Foto: James Bearne

El fin de semana pasado Toni Alarcón hizo su debut oficial en la Fórmula Palmer Audi con motivo de su participación en la primera de las cuatro últimas carreras de este prestigioso certamen y que se disputaron este fin de semana demostrando su madera de campeón al lograr acabar noveno en la última carrera, sobre un monoplaza que nunca había pilotado y con unos rivales superiores a él.

El piloto balear en la matinal de un sábado que se mostró lluvioso disputó la manga clasificatoria (cronos) donde logró el  décimo quinto puesto, teniendo en cuenta las condiciones en las que tuvo que rodar y la poca experiencia, al ser el único que no había subido antes a un Fórmula de estas características, (360 CV) el equipo dio por bueno el resultado.

Ya en la primera carrera y saliendo desde atrás superó a varios rivales en una dura batalla que duró cerca de treinta y cinco minutos (20 vueltas al circuito) y donde nadie daba su brazo a torcer logrando cruzar la línea de meta en la décimo primera plaza. Para la segunda contienda el objetivo del balear era intentar entrar en el “top ten”, algo que no ocurriría al estar el recorrido de la pista de Silverstone con muchas zonas húmedas y algunas secas. Toni no quiso arriesgar al no jugarse nada prefiriendo acabar las cuatro carreras, por lo que acabó en el décimo cuarto lugar. A ello también contribuyo la estrategia de los neumáticos ya que Alarcón eligió compuestos de mojado, teniendo que entrar a boxes a montar gomas de seco tras realizar unos seis o siete giros al trazado.

Miguel Ferrer Ferbispress

Ginetta star targets £100,000 F2 scholarship prize

Successful Ginetta driver Nigel Moore is set to make his single seater debut this season after his participation in the 2010 Formula Palmer Audi Championship was confirmed today (11/03).

18-year-old Nigel has already notched up an impressive list of racing achievements. He won the Ginetta Junior Cup in 2007, the Ginetta G50 Championship in 2008 and became the youngest ever British driver to compete at Le Mans in 2009 when he raced the Ginetta-Zytek LMP1 car.

Moore will enjoy his first full test in an FPA car over the coming weeks before the season gets underway at Brands Hatch on 8/9 May. The talented young racer is now targeting the FPA title and the £100,000 scholarship prize towards a drive in Formula Two – the biggest prize in UK motorsport.

Nigel’s Formula Palmer Audi will be liveried in traditional Ginetta ‚orange‘ as the Briton is being backed by the marque during his 2010 campaign.

Nigel commented: "I’m just ecstatic to be given this chance by Lawrence and Jonathan. The driving talent to come up through FPA speaks for itself and there couldn’t be any bigger incentive to go all out for the title, than the chance to win an F2 scholarship for 2011. I can’t wait to test my new FPA car, the overboost feature is going to make for some very close racing and that’s just the kind of on-track action that I am best at!"

FPA Chief Executive Jonathan Palmer said: "The motorsport world has been well aware of Nigel’s considerable driving talents as he’s progressed through the Ginetta ladder over the past three years and I’m absolutely delighted to have a name of his calibre added to the 2010 line up. We’re thrilled to be offering such an incredible prize for our 2010 drivers and I know Nigel is definitely going to be ‚one to watch‘."

Ginetta Chairman Lawrence Tomlinson, who gave Moore his LMP1 Le Mans debut in 2009 added: "Formula Palmer Audi is a natural step for Nigel and I’m very pleased that he will get the chance to prove his driving capabilities in such a high profile series. Jonathan and his team have established FPA as one of the best single-seater championships in Europe, as well as spawning some major talents and I am confident that Nigel will be a genuine contender for the title this year."

Simon Melluish

20 races at seven premier circuits including Brands Hatch GP and Silverstone

The 2010 Formula Palmer Audi Championship calendar has been announced and will feature 20 races at seven of the UK’s premier circuits, including Brands Hatch GP and Silverstone.

The championship will commence with a triple header race meeting on the Brands Hatch Indy Circuit before the season continues at Snetterton, Oulton Park and Donington Park respectively. The championship will then visit Rockingham on 28 August, having only previously visited the Northamptonshire circuit once before during the 2002 Autumn Trophy series.

The penultimate event of the 2010 campaign will take place on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit as FPA supports the British F3 and GT Championships, and the season will conclude at Silverstone on 16/17 October with a new-for-2010 four race title showdown.

FPA is providing young drivers with an opportunity to win the biggest prize in British motorsport in 2010, and entries are now open for the grid of 22 cars. This year’s champion will receive a remarkable £100,000 scholarship prize towards a drive in the 2011 FIA Formula Two Championship, and series organiser MotorSport Vision has further enhanced its prize offerings to include an F2 test for the top six finishers in this year’s FPA championship.  
A full season in FPA, which includes a pre-season test day at Snetterton, race event hospitality and new onboard video camera technology to aid driver performance analysis, will cost just £59,500 + VAT.

2010 Formula Palmer Audi Championship calendar
8/9 May                         Brands Hatch (Indy)                   Rounds 1, 2 & 3
26/27 June                     Snetterton                                 Rounds 4, 5, 6 & 7
24 July                          Oulton Park                               Rounds 8 & 9
14/15 August                 Donington Park                          Rounds 10, 11 & 12

28 August                      Rockingham                              Rounds 13 & 14

25/26 September            Brands Hatch (GP)                     Rounds 15 & 16

16/17 October                Silverstone (National)                  Rounds 17, 18, 19 & 20