Milton-Keynes based racer Samuel Oram-Jones will join SWB Motorsport for the Protyre Formula Renault season at the Donington Park round. The 16-year-old recently tested the Tatuus FR2000 at Mallory Park with the team before deciding to take the third SWB run chassis in the BARC championship. Oram-Jones joins Atte Lehtonen and Jack Butel in the Daventry team’s garage.
After a strong career in karting, which has seen the youngster race in the CIK-FIA Under 18 World Championship, WSK Euro Series and CIK-FIA European KF3 Championship, the move to Formula Renault marks Oram-Jones’ car racing debut. Oram-Jones also has a sports scholarship to The Webber Indepenant School in Milton-Keynes.
A single test ahead of his debut has been complimented by several sessions in the team’s simulator and a second track test at Mallory next week.
Team Principal Simon Baldry has been impressed by the youngsters attitude saying, “We’re very pleased to add Sam to the team, he has a super-professional approach and a fantastic attitude. He’s been in our sim for the last few days learning the track, and will be back out at Mallory Park next Wednesday before Donington on the Thursday of the race meeting.
“His karting career will stand him in good stead, however, he has a lot of catching up to do with the other drivers who have had a full winter of testing and the first race meeting to hone the necessary skills. I’m sure he will rise to the challenge!”
“I’m extremely pleased to get this chance, SWB Motorsport is a well-respected team”, Oram-Jones added. “Simon works very well with the drivers and the mechanics all take a real pride in what they do. The test at Mallory Park was very successful and we were a lot faster than we expected considering it was very cold and we were using old tyres.
“My first race is very important, although we have to be realistic. We’d like to aim to be mid-pack or in the pack fighting for position as opposed to being at the back and not in the mix at all. I’ll be happy to get any points of significance at all in the first few races. That would be extremely good.”
SWB Motorsport initially planned to have three drivers for the first round of the championship at Rockingham.
