SPEED double for Hughes and Firth at Donington

Warren Hughes and Jody Firth claimed both SPEED EuroSeries victories at Donington Park last weekend, although IF Motorsport’s Dean Stirling maintained his slim championship lead.

Race one initially saw Alex Caffi’s factory Wolf lead the way after blasting past pole sitter Sarah Reader on the run down to the first corner and then taking advantage when Hughes ran wide at McLeans.

The chasing Xero WFR03 remained a threat throughout the opening stint though and grabbed the lead once rain began to fall. Despite the pit window still being some laps away, a number of drivers opted for an early switch to wets. Not so Hughes, who skated through the soaking conditions on slicks until it was time for his mandatory stop.

With the rain dispersing as quickly as it arrived, Firth’s decision to rejoin on slicks looked like the right call until he found a wet patch and span off. Despite slipping down the order, the track was drying quickly and it wasn’t long before he re-took the lead, heading home the second Xero-run car of Ben Clucas and Tom Bradshaw.

Stirling and Matthew Draper were one of the crews that pitted early for wet rubber but still had enough pace to recover to third, ahead of the Greensall/Coleman HGRT Ligier and Caffi/Fratti Wolf.  

The second race proved a lot more straightforward for the WFR03 pair who led every lap bar the pit-stop phase.

Clucas had initially looked like repeating the sister Xero’s second place result before spinning away his and Bradshaw’s hopes on lap 28. That promoted Stirling before handing over to Draper who was able to see off Greensall’s advances before a wheel issue ended the chasing Ligier’s involvement.

Pole man Daren Burke took full advantage to give his and Reader’s TFL Racing Juno the final podium spot ahead of Robbie Kerr and Alex Craven (Lannan Racing Ligier) and the Wolf of Caffi and Fratti.

Next up, Imola on July 2/3.

Catch SPEED EuroSeries coverage on Motors TV throughout 2011.

Tom Hornsby