Matthew Mortlock Brands Hatch report

Mortlock Sets Outright Lap Record but Finishes Third at Brands Hatch in NDS EuroBOSS Thriller.

Cambridge Based Driver Once Again Shows Pace in Exciting Formula 1 Car Racing Series.

Cambridge, 20th May 2002 - In the thrilling NDS EuroBOSS race, for Formula 1 cars, at Brands Hatch on Saturday, Cambridge-based Matthew Mortlock broke the lap record three times during the race. However, despite setting a fastest lap time of 39.400secs in his Footwork Arrows FA13 Judd V10, Mortlock and his F1-Sales.com Racing Team could only finish third.

Mortlock had started the day by setting second-fastest time in the early morning warm up. In the Qualifying session he went one better setting a blistering time and a top speed of 192 MPH to take pole position ahead of the Team Ascari duo of Klaas Zwart and Phil Andrews in their Benettons.

In front of a large crowd at the CSMA Brands Hatch Festival, Mortlock took advantage of his pole position and got away at the front of the 18-car grid. However, Zwart squeezed past Mortlock into Druids to take the lead before the end of the first lap. Then, in one of the most exciting EuroBOSS races ever, Mortlock and Zwart then battled it out nose-to-tail as they fought for the lead lap after lap, with Mortlock breaking the lap record three times as he attempted to find a way past.

On lap 13 at Graham Hill Bend, as the two leaders were making their way through the back-markers, Zwart went right and Mortlock simultaneously went left past the Eurobrun ER188 of Tony Hansford. However, as the Eurobrun moved to the left Mortlock's Arrows was forced onto the grass - losing valuable seconds to Zwart and allowing Phil Andrews in his Benetton V10 to move ahead of Mortlock into second-place.

That effectively finished Mortlock's challenge, and despite closing back up to Andrews, the F1-Sales Team had to settle for third place.

Matthew Mortlock, Driver, F1.Sales.com Racing Team:
"It was one of the best battles for the lead that I have ever had in EuroBOSS. I looked at passing on numerous occasions, but Klaas blocked me very successfully which prevented me from using my greater speed to take the lead."

On Sunday, Mortlock missed the morning session as his car suffered fuel pump problems. In the race, starting from third-place on the grid he managed two laps before a drive shaft break ended his challenge.

About F1-Sales Racing Team

F1-Sales Racing Team races in the pan-European NDS EuroBOSS series, for single seater ex-Formula 1 cars. The team races a Footwork Arrows FA13 Judd V10, originally driven by Michele Alboreto in the 1992 FIA Formula 1 Championship.

Cambridge-based companies F1-Sales.com, Advanced Rendering Technology Ltd., and Cambridge's motor-racing pub The White Swan support F1-Sales Racing Team. New media company Intelligent Organisations Ltd also supports the team.

The 2002 NDS EuroBOSS series includes nine race dates in seven European countries including UK (Brands Hatch and Donington Park), Belgium, Ireland, Czech Republic, The Netherlands, Germany and culminates at Le Mans in France. The series has secured television and media coverage in Europe, including dedicated coverage of each race on Channel 5 and Sky Sports in the UK.

-fsrt-