Motourage

Able Systems Ltd of Northwich-backed CTR-F1 sidecar racing started their 2010 Eurosport Battle of Britain campaign with a hard-fought series of races at Pembrey, near Swansea in South Wales. The team qualified less than two seconds off pole but down in 17th Place on the grid, meaning a mammoth task in the ultra-competitive meeting. Results of 18th, 15th and 13th were described as “Mediocre” by team principle, Craig Chaplow.

Craig Chaplow & Dan Evanson had frustrating round one results at Pembrey

After a winter of preparations the season began in earnest at Pembrey Circuit, South Wales with an oversubscribed grid of 30 outfits CTR started the weekend confident of picking up the first points of the season. A new weekend format of qualifying, and three points scoring races presenting plenty of opportunity to set our mark in a competitive field. Unfortunately gear selection problems during qualifying hampered Craig and Dan’s ability to really push during the session however they were happy with a personal best lap time. Later when the final qualifying results were released this was only good enough for 17th on the grid despite being 1.7 seconds off the pole position time.

Craig Chaplow, Driver:
“We expected the pace to be quick and were happy with a personal best but the quality of the competition in this year’s championship meant our time while only 1.7sec off pole put us back in 17.”

Saturdays Superpole race over 18 laps proved a stern test of all the teams’ skill and fitness. A conservative start saw CTR boxed in on the inside of turn one which left them involved in a six way fight for 10th to 16th position. With Craig and Dan finishing a creditable 15th position picking up their first championship point.”

Dan Evanson, Passenger:
“The racing was exceptionally close, closer than I have been involved in for a long time; on a circuit with few passing places progress though the field was difficult but our experience of long races from last year’s world championship helped us to remain competitive throughout. It’s disappointing to have finished so far down the field but while we were able to lap faster than many of the bikes in front of us there just wasn’t the space to overtake.”

The South Wales Sunshine beamed down on Sundays televised feature races. Race one again saw CTR pinned down at the first corner and after a race long struggle to pass slower bikes in front saw them finish in 18th.

Race two finally saw CTR able to show there true pace with a positive start seeing them clear of the slower mid field after the first couple of laps. With some of there best lap times of the weekend Craig and Dan managed to bridge the gap to the group in front but again a lack of overtaking opportunities saw their further progress up the field hampered , however positive riding and perseverance saw them finish 13th claiming more valuable championship points.

Craig Chaplow, Team Principal:
“We were caught napping during the qualifying session leaving us a lot of work to do during the races on a track where overtaking opportunities are limited. However our pace in the last race in clean air was encouraging with another personal best lap time CTR were consistently lapping quicker than several outfits in front of us and with a few more laps a top ten finish was defiantly on the card but it was not to be.”

CTR now take a break until round two at Snetterton on the first weekend in May, but, buoyed with the excellent pace in race three, are confident of moving up the order.

Thanks need to go to the new organizers of the British F1 Championship for what is already shaping up to be an excellent years racing for CTR. Don’t just believe us for tune into British Eurosport 2 Sunday 18th April 18:00 or British Eurosport 1 Tuesday 20th April 23:30 for coverage of all of Sundays action. As always thank-you to our sponsors for their loyalty and continued support into the new season and a special mention to Craig at Bodycraft of Wrenbury for the paintwork on the bike and Jonny Walker for the sponsor art work on bike and van.

Pembrey in South Wales will host the opening rounds of the UK F1 Sidecar Championship, thought by many sport insiders to be the best field since the late 1980s. A top-quality field of F1 sidecars, the like of which hasn’t been seen since the 1986 Silverstone Grand Prix, will be heading down to the former Spitfire base to set their mark on the opening stages of the Battle of Britain.

The 2009 FIM Superside World Champion Birchall Brothers are among the teams competing in UK and international competition

The current World Champions, Ben & Tom Birchall and former triple World Champions Tim & Tristan Reeves would be favorites to clean up under normal circumstances, but some interesting rule changes mean the odds may be about to be turned on their heads. The new World Championship rule amendments have forced teams to make the switch to standard engines as opposed to the highly tuned motors they have been able to run previously, and Tim Reeves estimates that the change costs as much as one second per lap. Coincidentally, one second per lap was about the advantage they had over the best of the National teams in previous seasons, so a seven or eight outfit scrap at the head of the field now looks to be on the cards.

The action gets underway on Saturday April 10, and culminates with the Eurosport televised races on Sunday April 11. Pembrey is located just off the A484 near Llanellli in South Wales, within easy reach of the M4 motorway.

The CTR team look to make their mark on the British circuits in 2010

Cheshire-based CTR Sidecar racing will also be running in the event and hoping to be pushing for a podium result. Strong pre-season testing at Mallory Park and Anglesey have left the team ready to make their mark on the map for the opening round.

Craig Chaplow CTR Driver:
“Pembrey is a special place for Dan and me, as we made our European debut there two years ago, but the thought of 30 F1 sidecars heading into a tight 180 degree hairpin gets the blood flowing, and we will have to ride hard to make our mark.”