After a difficult weekend at Snetterton last time out, Will was ready to bounce back at a sunny Silverstone circuit. With the weather set to be hot and sunny for the whole weekend, a repeat of the second race at Snetterton wasn’t looking to be on the cards.
Practise began on Friday with Will heading out on to the National circuit for the very first time. By the time morning practise was over, Will was already finding rhythm around the circuit.
“At the lunch break we felt like we were pushing the car to the limit, but it still wasn’t quiet where we would want to be for qualifying. We are going to take a look at the setup of the car over lunch in to the afternoon and find some time there.”
Some adjustments to the setup of the car would enable Will to push the #21 SR1 cars and find an extra half second on his lap in the afternoon. As the sessions in the afternoon went on the traffic on track with other cars begun to build up which compromised practise.
“It was a real struggle to find clear track in the later afternoon sessions with more cars coming out onto track. It’s slightly frustrating as we really want to wring the entire pace out of the car but tomorrow another day”
Saturday morning was a hot and sunny start for the team as qualifying began. Will returned to speed from yesterday and by the end of the qualifying session had managed to find a second on his lap time allowing him to qualify 3rd for both races.
“It was great to be able to scrub some more time off my lap. The grid has some competitive drivers in it so it’s going to be a real challenge to maintain position in the races.”
At the start of Race 1 Will was on the outside line in to turn 1 allowing 4th placed driver Adarsh Radia up the inside. A lap later Will retook his position after Adarsh was forced wide after trying to make a move on second placed Ryan Harper-Ellam. A malfunction for Will’s mirrors meant that he lost all rear vision after taking a kerb aggressively on lap 2 meaning the rest of the race was going to require immense special awareness and racecraft.
With an invisible threat from behind, Will decided the best plan would be to drive flat out for the whole race and hope that the swarm of cars behind could not keep up with his pace. This would prove affective as Hunt drove the #21 SR1 car home for a podium finish.
“After lap 2 I lost my mirrors so had no idea what was going on behind. I had a quick think down the straight as to what would be best; I knew that Adarsh and the others were about half a second off my one lap pace so I thought if I just drive flat out then hopefully my pace should keep them back and just as well it did because I had no idea where they were!”
Race 2 started in an almost carbon copy of Race 1 with Adarsh taking 3rd away from Will in to turn 1. This would begin an intensely close battle between the two drivers with 5th place Julian Lay lurking behind in case the battle got too close.
Hunt and Radia would remain within a second of each other for the duration of the race. However in the dying ends of the race with little time left, Will navigated Turn 1 with superior speed and put on a stunning move on Radia into Maggots corner to retake 3rd with only a couple of laps remaining. As he came across the finish line it was clear Will was over the moon with the result.
“I’m speechless. That was such an intense battle! I had been watching the guy for a few laps analysing where I was stronger and when I felt the time was right I took advantage. I wasn’t going to let the podium slip away like that. I was so determined and motivated to make the move I wouldn’t have forgiven myself if I didn’t! Such a great result for the team and now we are back where we want to be looking forward to Cadwell Park.”