Race 1: Qualified 2nd, Finished 1st
Race 2: Qualified 1st, Finished 1st

Duncan had a fantastic weekend at Rockingham, continuing his return to the top with two wins in the Formula Renault UK Championship to make it three in a row.

Qualifying went well with a second place in Race 1, which he converted into a win and a pole position for Race 2, in which he drove away from the rest and crossed the line more than seven seconds before his nearest challenger

In the first race, having made a great start, Duncan tried to take the lead from Fortec team-mate Dean Smith but couldn’t quite make it. The pair pulled away from the rest of the field and, by keeping close, Duncan was looking for Dean to make a mistake. His patience paid off and with five of the sixteen race laps to go he managed to pass when Dean went wide on the second turn hairpin.

Race 2 was a much simpler affair. Making sure that Dean wasn’t going to pass at the hairpin on lap one by positioning himself well, Duncan held his lead and from there pulled away, increasing his gap with each lap. Minor changes to the car between the races had made it better for him to drive and after his comfortable run, including putting in the fastest lap, he took the chequered flag for the second time that day. The podium was an all-Fortec affair with the team taking a 1-2-3, adding to the celebrations.

Duncan said: “My start was good in the first race and I was right behind Dean. I managed to get a tow and get alongside but then he squeezed me. It was a case of waiting for mistakes. We both made slips but fortunately he made the big one when he out-braked himself and I got by.

“The second race was a driver’s dream, but probably a bit boring to watch. The hard part is concentrating when you’re out there on your own. I wasn’t entirely happy with the car after Race 1, so talked it through with the team who made changes and it was great for the second race – very easy to drive – so a big thanks to the Fortec boys.

“I wasn’t keen on the Rockingham circuit, so it just shows what you can do by getting down to it and working, so now I’m not too worried about where we’re racing. We’re at Thruxton next which is fast, which will be good and local too, but I need to work just as hard. At the moment the results have been great but I can’t afford to rest on my laurels so it’s a case of ‘push push push’ for the whole season.

“No one remembers who won the first few races of the season if it starts to go wrong part way through. I’ve got strong competition out there – especially from my team-mates who were with me on the podium – so the hard work goes on.”

Dave Moore, Fortec Motorsport Formula Renault Team Manager: added: “FAB! What more can I say? He wasn’t the fastest here in testing, but arrived for the event and after his Brands Hatch win just got on with it. It was a fantastic result made all the better by having an all-Fortec podium.”

Duncan’s next event is at Thruxton, Hampshire on 6th May.

•   Filed under: Formula Renault UK
•   Tagged as: Fortec Motorsport, podium finishes, Rockingham