RACING EXPOSURE :: Club level motorsport e-magazine

MGR Motorsport has made a superb start to their maiden InterSteps season at Oulton Park, with driver Matt Mason (14) taking a clean sweep of first places.

Having qualified in P1, from lights out on the first race of the 2012 championship, Matt never dropped back, claiming top spot on an all Brit podium, ahead of second place, Matt Parry (1) with Mason’s MGR team-mate, James Fletcher (15) in third.

James ran a strong race, despite a minor electrical problem in the second half of qualifying, just four hours prior to the first race. Fletcher powered past eventual fourth place man, Liam Venter (7), early in lap two and never looked back. MGR’s third racer, Switzerland’s Jan Schwitter (12), maintained his qualifying position of fifth throughout the race, finishing just three seconds behind Liam.

As the clouds closed in for race two, the mood in the pit garages stayed sunny and the team were duly rewarded with Matt claiming his second victory, giving him top spot in the drivers championship. Fifth place went to Jan who skillfully held off a competitive Cameron Twynham (2), finishing 1.329 seconds ahead, just 0.268 seconds behind team-mate, James.

With no running in the second half of qualifying, James was forced to start race two from the back of the grid but took just one lap to find his way to seventh spot. Pushing hard in the latter stages of the race, he was rewarded with a fourth place finish. With just a half-car length behind third place man, Venter, James was left to reflect on the podium position that might have been.

Following a strong debut, Team Principal, Kelvin Burt, said: “I think we’ve made a very good start but there’s still a long way to go, both in the championship and in the development of the car. We’re under no illusion that we still have a lot of work to do but as a team we can come away happy.

“Jan showed great consistency, James pulled off some superb overtakes and all credit to Matt who drove two superb races. Oulton is very much a driver’s circuit but we look forward to the challenges that await us at the remaining tracks. As a team we know what needs to be done to move forward, so now it’s all hands to deck to get the improvements in place before Donington on April 22.”

Speaking of the day championship leader, Matt Mason, said: “It couldn’t have gone better. I’ve been working hard on my race preparation running up to the race and it’s great to see it paying off.”

“We had a solid qualifying and consistent laptimes and that’s what ultimately clinched the victories. The team did a great job and I’m really pleased with the results. It’s been an absolutely perfect start to the championship.”

Commenting on his first experience at the popular Oulton Circuit, James Fletcher, said: “Overall it’s been a good weekend. To get a podium in my first time at Oulton is great, I’m very happy.

“Having not managed to get out in the second qualifying session was unfortunate and meant we faced an uphill struggle. I think we can be pleased with fourth but had we had another lap or two, third would have been firmly in our grasp, but that’s motor racing!

“The guys did a great job, the pit crew have been top and the racing was exciting, you couldn’t ask for more.”

MGR Motorsport results

Qualifying one:

Matt Mason Q1: 1:25:179
James Fletcher Q4: 1:25:930
Jan Schwitter Q5: 1:26:375

Qualifying two:

Matt Mason Q1: 1:24:973
Jan Schwitter Q4: 1:25:999
James Fletcher: DNQ

Race one:

Matt Mason P1: 20:12:637
James Fletcher P3: 20:25:101
Jan Schwitter P5: 20:29:230

Race two

Matt Mason P1: 20:20:295
James Fletcher P4: 20:38:124
Jan Schwitter P5: 20:38:842

Pics: Paul Davies Photography

InterSteps becomes first ever MSA Under 18 Compliant championship

The Motor Sports Association (MSA) has awarded Under 18 Compliant status to the new Dunlop InterSteps Championship, which has become the first to commit to upholding the governing body’s principals regarding the welfare, education and development of young competitors.

The MSA’s U18 Policy covers the issues of education, anti-doping, child protection and the recruitment of young participants through the MSA’s Go Motorsport campaign. To view the MSA U18 Policy,click here.

InterSteps, backed by MSA Academy partner Racing Steps Foundation (RSF), has received MSA U18 Compliant status in advance of its maiden season, after implementing a number of measures to promote the welfare of young people in its championship:

• Ensuring that events do not conflict with national exam timetables
• Mandating that all competitors can take time out of school to compete only if their head teachers provide written approval; this approval can be revoked if their schoolwork suffers
• Committing to the provision of dedicated quiet space for study at all race events
• Hosting – and encouraging participation in – MSA Academy Performance Master Classes at a number of test and race events throughout the season.

Colin Hilton, MSA Chief Executive, said: “The MSA has a responsibility to each of the 3,000 competition licence holders under 18 years of age. While every young driver believes that they will go on to become world champion, we know that the reality is that this is a very rare feat. Furthermore, all of our discussions with the leading teams confirm that they are looking for well educated drivers; not those that have dropped out of school to go testing.

“We are working with a number of the championships at this level in order to create a more responsible approach, but we are delighted that InterSteps has really taken the initiative in implementing all of the proposed elements. We are delighted to designate InterSteps as the first Under 18 Compliant championship.”

Ian Watson, Business Development Manager at the British Automobile Racing Club (BARC),  said: “When the InterSteps concept was originally conceived, it was always the intention – both of BARC and RSF – to ensure that we made the championship as responsible as possible. In the long-term, it does no-one any good if we are encouraging young people to turn their backs on their own personal development in order to go racing.”

KARTING ACE ALEX WALKER MAKES SWITCH TO CARS WITH FORTEC

Oldham kart racing sensation, Alex Walker, makes the step up to car racing this year and will contest the newly-launched InterSteps Championship for the 2011 season.

The recently-turned 16-year-old has signed up with the Fortec Motorsport outfit – themselves no strangers to success – and will add his name to a list of drivers, including the likes of reigning Formula One World Champion Sebastian Vettel, and Nico Rosberg, who both began their car racing careers with the same Mygale FB02 chassis.

The InterSteps Championship, which was officially launched to the media with a two-day test at Rockingham, Northamptonshire this week, is supported by the Racing Steps Foundation and caters for drivers between the ages of 15 and 19, who will all drive the identical BMW-powered single-seaters, capable of speeds of up to 140mph.

With the calendar consisting of 20 races over 7 weekends, Walker will make his debut at Silverstone’s Grand Prix circuit on March 26, and will also pay a visit to Donington to support the World Touring Car Championship in July. The series will also benefit from television coverage through a standalone 30-minute programme on Motors TV.

And the 2010 ABKC National KF2 Vice Champion was quick to prove how well he was adapting to his new racing environment by setting the fastest time of the day in testing on Wednesday.

Alex Walker: “I’m really happy with the car and how it behaves so I was able to get settled in with it in a short space of time. We’ve had a very productive two days and I’m looking forward to making my car racing debut at Silverstone later this month.

“The InterSteps Championship is the perfect platform for me to develop my skills as a racing driver at the same time as allowing me to focus on my GCSEs.

“Of course this year will be a learning curve, but a lot of the fundamental racing skills I developed in karting will still apply, and Fortec Motorsport have a lot of experience which I’ll be absorbing as much of as I can – so I can’t wait!”

Richard Dutton: Team Principle, Fortec Motorsport: “We’re delighted to have Alex on board this year, and it’s always exciting for the team to see a new talent make the switch from karting to cars with us.

“In testing on Wednesday he really raised his game and was very impressive in the demonstration race that was held. We have another two-day test at the beginning of next week at Silverstone where we hope to continue our progress and provide him with a strong package for the first race.”

2011 InterSteps Championship Calendar:
March 26 – Silverstone GP (Rounds 1 & 2)
May 7/8 – Snetterton (Rounds 3, 4 & 5)
July 2/3 – Rockingham (Rounds 6, 7 &
July 16/17 – Donington (Rounds 9, 10 & 11)
August 13/14 – Thruxton (Rounds 12, 13 & 14)
August 28/29 – Brands Hatch Indy (Rounds 15, 16 & 17)
September 24/25 – Croft (Rounds 18, 19 & 20)