Max Coates endured a difficult weekend in the Renault UK Clio Cup at Thruxton, the fastest track in the country. The Harron Homes sponsored driver arrived 2nd in the championship following a pair of fantastic results at Donington Park three weeks earlier.
With pre-event testing two and half weeks before the Thruxton race meeting the Primex Plastics and PLASgran recycling backed car took to the track on Saturday for qualifying. Partnering with another driver to get an all-important slipstream worked initially with Coates in provisional pole at the mid-session pit stop point. Unfortunately his best lap was disallowed due to a track limits infringement and he was then blocked on another fast lap. The BRDC Rising Star ended the session with 10th and 12th grid positions for Sunday’s two races.
As the lights went out for race one many of the drivers were caught out, including Coates, with a very short start light time. He made a good launch, albeit delayed and selected an inside line into the first braking zone. Coates got boxed in and fell back to 13th place before he began a drive back through the field eventually finishing 8th.
In the second race, broadcast live on ITV4, the Clements Ltd partnered driver made a great start and had moved up 2 places by turn one, contact was then made with another car on his right rear which pitched Coates into a spin into the Armco barrier on the inside of the track, badly damaging the car. Max drove the car back to the grid but was ordered to the pit lane for repairs where the car was deemed unsafe to continue.
The results mean that Coates has dropped to 5th in the championship standings, after he said, “Race one was a lot of fun even if the result wasn’t what I wanted but starting from 10th was always going to be difficult. I overtook lots of cars and that kind of racing is what I really enjoy. Race two was just frustrating, I made probably the best start I have done in the Clio Cup, unfortunately the contact at turn one effectively ended my race. We’re down in the championship but we have the chance to make it up, I had my first podium at Oulton Park last year which is next so I’m hoping we can start to make up lost ground.”
The next round of the championship will be held at Oulton Park in Cheshire on the 20th and 21st May, a track that many drivers enjoy and one that always attracts a huge crowd. Max’s UK Clio Cup race will be live on ITV4 at 13:25* on Sunday 21st May.