TEENAGER TURNS HEADS DESPITE TRACK DIRECTION CHANGE
If Patrick O’Donovan’s performance in the opening round of the British Rallycross Championship 5 Nations Trophy had been impressive on Easter Saturday, it was only a precursor to what he delivered at Pembrey Circuit in rounds three and four.
While the 18-year-old had claimed a debut podium at Lydden Hill and then endured a character-building day on Easter Monday where he returned to earth with a bump, at Pembrey he simply dominated.
Fastest through qualifying in round three on Saturday, with the circuit running in an anti-clockwise direction, O’Donovan won every session from the front, only losing the lead briefly in the final when taking his joker early to cover off those behind.
When the circuit switched directions for the second instalment in the doubleheader weekend O’Donovan executed exactly the same form and by winning at each stage, ensuring he held the allimportant pole position inside slot on the grid, he led from the front to claim another convincing victory and move into the championship lead.
Second in round three went the way of reigning 5 Nations BRX title-holder Derek Tohill, who moved into the points lead on Saturday as a result, but the Irishman had a torrid day on Sunday. Dramas in both qualifying races, which led to a broken front upright and retirement in Q1, was followed by more issues in Q2. Tohill then retired from the semi-finals after further first corner contact but made the final grid by virtue of still being classified fourth in the semi.
In the final, Tohill made significant ground at Turn 1 to climb from seventh to second on track, but while embroiled in a battle for the position with Julian Godfrey he had contact with the six-time champion’s car at the joker exit, putting Tohill out.
Second in round four went the way of series stalwart Steve Hill, who displayed the pace to challenge for a top position all weekend but made a small error during the round four final that lost him ground. However, he gained a position when Tohill went out, and then overtook an ailing Godfrey with just one corner to go to claim a hugely popular secondplace finish.
Godfrey completed the podium to add the result to his fourth-place finish from round three, while round three podium finisher Tristan Ovenden lost ground in the first-corner scrum of the round four final. He regained pace, albeit some way behind the pack, and finished sixth.
O’Donovan’s father Ollie also endured a challenging weekend. Hampered by a misfiring engine in his new Proton Iriz throughout round three, he switched to his team’s Ford Focus for round four and fared better, but, in the battle for position in the opening corners of the final got a track-marking tyre stuck under the front of the car, and by the time it became dislodged, he’d dropped out of podium contention.
Result
5 Nations BRX
Organiser: Lydden Hill Motor Club When: May
14-15 Where: Pembrey Circuit Starters: 49 Round 3: 1 Patrick O’Donovan (Ford Fiesta) 4m32.387s; 2 Derek Tohill (Ford Fiesta) +3.326s; 3 Tristan Ovenden (Citroen DS3); 4 Julian Godfrey (Ford Fiesta); 5 Ollie O’Donovan (Proton Iriz); 6 Bradley Westgarth (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo); Supernational: Jason Bleasdale (Vauxhall VX220); Junior: Owen Robbins (Suzuki Swift); Swift Sport: Max Weatherley (Suzuki Swift); BMW Mini: Andrew Hawkes (BMW Mini); ALL4 Mini: David Bell (BMW Mini); Super Retro: John Cross (Lancia Stratos); Retro Rallycross: Tony Lynch (Toyota MR2); RX150: Nick Priddy (RX150)
Round 4: 1 P O’Donovan 4m00.799s; 2 Steve Hill (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo) +12.386s; 3 Godfrey; 4 O O’Donovan; 5 Westgarth; 6 Ovenden. Supernational: Bleasdale; Junior: Max Watt (Suzuki Swift); Swift Sport: Weatherley; BMW Mini: Bradley Turner (BMW Mini); ALL4 Mini: Martin Hawkes (BMW Mini); Super Retro: Ray Morgan (Ford Escort); Retro Rallycross: Lynch; RX150: Krisztian Szabo (RX150).