Renault UK Clio Cup title protagonist Jack Young again dominated Renault Sport Racing’s international Clio Cup Open event at Germany’s Hockenheimring circuit – only for a time penalty to deny him victory in both races. Meanwhile fellow UK championship racer Ben Colburn was able to take another podium result.
Young, currently second in the UK standings, qualified his distinctive Eddie Stobart/MRM car on pole position for both races – held during Germany’s Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend.
The 17-year-old from Belfast led all the way to win the opening race (held on Saturday) to add to the two Open victories he’d achieved at France’s F1 GP event at Paul Ricard in June.
He then looked to have made it four in a row when he also crossed the line first in Sunday’s second race at the Hockenheimring, only for officials to hand him a 30-second time penalty for exceeding ‘track limits’ – a decision that saw him plummet down the final result.
Among the beneficiaries was Westbourne Motorsport driver Colburn who suddenly found himself elevated from fourth to third for his second Open podium appearance having also taken a third at Paul Ricard. It capped another strong weekend for the 19-year-old from Worthing after he’d finished fourth in race one.
Young commented: “I’d come to Germany determined to make it a clean sweep and it looked like I’d done it until I came into the pit lane at the end of the second race and was informed of my penalty.
“It’s a shame as I didn’t feel I had overstepped the mark on track but I’ll take this one on the chin – I still feel very proud of the job myself and the team have done.”
He added: “It’s back to UK Clio Cup duties at Snetterton (Norfolk) next weekend. I lost my championship lead to Max (Coates) last time out at Oulton Park and, after having this win in Germany taken away from me, I’m even more determined now to go out at Snetterton and get that lead back.”
Colburn said: “Another podium result at international level at an F1 event – to cap it all, I got my photo taken with (Ferrari F1 star) Charles Leclerc as I came down off the podium!
“I’m really looking forward now to Snetterton. Like Jack, it’ll be 12 months since I made my debut in the UK Clio Cup there and after two strong results at Oulton Park as well I’m feeling more confident than ever.”
Five other UK Clio Cup drivers took part in the Hockenheimring races with the following results: Westbourne’s James Colburn (brother of Ben) took P13 and P6 and Aaron Thompson (Lutterworth) P16 and DNF; for MRM, P6/DNF and P15/DNF for brothers Brett and Tyler Lidsey (Northfleet); P21/P16 for Specialized Motorsport’s Luke Warr (Sudbury).
