Ginetta Junior Scholarship winner Alex Sedgwick has described his first weekend in the Ginetta Junior Championship at Brands Hatch as a “very positive start” to his car-racing career.
After getting to grips with the track conditions during Friday’s two thirty minute practice sessions, Sedgwick showed great pace to secure a pair of top seven qualifying performances as one of the top rookies in the twenty car grid.
The 15 year old produced a strong start to the opening race, maintaining seventh place for several laps until he was forced off track in avoidance of a spinning car in front of him. Re-joining in sixteenth place, he battled back well to finish twelfth at the finish.
In front of the ITV4 cameras, Sedgwick made a fantastic start to race two, but found himself sandwiched between two cars who made contact with the front of his JHR Developments-prepared Ginetta G40J before they’d even reached the first corner.
Fortunately he was able to keep on track, holding sixth place in the leading group. Right in the middle of the action, Alex acquainted himself well against more experienced rivals, and was unlucky when a late move from a rival resulted in terminal damage to his car, with the car starting to catch fire and fill with smoke as he pulled into retirement.
“It was exciting racing for the first time and especially with all the BTCC fans watching around the circuit,” said Sedgwick. “It was unfortunate the car spun in front of me in race one. When I re-joined, I drove as fast as I could to try to regain my original position and had just caught up the cars in front as the chequered flag went out.
“Retiring from the second race in a smoked filled car was not what I had planned. Even so, it has been a very positive start to my car racing career and I have learnt a lot. I cannot wait now until the next race at Donington.”
The 2014 Ginetta Junior Championship continues with Rounds Three and Four at Donington Park on Easter Weekend, 19/20 April.
