01-11-2009
Tincknell Celebrates Birthday With Double Victory
Harry Tincknell celebrated his 18th birthday with two run-away victories in the Michelin Formula Renault UK Winter Cup series at Snetterton, Norfolk, on 31 October 2009. Round one was the first single-seater win for the Exeter-based driver, who secured the Formula Renault UK Graduate Cup this year in his first season competing in the prestigious and fiercely competitive series.
With the track wet from earlier rain, the CRS Racing driver secured pole position for both races, setting a fastest lap time of 1:17.287, almost seven tenths of a second quicker than his closest rival. From his front grid position, Tincknell had an excellent start in race one, quickly pulling away from the rest of the field. Unchallenged, Tincknell took the chequered flag, claiming his maiden single-seater victory.
In race two, Tincknell once again created a good lead from pole. He pushed hard in the opening stages, setting the fastest lap of the race. In the closing minutes, Tincknell had established an impressive lead and crossed the line almost 10 seconds ahead of second-place man Nick Yelloly.
“Turning 18 and winning your first Formula Renault UK race in the same week has been pretty exciting!” said Tincknell. “We were quick in testing on Friday, but the track was dry. It had rained before Saturday’s qualifying and I hadn’t driven at Snetterton in the wet, but I got out there and the car was really quick.
“After qualifying, I knew I had the pace to win, so I made sure that I got a clean start in both races. I pushed for the first four or five laps to get a good lead, and then backed-off a bit for the rest of the race. In the wet it’s easy to make a small mistake and ruin your race, so I was really careful. The car felt really good, and despite the weather, had loads of grip.”
Tincknell currently leads the Michelin Formula Renault UK Winter Cup series by 14 points. The series concludes on Saturday 7 November with rounds three and four, held at Rockingham, Northamptonshire. “I raced at Rockingham in the Winter Series last year, so feel comfortable going back. It’s one of my favourite tracks, so hopefully I can make it a repeat performance!” continued Tincknell.
