News
06.10.07
Class win and fastest lap as Ollie Hancock doubles-up at Spa
Formula Renault BARC racer Ollie Hancock enjoyed an impressive first visit to Spa-Francorchamps in a one-off historic racing outing at the weekend, taking a class win in the World Sportscar Masters and setting the fastest class lap in the Sports Racing Masters.
The two series ran together during a one-hour race at the legendary Belgian circuit, with Hancock switching between the Lotus 23B he shared with David Cooke in the SRM and the Lola 212, co-driven by his father Anthony, in the WSM.
Having qualified the Lotus on the class pole and fifth overall, Hancock charged up to third in the first half of the race, setting a fastest lap of 2:49.929, almost three seconds quicker than his nearest category-rival, and was comfortably leading his class when forced to pit with a misfire. Having lost two laps undergoing repairs, Cooke took over the driving duties some way down the field, recovering to finish 16th overall and 11th in class.
Hancock’s race wasn’t over though as he jumped into the Lola 212 which Anthony had piloted off the grid. Stepping into the car for the first time at Spa having missed qualifying due to a wheel bearing failure, Ollie’s second flying lap saw him go two seconds faster than the Lola’s previous best of the weekend and he climbed to third overall and into the class lead. A fuel pressure problem with two laps to go looked to have curtailed hopes of a win, but as Ollie crawled to the pits to retire, the chequered flag was waved securing fifth overall and the class victory.
“Because of the fuel pressure issue, the car kept cutting out in the high-speed corners and which can be really dangerous, especially at Spa,” Ollie revealed. “But as I pulled into the pitlane the chequered flag came out meaning I still took the class win!
“This was my first time racing at Spa and the circuit is absolutely mega. It is so challenging to drive and to get the high speed corners right you have to push really hard. The historic racing I’ve done this season has seen me race at places such as Spa and the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit and hopefully that will stand me in good stead for my single seater career.”