WSR’s Daryl De Leon scorched to an inspired third place in the final race of the British Touring Car Championship weekend at Donington Park last Sunday.
The 21-year-old Anglo-Filipino, had to work hard for his third podium finish of the season, having been forced to race through from the sixth row of the grid following a weekend blighted by misfortune.
De Leon retired from the qualifying race with an electronic issue outside of the team’s control, which meant he had to start from the back of the grid in Race One, where he made up six places.
The reigning Jack Sears Trophy champion produced another charge in Race Two forging through to 11th, and that meant he was at least within sight of the leaders when he began the final race of the day.
Jumping two places at the start, he latched on to a battle that included reigning title-holder Ash Sutton and Gordon Shedden. He fought his way past them all and, finally, claimed third on lap nine.
The result means the Cambridgeshire-based driver stays second in the Independents Drivers’ standings and closes to within 30 points of the leader.
Team-mate Charles Rainford started alongside De Leon on the grid for Race Three, in 12th, and produced a similarly swashbuckling performance to battle through to fifth place at the flag.
Tracking behind De Lyon he was embroiled in that multi-champion pack and satisfyingly took fifth place from Shedden at Goddards on the final lap.
Rainford’s weekend was also a story of recovery after an issue in qualifying meant he started 15th for Race One, finishing 12th. In both the first and second races of the day he was forced off the track on the opening lap, and thus found himself racing back through to 12th again in Race Two.
The Horsham driver now sits seventh in the overall Drivers’ Standings with three rounds still to go at Croft, Silverstone and Brands Hatch respectively.
Scottish rookie Lewis Gilbert’s race day lasted less than a lap when he was tipped off the track just before the Melbourne Hairpin and was launched into a terrifying barrel roll.
The BMW 330i M Sport withstood the accident well enough for Gilbert to emerge unscathed but the resultant damage meant he took no further part in the weekend.
Daryl De Leon: “It’s been a tough weekend, but it ended well! We had strong pace in qualifying, ultimately placing tenth. We were running eighth in the qualifying race when I had an electrical failure not of our making, which meant I had to start from the back of the grid of Race One. It was a difficult race on the hard tyre but we managed to finish 16th. Race Two I had the mediums on and managed to make some forward progress again finishing 11th, which I was happy with. Then in the last race the car just came alive and I raced through to a podium. That’s another one to add to this year. Motor racing is tough, so the five percent that is success feels sweet.”
Charles Rainford: “This was a weekend that got away from us. We had good pace in practice and qualifying. Then in qualifying we had a brake failure, and then in the qualifying race I couldn’t really make something happen. I made a good start in Race One, but got shuffled off wide at the Old Hairpin and had to make my way back through the field again. Race Two I just kept getting hit! In Race Three I got my elbows out and we got a P5 finish. We dropped down a little bit in the championship, but weirdly I’m a little excited about that because it means we get almost full boost allocation, and at Croft we can work with that!”
Lewis Gilbert: “There is not that much to say, my weekend ended before it really got started! I was tagged from behind which sent me into the wall on the run to the Melbourne Hairpin and it resulted in a big accident. I’m very thankful to WSR and BMW for building such a strong car. I feel completely fine. I’m just sad for the team because there is a lot of work to do to repair the car. I’m looking forward to going to Croft and going racing again.”
Dick Bennetts, Team Principal: “Qualifying didn’t go too well for us. Daryl had an ECU failure, and Charles had a brake issue, so we had to race forwards from there. Then in Race One a competitor clipped the back of Lewis, which caused a massive accident. The main thing is that he is okay, but we have got a lot of work to do before Croft. Race Three was very good for Daryl, coming from 11th to third, and then for Charles 12th to fifth. It was a great drive from both and really good momentum for us to carry into Croft.”
