AS CHAMPIONSHIP RESUMES AT SNETTERTON
Double R Racing 16-year-old climbs into top eight in driver standings
Zane Goddard moved up into the top eight of the F4 British Championship title race at Snetterton 300 Circuit over the weekend, 30th/31st July, with a best result of fourth place for Double R Racing in the first of the event’s three contests.
Arriving in Norfolk after the lengthy summer break aiming to build on the outstanding triple podium finish he achieved at Croft in June, which included a magnificent maiden win for the Woking team, the 16-year-old Australian just missed out on adding to his rostrum tally in round 16 on Saturday.
Although an action-packed round 17 ended in disappointment after a late race tangle, Goddard hit back in Sunday’s 18th round with a return to the points-paying positions and a competitive seventh place finish, just a fraction of a second shy of the top six.
“It’s good to see Zane move up the championship into the top eight and just a shame we couldn’t quite get onto the podium in race one”, said Double R team principal Anthony ‘Boyo’ Hieatt, “After such an incredible weekend at Croft last time out it was always going to be a big ask to follow that up, but Zane did a good job and hit back well in race three.
“We go to Knockhill next where it’s an entirely different challenge to Snetterton, the shortest circuit of the season compared to the longest this weekend. Hopefully we’ll be able to qualify a bit stronger there and try and get back onto the podium.”
Goddard began round 16 on Saturday afternoon from the fifth row of the grid in 10th position and instantly gained places, avoiding a two-car tangle yards from the line to smartly catapult up the order and conclude the opening lap in sixth position.
Following an early Safety Car period, resulting from the aforementioned collision, racing resumed on lap four with Goddard challenging compatriot Luis Leeds and he was able to get ahead of his fellow Australian prior to the emergence of the Safety Car once again – triggered when a rival ahead went off the circuit at the newly renamed Wilson Hairpin.
Holding fourth place at the re-start, Goddard initially pressured James Pull but then had to focus on his mirrors during the closing stages to keep a resurgent Leeds at bay. In the end, on lap nine, Goddard took the chequered flag in fourth place just a second shy of the podium.
Beginning round 17 later in the day from an improved fifth on the grid, the Double R driver instantly moved ahead of Leeds into the top four but was shuffled back to fifth soon after. On lap two, though, Goddard’s hopes took a hit, literally, when he clattered the kerbs at the Esses and dropped to 10th place as a result.
The Safety Car was required on lap seven and after the re-start, two laps later, a pair of cars went off at the first corner while battling over second place. Enabling Goddard to move into eighth, into the last lap he swarmed all over the back of Ayrton Simmons’ car but into Agostini the pair tangled and the Double R racer recovered to take the finish in a frustrating 14th place.
Beginning round 18 from 11th on the grid, Goddard made a good start and smartly worked his way into the top eight by the time the field exited the hairpin. Holding position to the end of the lap, a dramatic spin for Jamie Caroline at the exit of Murrays then elevated Goddard into seventh place.
Sandwiched between Nicolai Kjaergaard and Simmons, the Double R driver didn’t put a wheel wrong for the remainder of the eight lap contest but couldn’t quite manage to make the breakthrough with a pass on Kjaergaard and took the flag in seventh, a mere 0.4 seconds shy of the top six.
Goddard and Double R’s F4 British Championship season resumes just a fortnight from now, over the weekend 13th/14th August, at Knockhill Circuit in Scotland. Next weekend, 6th/7th August, the team will return to Snetterton with its BRDC British Formula 3 Championship entry for the penultimate event of its season alongside the British GT Championship.
2016 F4 British Championship Driver Standings (after Rd18):8th Zane Goddard, 120pts; 16th Carrie Schreiner, 12pts
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