A persistent clutch issue with the WDE Motorsport Renault Clio of Dan Zelos since the start of the season looked to have been rectified following a ‘crisis test’ at Brands Hatch in time for the Oulton Park round of the Renault UK Clio Cup. Usually effecting his race starts, he hoped the fix would finally give him the chance to fight near the front.
Qualifying hadn’t been an issue and Oulton Park was to show this again as Dan qualified in third for race one and fourth for race two.
Wheelspin was to dictate his slow start to the first race and dropped to sixth. Despite lapping as fast as the leader who was streaking away ahead of the field, the twenty year old couldn’t find a way past his rivals in front and was to finish in sixth at the flag.
With a better start in race two, being unceremoniously pushed onto the grass at Old Hall wasn’t in the script and Dan rejoined the circuit in tenth. Making up one position to ninth, the narrow confines of Oulton Park striked again and Dan was to sit restless amongst a train of cars until the flag.
Setting a lap time faster than the eventual winner in race two, thoughts of what might have been put the weekend into perspective.
“Oulton was a weekend of two halves,” said the twenty year old,
“Qualifying went really well, but then the races were hugely frustrating.
“There’s no question that our speed hasn’t been rewarded yet in 2018 – we were quick enough to fight for the rostrum if not better at both Thruxton and Oulton, and we weren’t a million miles away at Brands Hatch or Donington Park, either.
“We’ve been strong everywhere we’ve been, and if it wasn’t for bad luck costing us a lot of points, we would likely be battling for a top three spot in the championship right now.”
Looking ahead, the WDE Motorsport driver knows what he’s out to get next time out at Croft, “Moving on to Croft, we tested there earlier this year and I felt the best I ever have in the car, which gives us plenty of cause for optimism looking ahead.
“We’re overdue a change of fortunes now and overdue a podium finish – so heading to Yorkshire, that’s got to be the goal.”
