Coates pushes his ambition to max

NORTH Yorkshire’s Max Coates is eyeing a full season in touring cars next year after ending his 2017 season fourth overall in the Renault UK Clio Cup Championship.

The Scorton driver is focusing on securing a full-time drive in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship in 2018 after two seasons in the smaller tintops.

But he admits he feels somewhat aggrieved after being hit by two penalties at the final round last week, which robbed him of second place in the championship.

As the series headed to Brands Hatch, Coates had been hoping to bag the runner-up spot after his dominant rookie season when he won the Graduate Cup for new racers in the class.

However, he had to make do with a new lap record after he was slapped with two penalties, which stopped him claiming anything higher than fourth in the title chase.

In both races, he crossed the line fifth, but was then docked time.

The Ciceley Motorsport driver set a new lap record on the fifth, smashing the existing best held by new BTCC champ Ash Sutton since 2015.

Crossing the line fifth, he was handed a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits, which dropped him to eighth.

With just the final race of the year to run, Coates still had a chance of finishing second in the championship, but knew he needed to bag as many points as possible. How- ever, a manoeuvre on lap three – which was identical to one he had made a day earlier – promoted him to fifth but proved to be costly, as he made contact with the car he passed and the other driver dropped to ninth as a result.

Coates was handed a twosecond penalty which dropped him to ninth at the finish line, meaning his hopes of second were gone and he had to settle for fourth.

“I have really enjoyed my second season in the UK Clio Cup but feel very disappointed and let down in the judicial system which I feel has cost me second in the championship this year,” he said.

“In the second half of the season, especially, we have had the fastest car in races and I think second in the championship would have been a real reflection of our achievements this year. I’d like to thank the whole of the Ciceley Motorsport team and my sponsors for their support throughout the season.”

“As for next year’s plans, I am aiming for a drive in the British Touring Car Championship and will be very busy over the coming months to secure the sponsorship to make the transition.

“That said, a third season in the UK Clio Cup would present a real opportunity to win the championship.”