Surtees Jnr captures first FBMW win in dominant style
Henry Surtees mastered a greasy circuit and rain to deliver his first UK Formula BMW Championship win in dominant style at Donington Park at the weekend.
The Carlin Motorsport rookie - who started from the fourth row of the grid after a disappointing qualifying session - worked his way through the field passing Championship contenders Marcus Ericsson, Henry Arundel, and Josef Kral to seize the victory.
 After stepping up onto the podium for the sixth time this season, Surtees declared: "That was fantastic. It was very tricky out there but the car felt good and I realised immediately I had the pace to make up for my poor starting position, so I went for it."
Delighted father and multiple World Champion John Surtees added: "What was important was not that it was Henry’s first win but the style in which he did it. He drove with a controlled aggression which was a pleasure to see."
'Race rainmaster'
The win came in the second race at a rain-sodden Donington where 16 years-old Surtees revelled in the tricky conditions.
After fighting hard for third place in race one with a handling problem - and after a mistake at Redgrave which dropped him back down to sixth place - Surteees was determined to make amends second time out.
The race started on slicks as just a few spots of rain fell - but this increased as the laps slipped by. Undeterred by the damp track, Surtees began working his way up through the field from lap two onwards.
By lap eight he had fought his way through to second place and two laps later was in the lead, ahead of race one winner Jonathan Legris. Then, with the heavens opening, he proved himself to be the 'race rainmaster' holding on for a thoroughly deserved win.
"We have nearly been there in earlier races but this sort of drive was worth waiting for," said a proud John Surtees before leaving the circuit.
The win - in round 12 of the 18-round UK Formula BMW Championship - comes on top of three third and two second places. Surtees - the second-placed rookie in the championship - now lies fourth in the title race overall.
Father and son now head off to The Nürburgring where Henry Surtees will make his German Formula BMW debut at the Formula One European Grand Prix this weekend.
For the full Donington Park race report see the 'On Track With Henry Surtees' section.
16 July 2007
|