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Tyre Turmoil for Webb at Thruxton
Tyre Turmoil for Webb at ThruxtonIt was a weekend of highs and lows for Knutsford’s Oli Webb, at the Thruxton rounds of the Formula Renault Championship (17th and 18th May). Webb had been looking forward to the weekend at the high-speed Thruxton circuit, but a lack of experience on the special tyres the circuit requires, made life difficult. The circuit is very hard on tyres and series tyre provider Michelin, had produced a special tyre just for the demanding Hampshire track. This new rubber was totally different to the usual tyre, and the lack of available testing at Thruxton meant Webb had little time to adapt.After going out too late in the first qualifying and gaining 10th, Webb went out earlier in the second session and felt much happier. The result was a laptime 0.5 seconds quicker and much closer to the front runners, despite only moving one place higher on the grid for race two.Webb got off to a great start in race one, streaming up the outside, only to have his charge suddenly thwarted by a three car wall in front of him. This three car tussle meant he had to brake, which lost him multiple places while he recovered forward momentum. Webb was relegated to 13th after this incident and quickly recovered one place to 12th. Towards the end of a frantic race, Webb went for an overtaking manoeuvre only to end up losing a place to the following driver. Race two saw Webb getting a solid start and then converting it into a super-start by holding the outside line, while his fellow racers dived for the inside. This meant Webb rocketed from ninth to sixth in just one move. The following laps saw the middle order tussling for position, with Webb losing a place only to gain it back straight away. The race then settled until a safety car period was imposed after an accident. After the safety car Webb was clearly quicker than the fifth placed driver, Oakes, who was defending well. Once he had dispatched Oakes at the final chicane, he started to catch the leading pack. Unfortunately with the safety car period reducing the available laps, the race ended before Webb could close sufficiently to pass.Webb was disappointed that he only showed his true form later in the weekend, but takes heart from his Rookie Championship position, commenting: “I’m now third in the Rookie Championship and only one point off second. Croft is a circuit where my team Fortec are really strong, so I am really looking to pull a great performance out of the bag there.”Webb’s next race will be at the Northern circuit Croft on the 31st May.
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