Jamun Racing's Josh Hill took a sensational last gasp victory in Round 22 of the Dunlop MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain, passing Tio Ellinas at the final corner to take the win after the pair enjoyed an entertaining race long battle.
It was title contender Scott Pye who lined up on pole position for the race, with Cypriot Ellinas joining him on the front row, with Daniel Cammish and Hill on row two. A damp track left it tricky for teams to find the right set up for conditions, helping to produce a great race.
Pye nailed his start to lead away at the front, ahead of Ellinas, with Hill making the jump past Cammish for third. Hill then quickly forced his way past Ellinas into second at the Old Hairpin. He quickly put Jamun Racing team mate Pye under pressure for the lead, getting past around the outside at Redgate on lap two. He quickly set about trying to build up a lead, with Pye losing another spot at the end of the lap to Ellinas.
As they entered lap three, Ellinas quickly caught on to the back of Hill at the front, with JTR's Cammish making it a three way fight for the lead after passing Pye around the outside at Redgate. Next time around, it was fellow title contender Malvern having problems at Redgate, a mistake forcing him to take a trip through the gravel, dropping him to 14th.
At the front, Hill was beginning to pull away, but his lead was cut short with the introduction of the safety car, with Zaamin Jaffer's Ray stuck in the gravel at the Craner Curves. Hill held his nerve at the restart to hold his advantage. It was Cammish who lost out, an attempted move around the outside of Ellinas at Redgate putting him onto the slippery part of the track, sending him wide through the gravel, the reigning Scholarship class champion recovering into last place.
Ellianas fought hard with Hill an Pye
Hill continued to lead, but Ellinas was quickly back on to his tail after shaking off the attentions of third placed Pye. Slight contact between the two into Coppice unsettled Hill, allowing Ellinas to gain a run down the back straight, making the move stick around the outside at the Chicane to take the lead.
Hill fought back at the next corner Redgate though, a defensive line by Ellinas forcing him to go wide, allowing Hill to cutback and retake the lead. Ellinas stayed on his gearbox though and a good run out of the Chicane allowed him to pass at Redgate next time around.
JTR's Ellinas defended well to hold on to his lead over the next few laps, despite constant pressure from Hill. The race came down to the final corner, with Hill's pressure finally telling, forcing Ellinas to take a defensive line and run deep into the Chicane. Better traction out of the bend allowed Hill to draw past and take the win on the line, with a winning margin of just 0.093 seconds, a thrilling last gasp victory, his fifth of the season.
Pye followed in third for some solid championship points, ahead of team mate Emil Bernstorff. James Tucker finished fifth, with Antti Buri completing a Mygale lockout of the top six. Garry Findlay and Jeoren Slaghekke were next up, with a great fightback by Cammish seeing him come home ninth, with Malvern recovering to tenth. In the Scholarship class, both class contender Luke Williams and Tristan Mingay suffered early spins, with Mingay recovering to take his second class win of the weekend.
Photo credits: Jakob Ebrey Photography
