As announced Jimmy Adriaenssens would be competing in the UK for his very first time. His teammate David W. Nye, with whom Jimmy has been racing in the Belgian Touring Car Series over the past year, had persuaded Jimmy to participate in the Ford Fiesta Championship during the Formula Ford Festival 2011 in Brands Hatch. Jimmy, always in for a challenge, entered last week and can confirm he had a wonderfull time in the land of motorsport!
“As mentioned before I was really looking forward to measure with my English friends. I have to admit I needed a bit of tracktime to adapt to the right hand driven car and to the track itself. Brands Hatch Indy knows a few turning brakezones and each driver knows it’s hard to hammer the brakes whilst turning. The chance of having wheelblock is bigger so you have to focuss real hard, add some downshifting with your left hand to it and constantly defending your position and you’ll be having a hard but very pleasing time! After the free practice I received lots of tips of David, which came out te be very handy. It’s thanks to him I achieved pole position in qualifying! So, thank you David ;-)!”
Sunday = racing day!
During the official racing day of the Formula Ford Festival, the Ford Fiesta Championship class A, B and D would count two races of both 20 minutes. The first race was held around noon and Jimmy Adriaenssens, David Elsom and Ed West treated the audience with a clean but hard fight. Each mistake resulted in spectacular overtaking manoeuvres which were much appreciated by the audience. Eventually due to a spin of David Elsom, Jimmy created a gap and could dominate the race.
Result of the first race:
1st Jimmy Adriaenssens – 2nd Ed West – 3rd David Elsom
“The second race was far more easy for me, after the few mistakes I made in the first race I knew more than ever how to maintain speed whilst defending my position. The fact that David and Ed were fighting hard for second place made the race more relaxed for me. After one lap I had a 40 meter gap, which was just enough to start doing my own race on my own pace. The further the race progressed the more the gap between me and Ed West grew.” In the end Jimmy finished first and again the balance was:
1st Jimmy Adriaenssens – 2nd Ed West – 3rd David Elsom
“I’d like to thank Pete Daniels Motorsport for the excellent car I received, David W. Nye for all the top-tips, my sponsors, my parents and my girlfriend for supporting me the whole weekend, the marshals, the other drivers for the clean but rough fights we had, the numerous people who have been cheering for my victories and off course Motors TV UK for both the interviews! I had a great time and can’t wait to return to the UK !”
