01-06-2009
Tincknell Increases His Lead

Harry Tincknell continued his maiden Formula Renault UK Championship season in style this weekend, with another podium finish at Oulton Park, Cheshire. The 17-year-old racer accrued 50 points from the weekend, increasing his Graduate Cup lead with CRS Racing.

Tincknell admitted before the weekend that Oulton Park is his favourite UK circuit, and responded with two strong drives, adding to his already-impressive points tally.

After a good qualifying session, the first race saw the Exeter driver make a spectacular start from fourth on the grid, taking the lead mid-way round the first lap and widening the gap back to series veteran Dean Smith.

However, on the third lap a multi-car incident caused the safety car to be deployed, allowing the rest of the field to cut Harry's two-second lead. At the re-start, as Harry dropped a wheel off the racing line, Smith took the advantage and slipped through, closely pursued by Tincknell all the way to the finish. During the first race, Tincknell also set the lap record on the final lap, with an average lap speed of 101.18mph.

Harry started third for the second race, and made another impressive start, but was blocked in by Oli Webb at the first corner, forcing him against the pit wall. Realising that discretion was the better part of valour, Tincknell backed off to avoid an accident, dropping to fifth, a position he maintained to the end, despite pressure from the chasing Frederik Blomstedt.  

"It's a shame I couldn't get the win, but this series is incredibly competitive, and it's awesome to be competing at the same pace as drivers in their second, or even third year of Formula Renault," said Tincknell. "I also took the fastest lap in the first race, which gives me another two points, and the two Graduate Cup wins were important. I needed to stay sensible in the second race, which is why I backed off; 50 points from the weekend is a good result."

Tincknell increased his lead in the Graduate Cup from 11 to 38 points at Oulton Park. Harry's next race takes place at Croft, North Yorkshire, on 14 June. After this, Tincknell will be taking his talent to the continent, competing in the Formula Renault Northern European Cup at Oschersleben, Germany on 21 June.