The Preptech UK team secure a first win of the Ginetta Junior Championship season on a weekend of challenging on-track conditions at Silverstone.
The Hampshire-based squad had shown strong pace during the opening meeting of the campaign at Oulton Park over the Easter weekend, scoring three top ten finishes during the first three races of the year.
Qualifying around the full Grand Prix layout in tricky damp conditions, Henry Joslyn would prove to be the man to beat as he lapped three-tenths of a second quicker than anyone else to secure a fine pole position and put himself at the head of the pack for race one of the weekend, with his second quickest time being good enough for P4 for race two.
Alfie Davies’ best time would see him earn 16th and 13th on the grid for the opening two races, with Ethan Carney lining up in 20th and 19th having lost his fastest lap in the session to a track limits infringement.
Henry was able to hold onto the lead as the field headed into Copse for the first time, with the safety car being deployed when the car of Mallory Mabunda got stuck in the gravel. The action resumed with just under ten minutes remaining with Henry under pressure from Isaac Phelps, but he retained the lead until Phelps found a way through into Abbey on the fourth lap.
Briefly dropping down to third, Henry attacked Phelps for the lead going into Copse to start lap five and held on through Maggotts and Becketts when the pair went side-by-side for the lead. As positions switched behind, Henry then came under pressure from Charlie Hart on the final lap before taking the flag in first spot for his maiden win.
Losing out in a lap one squabble that saw him spin at Stowe, Alfie dropped to the back of the field, but he recovered well after the safety car period to fight his way back through to 17th place by the finish, which was one place ahead of Ethan, who emerged from a chaotic final lap with 18th having gained two spots in the final corners.
Heavy rain on Sunday meant the second race of the weekend would start behind the safety car, with the action only getting underway on the third lap.
Although he slipped back to sixth spot after the restart, Henry charged back up to the lead group and only missed out on second place following a drag race to the line – taking the flag just 0.027s away from the position.
Another tricky race in the pack for Alfie after early contact restricted him to 17th place as Ethan again chased him home, although the American didn’t have the easiest of races as he was forced to contend with an electrical wiper issue that affected his visibility.
Henry rounded out a fine weekend with another front-running performance in the final race of the weekend, dicing for victory across eight laps on a drying circuit before crossing the line in second place, although a penalty for gaining an unfair advantage when making a move on Marcus Saeter saw him drop a place on the final results.
After his earlier issues, Alfie enjoyed his best race of the weekend as he worked his way through the field to finish just outside the top ten in eleventh place, whilst Ethan was also set for his best result as he ran 15th going into the final lap before contact from another car dropped him back down to 21st.
Next up for the trio is Donington Park in a months’ time.
Henry Joslyn, #26 Ginetta G40, said:
‘It was a fantastic weekend, so pleased to have got my first win as well as being on the podium in every race. I can’t thank Preptech UK enough for all the hard work that went on behind the scenes to make sure we could show our true pace and I’m really looking forward to rest of the season.’
Ethan Carney, #53 Ginetta G40, said:
“It was great to race at such an iconic circuit and the changing conditions meant there was plenty of competitive action cross the races. Losing my best time in qualifying was tough as it meant I had more work to do in the first two races, but I was pretty happy with race one as I made up some places.
Race two however was more challenging because an electrical issue meant I was almost driving blind, but I made up for it in race three with great pace helping me to climb up the order. Unfortunately I got hit by someone on the final lap when they made a mistake and it dropped me down the order but I can take the positives from the weekend and have to say a big thanks to the team for their efforts.”
Alfie Davies, #74 Ginetta G40, said:
“It’s been a weekend of learning as Silverstone as a circuit doesn’t suit my driving style as much as Oulton Park, so I had a lot to learn. Race one had drama early on when I got tipped into a spin but to come back from that to finish in P17 was quite a good start and then I had a problem in race two with the engine cutting out early on, which meant I had to battle back again.
Race three was where I really felt able to benefit from everything I had learned and I was close to the top ten, which was good, even though I’d hoped for more from the results as a whole. The whole team and my driving coach have been a massive help this weekend, and I’m extremely thankful for their support.”
Oliver Barnard, Team Principal, said:
“A fantastic weekend for the whole team to see their efforts rewarded with a pole position and podiums. Henry was fast from the first lap he drove but the racing at Silverstone is very tough. We can take a lot of confidence in our pace going forwards as we look to get to the front of the championship fight. It is important we double down now as well to see Alfie and Ethan make a step closer to the front train, we want all our drivers collecting pots!”
