Curnow extends lead in Rookie Cup at Brands Hatch (27 Apr 04)

The Formula BMW UK Championship moved to a sun-soaked Brands Hatch for two further rounds on Sunday.

In the first race, the Rookie Class was led from start to finish by Ross Curnow (Panther Motorsport) with Brazilian, Marcos Vilhena, second. Inspired by a visit from John Surtees who is taking a keen interest in his career, Curnow drove a smooth, uneventful race to finish 11^th overall and secure another 20 points in the Rookie Championship.

In Race 2, Ross was leading the Rookie Class again when the safety car was deployed following an accident involving Portuguese driver, Duarte Felix da Costa. The race was red flagged at the end of lap 8 to help the rescue crews at the scene of the accident and after the restart Curnow slipped behind Sam Bird and Jordan Wise to finish 3^rd in his class.

Interviewed by ITV after the podium presentation, Ross said “We seemed to have problems with the gearbox and I was having difficulty with gear selection. I’m pleased otherwise – I’m still leading the Rookie Championship and that’s what counts really”.

Cunow comes away from the weekend having extended his lead to 20 points. He’s currently on 67 points with Jordan Wise in second place on 47.

The next two rounds of the Formula BMW Championship are at Silverstone on the weekend of 8^th and 9^th May.

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