Dan Wells suffered a tricky weekend during Rounds Thirteen and Fourteen of the 2011 CERTINA Formula Renault 2.0 UK Championship at Silverstone, the Atech Reid GP driver enduring reliability issues and contact with his team mate during a tough weekend on the World Series by Renault festival bill.
Wells arrived at the British Grand Prix venue fired up to achieve a strong result after his difficult weekend last time out at Snetterton. Wells commented: “I was in a positive frame of mind going into the weekend, there are a few things I have changed in my pre-race preparation and I felt like it was going to pay off. Unfortunately, as soon as I rolled out the pitlane for practice I lost throttle so completed just five flying laps of the fantastically fast circuit.”
The lack of track time in practice really took its toll on the Salisbury-based racer in qualifying, where he was only able to put himself eleventh and thirteenth for Sunday's races. A frustrated Wells reflected: “Silverstone is a circuit where you need to build up a rhythm and build confidence with laps – I am just thankful that the guys did a great job to get me out for the second half of the 40 minute session!”
Looking back at race one, the 20 year old reflected: “I got a fantastic start and made a couple of positions, but I was too cautious on the opening laps. I managed to get past my team mate Jack Hawksworth into Stowe later on in the race and we wound up 10th.”
A fired up Dan looked to make a charge through the field in race two and did just that, recalling: “I spoke with my driver coach Kelvin Burt and had a few helpful words with the guys in the team and was very focused on what I was going to do. I had a lot of family, friends and sponsors come along – even some of my colleagues at Waitrose Salisbury, so I wanted to give them something to cheer for!
“I overtook two cars into the new Village section, another two around the outside of Village Two and was sitting in 8th place having started a disappointing 12th. Then my team mate Oscar [King] hit me going into Brooklands at the end of the lap which span me round and left me six seconds down on him. I didn't let my head drop though and drove my heart out to overtake him on the last lap – I sent it down the inside at Luffield but couldn't quite make it ahead across the line so crossed it a tenth down.”
The Parkwood Health and Fitness ambassador was disappointed with the weekend's results, but is looking forward to a more positive weekend next time out at Rockingham, concluding: “Overall, it was disappointing really. The lack of running compared to the other guys hampered us earlier in the weekend but I was up for a turn around which was going well in race two – but ultimately I know that I need to translate the sort of form I showed in race two into my qualifying performances, and I will be looking to do just that at Rockingham.”
