway takes round 4 pole at Brands Hatch

Mike Conway took pole position for round four with a blistering display of speed and consistency. The championship leader finished 0.1 seconds ahead of round three pole-sitter Westley Barber who lines up ahead of Comtec Racing with Duckhams team-mate Susie Stoddart.

Paul Di Resta was quickest early on as usual and he set his fastest time of 44.832s at only his second serious attempt. Conway responded with a string of sub 45-second laps and he soon went fastest. He continued to lap at this pace and eventually improved his fastest time to 44.617s, the best of three consecutive laps that were just separated by just 0.07 seconds.

Susie Stoddart responded and, after a quick pit stop, went second with a 44.797s lap. The session was then briefly red-flagged after James Murphy spun and stopped at the exit of Graham Hill Bend. At the restart Barber bumped Stoddart down to third on his first flying lap with a 44.739s lap.

There were a few incidents further down the field as the drivers squeezed millisecond out of the circuit. Matt Russell ran wide at Paddock Hill Bend and swerved across the path of Daniel Welch as he attempted to recover. Nick Goodfellow also had a trip to the gravel at Paddock but was able to recover without stopping.

<pre> Results: 1. Mike Conway Fortec Motorsport 44.617s 2. Westley Barber Comtec Racing with Duckhams 44.739s 3. Susie Stoddart Comtec Racing with Duckhams 44.797s 4. Ruben Carrapatoso Eurotek Motorsport 44.824s 5. Paul Di Resta Manor Motorsport 44.832s 6. Oliver Jarvis Motaworld Racing 44.853s 7. Patrick Hogan Manor Motorsport 44.943s 8. Alex Storckenfeldt Mark Burdett Motorsport 44.972s 9. Joey Foster Manor Motorsport 44.982s 10. Charles Hollings Fortec Motorsport 45.017s