Conway Scores Amazing Frenault Eurocup Victory

Sevenoaks racing driver Mike Conway is used to showing his class in the Formula Renault UK Championship, but last weekend he showed that he is a world-beater by trouncing the European FRenault field and scoring a remarkable victory at Donington Park in Leicestershire last weekend.

Fortec Motorsport driver Conway, 20, leads the British FRenault championship by a massive 105 points, but showed that he is unbeatable no matter who the opposition is by coming from ninth on the grid to win the wet second race of the weekend by a huge 15 seconds.

"It was very pleasing to show the European boys what we can do," he said. "It was good to show that the British series is strong and that we're not going to let anyone walk all over us."

The Kent racing ace sent a warning of his intentions during free practice on Friday, setting among the quickest times on the full Donington Park Grand Prix loop. But qualifying did not go entirely to plan, with Conway's times dropping off the pace of the quickest of the European runners.

But that disappointing performance only spurred Conway on for the races, and he went into the first of the wet races of the weekend in bullish mood. Although he got caught up in the first-corner melee, Conway served notice of his intentions for race two by going on one of his characteristically stirring charges through the pack to finish seventh.

"There was a bit of a drama at the start of race one," explained Conway. "Several drivers got to the assembly area too late, including me, and we all got 20-second penalties. I got a good start and moved up to fifth but went off at the first corner trying to go round the outside of someone else. I rejoined 15th and climbed all the way up to seventh."

Conway was so far ahead of the car in eight place that, even when the 20-second penalty was applied, he kept his seventh position.

In race two, Conway started ninth and, without any first-lap calamities, set about picking off the drivers ahead of him in the calm, ice-cool and methodical manner that has become his trademark. By lap four, he was leading the race and from then on, he was never challenged for first and was able to coast home for a win that made the European visitors look average.

"The first few laps were difficult because there was a lot of spray from the wet track and it was hard to see very much at all," said Conway. "I was just making my way past the cars one by one, but it was pretty hairy in there. The set-up we had found for the first race meant the car was already good, so there was nothing to complain about there. Once I got ahead, it was easy."

Even more satisfying for Conway was the fact that the nearest British championship runner to him was Paul di Resta in third, but he was a full 17 seconds behind, proving that the long mid-season break in the UK FRenault calendar has not blunted any of the searing speed shown by Conway during the first half of the season.

He is now looking forward to getting the UK series back on track for rounds 13 and 14 at Croft in North Yorkshire on July 24/25.

"It will be good to get back into the championship," he admitted. "It's been a long break but this was the perfect way to keep myself focussed on my driving."

Media contact: Andy Bothwell 07944 651166