Rotronics Technical Service Manager, Lewis, has been competing yet again in the Focus Cup. Lewis has won the Focus Championship Cup for two years running and is fighting to take this year’s trophy however, this year is slightly different. In previous years, Lewis has been racing in a modified Ford Focus Zetec but this year, due to his performance in previous years, he is racing in a higher class which puts him in the more powerful Focus ST and against more challenging components.
So far, Lewis has competed in the first 4 rounds, taking him up and down the UK at some of the most prestigious race tracks, but how has he performed?
Race 1
Donington Park
The first round took Lewis to Donington Park up in Leicestershire, which was also the first time Lewis had drove the new vehicle. Racing isn’t like driving a standard car on the road, you have to know the car, how it drives, the power you have behind you and how far you can push it. A slight error can end up in a crash or falling behind multiple places, which was worrying as the competition this year is fierce.
After a nerving line up, Lewis managed to secure and hold the lead going into the first corner and after the first few laps, he managed to put a few seconds between him and the second place car. It was a challenging race however Lewis managed to keep the distance and secured 1st place with a 2 second lead.
Not long after, race two was about to begin. Starting in pole position and with experience in the new car, there was a bit more confidence coming from Lewis and the team. This didn’t last long as during the race, behind Lewis, a few crashes occurred resulting in fluid being left on the track. Unfortunatley the race had to be cancelled, however it meant Lewis was starting the championship strong with a lead of 6 points.
Points Gained
Qualifying
Race 1
Race 2
Silverstone
Next up on April 19th, Lewis headed to the home of British Racing, Silverstone.
Before each race, competitors can test their vehicles around the lap to get used to the circuit. Usually testing goes without fault, however this time disaster struck. After a few laps, Lewis’s car lost all power. After changing components and performing some diagnostics, they managed to get the car running, but it didn’t fill the team with confidence for the upcoming race.
After nervously starting the race, Lewis managed to push himself from second to first place before getting to the first corner. He held first place, putting a decent gap between him and his competitors. Just as Lewis was getting semi-comfortable, the rain started… On one corner Lewis misjudged, and ended up going too wide, allowing a few of his competitors behind him to slip through to first and second place, leaving him in third. The rain made the race difficult and there were very limited overtaking opportunities. Luckily, due to another vehicle not finishing, Lewis managed to end race one in 2nd.
After race one finished, the weather seemed to change for the better, however this race Lewis was starting 5th on the grid. It’s no easy feat overtaking experienced drivers on a track with tight corners however after a tough battle, Lewis managed to push up two place finishing in third. Ending the day with two podium finishes.
Points Gained
Qualifying
Race 1
Race 2
Race 3
Brands Hatch
After a difficult race at Silverstone, on May 17th Lewis headed to Brands Hatch in Kent. Starting off with a great qualifying, Lewis managed to start race one in pole position. Fighting through a packed first corner, Lewis was able to retain his place as race leader, until problems occurred again, forcing Lewis into the pits. Unfortunately the issue couldn’t be fixed during the race, leaving Lewis with a DNF. Lewis still managed to secure 5 points as he set the fastest lap.
Between the races, the team managed to get the car up and running and ready for race 2. Due to Lewis coming out of race 1 early, he started way back in 7th place. Sitting on the start line, Lewis knew he had to perform well or it could make his reach for the championship even more difficult. As soon as the lights turned off and the race began, he managed to gain 2 positions, pushing him to 5th. As he set his eyes on 4th and 3rd the safety car was sent out onto the track, forcing him to stay in place 5. When the safety car pulled into the pits, Lewis immediately battled to push himself up the ranks. He managed to push all the way to 2nd place where on the last lap he only had a matter of minutes to secure first place. Some intense driving took place with the 1st place vehicle defending their position. Lewis did manage to take 1st place for a while but an unfortunate turn, allowed the other car to overtake just before the chequered flag. An amazing performance from Lewis pushing from 7th place to 2nd. This achievement was celebrated by the team however Lewis didn’t stay in second place for long. After the race, race control gave the first place driver a 5 second penalty for overtaking whilst the safety car was on the track, promoting Lewis to first!
Points Gained
Qualifying
Race 1
Race 2
Fastest Lap
Race 4
Snetterton
On the 7th June, Lewis headed all the way to Norfolk for Race 4. Usually each round would consist of 2 races however, due to race 2 being cancelled at Donington Park, they fit an extra race in at Snetterton.
After a wet qualifying on Saturday, Lewis started 4th on the grid. A decent place to be considering the challenging wet weather the day before however Snetterton has some tight corners which makes overtaking difficult. To make things worse, the competitors ahead of him were experienced racers all battling for the top spot. After some intense, razer close racing, Lewis had to settle for fourth place.
For the second race the grid standings were reversed, meaning Lewis was starting in third place not fourth. This may not sound like a massive difference, but if Lewis could get in a decent start, it could change the result of the race. The lights went out and Lewis managed to overtake both second and first place car, propelling him into the first place spot before any of the cars reached the first corner. Compared to Saturdays qualifying the weather was the opposite. The sun was out which was great for spectators but hot tyres result in less grip on the track. The second place was able to gain traction and catch up to Lewis, but he managed to defend his place and ended the race in 1st place.
A while later, race three was going to begin. Due to the race being rescheduled, race control decided that the starting grid would match race 2 results. This was great news for Lewis who was able to start in pole position. To snatch the extra points available, all of the racers were laser focused on taking Lewis’ pole spot. Lewis knew he had to have a perfect start to retain his space in the lead. The lights went out and whilst he was able to keep his position, he was under constant attack by the competitors behind him. As they fought each other, Lewis managed to create a decent gap between him and 2nd place, but that didn’t last long. A vehicle malfunction for one of the other racers made the safety car come out, allowing others to catch up to Lewis. Essentially the gap he worked hard to create was gone and all of the other drivers had a chance to take the position Lewis had fought hard to hold. After some intense racing, Lewis managed to defend his position and retain first place!
Points Gained
Qualifying
Race 1
Race 2
Race 3
