NEWS
27.11.09
Fantastic first season ends with Estoril VdeV podium
The Drivers Club brought down the curtain on a successful season in style at Estoril last weekend where club member, Simon Dolan, and his private coach and co-driver, Sam Hancock, finished second overall in the six-hour final round of the 2009 VdeV endurance racing series.
Saturday’s qualifying proved a topsy-turvy affair with light rain falling just as the session got underway. Hancock seized his opportunity to bank a fast lap in the tricky conditions at the start, setting a time some three seconds quicker than his nearest rivals before pitting to hand over to Dolan. But as soon as his team mate rejoined, the rain cleared and the track dried, allowing the faster professional drivers the best of the afternoon’s conditions. By the time Hancock was back at the wheel, the rain had returned, leaving the pair 11th on the grid.
Meanwhile, The Drivers Club’s second member-coach driver line-up of Chris Cappuccini and Ollie Hancock ended the session on Class B pole and seventh overall. An apparent technical infringement however then rendered the pair to the back of the grid along with at least half a dozen other British entries – all of whom were permitted to race but without classification.
On race day, Dolan took the start in the Ligier and reeled off a solid opening 45 minutes before incurring a drive-through penalty for what was deemed to be excessive weaving on the formation lap. It cost the team half a minute and dropped them to 14th.
By the time he pitted again 45 minutes later, Dolan had moved back up to 12th and with Hancock soon installed, the positions continued to tumble until after an hour-and-a-half at the wheel, The Drivers Club pairing were up to second overall.
After the second scheduled stop and driver change Dolan then produced the stint of his season, setting fast, consistent lap times around the tight and twisty Portuguese venue and holding a strong second place. Such was the pressure that soon the leaders bungled their pit-stop, costing them a lap, and proffering the lead to Dolan.
A third and final faultless pit stop from the Jota Sport crew ensured that Hancock should have regained the lead once their rivals made the final stop of their own. But as the laps ticked away, so did the team’s chances of a first VdeV victory, the leaders managing to save enough fuel so that a splash and dash ten minutes from the end would suffice.
Cappuccini and Ollie Hancock meanwhile drove a fantastic, if fruitless race to finish fifth overall. Taking the start, Chris had climbed from 25th to 17th by the end of lap one before reeling off a faultless first stint to lie 14th by the time Ollie took over.
By the time the F2 driver’s time was up 100 minutes later, the #27 Juno was up to seventh and running where it should have started. Over the next three hours the pair continued to push, eventually taking the chequered flag fifth on the road, if not in the final classification.
Drivers Club founder and head coach Sam Hancock said: “A fantastic performance from the whole team. Both cars were faultless and fast and I think that both Chris and Simon put in drives that they should be very proud of. It’s frustrating that the Juno couldn’t be classified but nonetheless this is a great way to end the year and tees up our intended 2010 assault perfectly.”
Team mate Simon Dolan added: “We’ve had a great first season in VdeV and the SPEED Series. There’s been a lot to learn but I think I’ve made big strides over the course of the year thanks to the private coaching from The Drivers Club. I’m certainly a more rounded driver compared with 12 months ago and despite my relative inexperience at this level, we’ve come close to victories on a few occasions. My primary goal is to set that record straight in 2010.”
Fellow pupil Chris Cappuccini said: “Jota Sport did a fantastic job producing a fast, competitive and reliable car which was clearly the pick of the Class B entries. My Drivers Club training with Sam and Ollie has proven invaluable, especially in the wet at Magny-Cours, and every time I’ve gotten in the car I’ve been able to build on and apply to my driving what’s been taught. The difference from when I first drove the car to last weekend is considerable and I’m certainly a better driver for it.”