A new sponsor a new livery and all was looking good for Alex Macleod and Paul Rivett in their Tacho Systems with RAW Motorsport Fun Cup car.
After morning practice in wet conditions at Donington Park, both drivers were extremely happy with their car, and looking forward to the opening round of this years Fun Cup Endurance Championship.
“We had found an incredible increase in pace compared to last years car, to compare the two would be like chalk and cheese,” said Macleod.
They had drawn 15th place on the starting grid for the eighth row, and it was Macleod taking the opening stint in the four hour race.
It was a good clean start and Macleod had settled well into the pack, until the run out of Coppice down to the chicane was to catch him out in the damp and very slippery conditions.
“I had started with good pace, but I have been used to the pack getting away from me early on in the past. But this time I was staying with them and it was my first real experience of the concertina effect as everyone braked for the chicane together,” he explained.
“I knew I would have to brake early being all in line, but I still didn’t anticipate it enough. When I realised I was still going in too quickly, I took to the grass to avoid contact, but was then just a passenger. I touched other cars, but broke a front damper and was left in the gravel with one wheel hanging off,” he added.
The car was recovered and returned to the pit garage, when the RAW pit crew set about the task of getting the car fixed and back into the race.
It was back on track just before half distance, “it was important to get back out to make good what had happened and go for some good times,” added Macleod.
With both drivers sharing the remaining lappery, they managed to complete 78 laps to be classified 23rd, setting times that would have put them inside the top 10.
“It was good for Alex to get back out there and he drove some of the best laps he has ever done. In some corners he was quicker than me,” admitted former multiple Renault Clio UK Cup Champion Rivett.
The next round of the Championship is another 4 hour race on June 19th, on the Silverstone National Circuit, before heading to Anglesey in July for a 3 hour double header.
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