7th November 2011

Champion Graham wins battle of fluctuating fortunes - From the CIK-FIA

UK's Matthew Graham 2011 CIK-FIA U18 World Champion. Pic: CIK/KSP

Matthew Graham (Zanardi) followed fellow Englishman Jake Dennis as the 2011 CIK-FIA “U18” World Champion in the second staging of the Event. It was a day of changing fortune for both of the top 2 contenders. Finland’s Pyry Ovaska (Maranello) the championship leader had a most disappointing Saturday but went into the Final with every opportunity to win the title. He started on the front row but made a slow start. Both Graham and Frenchman Anthoine Hubert (Sodi) made better starts and Ovaska was soon seen to be struggling.

But Graham was not having things all his own way as Italy’s Antonio Giovinazzi (PCR), Denmark’s Martin Mortensen (Mach 1), and France’s Léo Roussel (Sodi) pressed forward. It was tight at the front but Graham made steady progress moving up to 3rd after 6 laps whilst Giovinazzi increased his lead. England’s Henry Easthope (Sodi) and Hubert had a good battle in 2nd and 3rd places until Graham eased by. As darkness descended Graham moved into 2nd place on lap 9 but Ovaska was dropping into the lower reaches of the top 20.

With just under 2 laps to go Martin Mortensen passed Graham, but with Ovaska’s problems, this was not enough to prevent Graham from winning the title. ‘I was not certain I had won’ he said, ‘but when I saw my family hanging over the grandstand railing and waving and cheering, I knew I must be the champion’ he acknowledged.

For Ovaska it was a huge disappointment. ‘I felt I was good enough to win this championship, but some mechanical problems and also some penalties did not help me’ he said with clear disappointment on his face.

Anthoine Hubert in third place in the championship was very upbeat. ‘I had a little bit of misfortune but I also had some very good results, so I am satisfied’ he said.

In the first Pre-Final, Matthew Graham jumped into a big early lead, but 3 ominous features were to spoil his race.
First, there was the board showing he was to be investigated for a starting irregularity. Secondly, a bolt snapped on his steering column, and thirdly, whilst Antonio Giovinazzi took the lead and went on to score an impressive win, main rival Pyry Ovaska at last found some good form and drove a superb race to finish 3rd. Graham limped home in 6th place but a 7 seconds penalty dropped him further down to 10th place.

In the second Pre-Final with the reverse Grid, Pyry Ovaska made a superbly fast start and drove from 24th to 4th but appeared to be the victim of contact and lost several places. Graham made steady progess as Ovaska fought back. They were side by side with 3 laps to go and Graham finished just in front in 4th with Ovaska 5th. Anthoine Hubert drove an excellent race for an easy victory in front of Henry Easthope and Martin Mortensen.

The morning races took place in very heavy rain and by the last Qualifying Heat, the track was hardly raceable. Matthew Graham completed his heats unbeaten although he had been assessed a penalty in his first outing. Dave Blom drove a magnificent final heat to go from 8th to 2nd whilst Tomi Katajamäki survived a 3 seconds penalty by winning his last race by over 13 seconds! Pyry Ovaska had a 2nd and a disappointing 8th to finish his heats.

Monaco's Charles Leclerc Winner of the 2011 CIK-FIA Academy Trophy. Pic: CIK/KSP

There was a major drama at the start of the Academy Trophy Race One. Pole man and championship leader Charles Leclerc suddenly went from first to a long way last on the formation lap! Two more formation laps were signalled but Leclerc could not reach the pack and had to start last. He later explained that someone had crashed into him and his chain had come off. He had to stop and put the chain back on!

His main rival Ben Barnicoat took a big lead but was eventually overtaken by the impressive Dutchman Marijn Kremers. It was not Barnicoat’s only disappointment. Leclerc steadily picked off the places and at the chequered flag was up to a most creditable 6th place whilst Barnicoat was 2nd. Juha Valtanen was 3rd and fellow Finn Aatu Moilanen 5th with Russian Vsevolod Gagen in between them in 4th place.

Race Two was a disaster for Ben Barnicoat. He was in 2nd place on the opening lap when it appeared he was the innocent victim of heavy contact. He dropped to the back of the field. In the meantime Charles Leclerc stayed clear of all problems as other drivers made contact with each other. He stayed in 3rd place for some time then quietly moved into 2nd and then took a lead which he never lost, Juho Valtanen was 2nd and Martin Ellegard was promoted to 3rd after Kremers was penalised.

Barnicoat drove a brave race up into 13th place but it was not enough and the Englishman was confined to runner-up in the championship. He was very sporting in defeat acknowledging how good the champion was but did say ‘I feel very disappointed because I definitely do believe I could have made a very serious challenge for this title’.

Leclerc was focussed even after his victory. He explained that when he had to put on his chain and start last, he refused to believe he would not win. ‘I just had to drive as strongly as I could. I picked each place carefully and when I saw Ben Barnicoat with a problem I knew I could definitely win. This has been a good championship and I have driven my best all year’.