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Paul Streather 2016 Renault UK Clio Cup Results

 

 

Paul Streather's Results

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15 Hits

EXCELLENT TOP SIX DRIVE FROM STREATHER IN FINAL ROUND ENSURES CHAMPIONSHIP SEVENTH IN MAIDEN CLIO CUP SEASON

Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit provided a mixed final race meeting of the Renault UK Clio Cup season for Finesse Motorsport over the weekend, 1st/2nd October, with Paul Streather bouncing back from a costly non-finish in race one to end the event with a fine top six in the second contest.

Wisbech-based Finesse concluded the 18 race season sixth in the Entrants’ Trophy while Streather just missed out on a top six placing in the Drivers’ Championship, the first year Renault UK Clio Cup racer ending his first full campaign in the British Touring Car Championship feeder series in seventh.

His race two performance was certainly impressive, Streather scything his way through from the seventh row of the grid into sixth and also posting the second fastest lap of the race – quicker than anything managed by the podium finishers.

“It’s definitely been a season of ups and downs, Paul’s had the pace but we haven’t had much in the way of luck and that’s really cost us”, said Finesse team principal Neil Giddings, “It’s good to end the season with a strong top six in the last race, though, and second fastest lap showed the potential of Paul and the car.”

To begin with, the last weekend of the season started impressively as Streather built on the excellent pace he showed at Silverstone a fortnight previously with the second fastest time in the first of two practice sessions. In the second run he was fourth fastest and went on to end the test day just 0.2 seconds shy of the outright pace – a big confidence boost ahead of qualifying.

Rain arrived for the grid-determining session on Saturday morning and Streather ended the run with the eighth fastest time for the round 17 starting grid. Track conditions improved ahead of the first of the weekend’s two races, but the circuit remained slippery so wet tyres were the order of the day.

Making a blistering start, Streather stormed through the order from eighth into fourth position as he judged the grip perfectly but hopes of mounting a podium challenge were dashed when red flags were shown as a result of a major multi-car tangle further back in the pack at the exit of Druids. 

Undoing all of the Finesse driver’s hard work, the stoppage gave drivers a chance to change to slick Dunlop tyres with the track surface drying out. Parts of the Grand Prix loop remained very greasy, though, and Streather – who wasn’t sure if slicks would be the right call – fell victim to the lack of grip at the re-start with his Clio pitched into the barriers, and retirement, on the first lap.

Aiming to make amends during round 18 on Sunday afternoon, albeit from the seventh row of the grid, Streather made a rapid launch from the line and displayed lightning reactions to avoid the stalled car of Dan Zelos. Piecing together a superb opening lap, he climbed through into 10th position and then set about challenging for ninth before the Safety Car was deployed on lap three.

At the re-start a lap later, the race took a major twist when a multi-car tangle, triggered when Paul Rivett made contact with Ant Whorton-Eales, resulted in Streather being able to move up into eighth before the Safety Car made a swift re-appearance.

Racing resumed on lap six and the Finesse driver initially pressured Luke Kidsley before his target then became Whorton-Eales. Grabbing seventh place from the eventual champion on lap nine, Streather chased after James Colburn for sixth but on the penultimate tour, lap 11, a dramatic series of barrel rolls for Kidsley at Stirlings, after contact with the barriers, brought out the red flags.

Streather, therefore, was credited with sixth in the final classification and he also ended the race with the second fastest lap time – a great achievement considering he had to contend with damaged steering after early-race contact. 

“Race two was good, a good way to end the season”, said the Michael Smith Switchgear and AVW Fabrications-backed driver, “I did get hit which bent the steering, there was definitely more pace in the car but the steering meant we couldn’t show it even though we still had second fastest lap.

“We started the weekend with good pace in practice and then qualifying was good considering the lack of wet running we’d had. In the first race I was absolutely flying at the first start, I went from eighth to fourth. The circuit was still pretty wet round the back and at the re-start I just lost the back of the car, I did catch it but then it gripped-up on a dry patch and spat me off.” 

He added: “Race two was the high point of the weekend and it’s a strong way to finish the year with the sort of pace we know we’re capable of. Big thanks to the guys at Finesse for all their work this season, and to my sponsors for all their support and for putting me on the grid.”

46 Hits

STREATHER AND FINESSE MOTORSPORT BULLISH FOR BRANDS HATCH GP SEASON FINALE

Renault UK Clio Cup race winner Paul Streather returns to Brands Hatch this coming weekend, the scene of his memorable opening round triumph earlier this year, with a goal of making a long overdue return to the podium during the final two races of 2016.

Off the back of a sensational turnaround a week ago at Silverstone, where the Finesse Motorsport driver battled back brilliantly from a nasty testing accident to post two outstanding ninth place race finishes from the back of the grid in each instance, he is feeling particularly bullish for Brands.

Rounds 17 and 18 take place on 1st/2nd October at the Kent venue’s full Grand Prix Circuit, a track which holds great memories for Streather. During the corresponding event this time last year, he secured an outstanding second place finish – and almost took a headline grabbing win – on his debut in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship support series.

On the shorter Indy Circuit configuration at the start of the current season back in April, Streather climbed one step higher on the podium after a fantastic drive under pressure but, since that time, the championship has had more than its fair share of twists, turns and unexpected dramas.

Last weekend’s major excursion in a rain-affected pre-event testing session at Silverstone, which resulted in a written-off car, threatened to keep Streather on the sidelines for the penultimate event of the season. 

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64 Hits

REMARKABLE DRIVES FROM BACK OF GRID NET STREATHER BRACE OF NINTH PLACES AND FASTEST LAP OF WEEKEND AFTER HUGE TESTING ACCIDENT

Finesse Motorsport driver Paul Streather produced a real headline performance at Silverstone over the weekend, 17th/18th September, after bouncing back from a monumental accident in Renault UK Clio Cup testing to post a brace of ninth place results from back-of-the-grid starts.

Serving up a true masterclass in overtaking during rounds 15 and 16, Streather’s performances were all the more impressive on two fronts. Not only did they come after the hefty impact in practice, in which his original race car was written-off, he managed to achieve such strong results – and also set the fastest race lap of the weekend – in a replacement Clio he had never previously driven.

Special mention must go to the 20Ten Racing squad, without whom Streather wouldn’t have been able to get onto the grid regardless of obtaining medical clearance after his shunt. Loaning Finesse one of its spare Clio Cup cars, 20Ten travelled back to its Derby base on Friday to bring the Clio down to Silverstone in time for qualifying on Saturday.

“It’s been a weekend we won’t forget in a hurry, that’s for sure!”, reflected Finesse team principal Neil Giddings, “Paul’s accident on Friday was massive, a really big hit and the car was an obvious write-off. Fortunately, he wasn’t badly injured and Simon [Hunt] and his boys at 20Ten were great loaning us their spare car and bringing it down from Derby.

“Our boys did a fantastic job to get the car prepped for qualifying and the races and Paul did an unbelievable job, to overtake so many cars and set fastest lap in race two was outstanding."

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65 Hits

RACE WINNER STREATHER HEADING TO SILVERSTONE CONFIDENT OF UPTURN IN FORTUNES

Silverstone National Circuit in Northamptonshire hosts the penultimate event of the Renault UK Clio Cup season this weekend, 17th/18th September, where race-winning driver Paul Streather is confident of experiencing an upturn in recent fortunes.

Having made the best possible start to the campaign back in April at Brands Hatch with a stunning opening round victory, and coming close to another podium finish next time out at Donington Park, the series rookie has been plagued by some major misfortune since.

The bad luck reached its nadir for his Finesse Motorsport team last time out at Rockingham where the entire race weekend was compromised. Starting with a badly misted windscreen for Streather in the first race, resulting in a costly pit stop, in the second contest he was caught-up in the aftermath of an incident not of his making which again spoiled any hopes of a strong finish.

One positive constant throughout the season, though, has been Streather’s racecraft and tenacity as he has battled the odds with some very strong points finishes. To that end, the Hinckley driver has been able to maintain a top six placing in the championship and he intends to make Rockingham a distant memory when the Clio Cup returns to action at the weekend.

“Silverstone can’t come soon enough to be honest”, said the Michael Smith Switchgear and AVW Fabrications supported racer, “We want to put Rockingham behind us and get back in the fight for the podium, we know we’ve got the pace to do that it’s just a question of things coming together.

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73 Hits

UNBELIEVABLE INCIDENT-PACKED ROCKINGHAM WEEKEND STUNS STREATHER AND FINESSE

  • Clio Cup racer Paul Streather aghast after ‘weekend to forget’ 
  • Impressive top five practice pace unrewarded during luckless races
  • Streather holds on to sixth in championship despite dramas 

Leading Renault UK Clio Cup racer Paul Streather endured his most frustrating, and luckless, outing of the 2016 season at Rockingham International Super Sportscar Circuit over the weekend, 27th/28th August, after encountering nothing but misfortune.

Despite a strong start to the seventh event of the season, with the Finesse Motorsport driver delivering impressive top five pace in pre-event practice, everything came unravelled in the weekend’s two races where absolutely dreadful misfortune ruined any hope of a consistently strong points haul.

Torrential rain on Saturday afternoon, coupled with warm temperatures, resulted in a badly misted windscreen for Streather’s Clio on the opening lap of race one and following a costly pit-stop to clear the problem he ultimately finished in a very uncharacteristic 14th position. 

In the televised second race on Sunday, he was bundled off the track at Chapman Curve on lap one as multi-car contact to his right resulted in a car rolling into his path and forcing him off the track across the grass. Recovering to the pits, Streather’s damaged Clio did make it back into the race and he went on to finish in 15th place but a lap down on the leaders.

It wasn’t just on-track incident either which turned the Rockingham weekend into one to forget for Finesse – high winds on Saturday resulted in an awning from another team being swept into the air, before landing on the Finesse team race transporter, causing damage to the cab unit!

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116 Hits

QUALIFYING IMPROVEMENTS KEY FOR RACE WINNER STREATHER AS CLIO CUP HEADS TO ROCKINGHAM

One month since the Renault UK Clio Cup was last in action, the fast-paced championship is preparing to resume at Rockingham in Northamptonshire this coming weekend, 27th/28th August, where race winner Paul Streather is eyeing something of a late-season resurgence.

Setting his sights on an overdue podium challenge in the high-profile Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship feeder category, the 27-year-old Finesse Motorsport driver is placing full focus on qualifying performance which, in recent rounds, has been an Achilles Heel.

Streather, of course, started the 2016 season fantastically well during the championship curtain-raiser at Brands Hatch in early April when the rapid Renault UK Clio Cup rookie scorched to an outstanding race victory in the first race of the season.

Although racking up healthy points scores during each of the subsequent race meetings, his challenge has been impacted on two fronts – illness at Oulton Park in June seriously undermined his competitiveness and unrepresentative qualifying outcomes have left a huge amount of hard work to do in the races.

Even so, the Leicestershire driver goes into rounds 13 and 14 of the 18-race season still inside the coveted championship top six and only 27 points outside the top four. With the clear race pace to be back in among the podium positions at Rockingham, silverware is the target at the Corby venue.

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112 Hits

TOP SIX BEST FOR STREATHER AND FINESSE IN CLIO CUP AT SNETTERTON

Finesse Motorsport driver Paul Streather raced to a best finish of sixth place at the team’s home track, Snetterton 300 Circuit, on Sunday, 31st July, as the second half of the Renault UK Clio Cup season got underway with two robust and action-packed contests.

Racing to his seventh top six result of the season in round 12, Streather had a tougher time of things in round 11 earlier in the day when a lower than expected starting position was compounded by a five second time penalty for a perceived track limits infringement – he ended the race in 13th position. 

Even so, the Michael Smith Switchgear and AVW Fabrications-backed driver maintained sixth position in the championship standings and goes into the four week break ahead of the next event at Rockingham within 27 points of the series top four. In the team standings, Finesse also holds sixth place.

“It’s not been a bad weekend, not what we wanted as we know we’ve got the pace for the podium, but sixth in race two was OK”, reflected team principal Neil Giddings, “Qualifying went wrong with the weather and on the one lap Paul had to do a good time, he was blocked. It was an uphill battle from there but at least we took some points away.”

Changeable conditions in qualifying on Saturday, 30th July, proved problematic for Streather when rain started to fall as he went out on slick tyres. As the track then dried out later on, he had one lap with which to try and set a representative time but he was badly baulked by another driver and ended the session 14th fastest.

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133 Hits

STREATHER TARGETING CLIO CUP SILVERWARE AS SEASON RESUMES AT SNETTERTON

Race-winning Renault UK Clio Cup driver Paul Streather is determined to produce the strongest possible performance when the championship resumes after its long summer break this coming weekend, 30th/31st July, at the Finesse Motorsport team's home track – Snetterton 300 Circuit in East Anglia.

The round one victor, who resides in Hinckley in Leicestershire, has his sights set on podium success for the Wisbech-based team during rounds 11 and 12 of the campaign, the sixth event of the 2016 championship.

For Streather, Vice-Champion of the club-level Michelin Clio Cup Series last year, the resumption of his first full season on the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship support package in the blue riband Renault UK Clio Cup provides the opportunity to get his year fully back on track as he aims to climb back up from sixth in the standings.

Encountering a challenging event at Thruxton back in May, Streather’s bid took another knock at Oulton Park in June when illness almost prevented him from taking part in the weekend’s action. Hitting back with sixth and fifth place results last time out at Croft, following great drives through the order, the 27-year-old is now fighting fit and seeking nothing less than a podium return.

“I’m feeling 100% now and had a nice holiday, so we’re raring to go”, he commented, “We’ve got a few things we know we want to work on, especially qualifying as that hasn’t been my strong point. In the races we always do much better, like at Croft before the break when we came through from 14th and ninth to sixth and fifth – that was as much as I could have asked for there.

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144 Hits

COMPETITIVE CROFT WEEKEND FOR STREATHER WITH DOUBLE TOP SIX IN CLIO CUP

Renault UK Clio Cup front-runner Paul Streather produced two highly competitive showings at Croft Circuit near Darlington over the weekend, 18th/19th June, with a very healthy haul of championship points maintaining his position in the series top six.

The category race winner, who was determined to bounce back from a troubling virus which derailed his Oulton Park weekend a fortnight ago, sliced through the order in round nine on Saturday from 14th on the grid – a result of being badly baulked in qualifying – to post an excellent top six result. He backed that up with another sixth place in the televised second contest on Sunday.

Qualifying proved frustrating for Streather and the Finesse Motorsport team with the significant impact of traffic. Having both of his quickest laps badly hindered, Streather had to settle for a spot on the seventh row for race one.

Making a good start to the opening contest, the Michael Smith Switchgear and AVW Fabrications-backed racer sensationally scythed his way into ninth position through the first few turns with great awareness. 

Continuing to make progress, on lap eight at Clervaux he moved past Senna Proctor into the top eight and Streather then grabbed seventh too. His excellent rise into the top six was complete when Charlie Ladell had an excursion and Streather held position to the chequered flag on lap 12 to cap a very strong performance.

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140 Hits
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