RDWSR2: The Contenders

There are only two rounds remaining in the second season of RaceDepartment’s World Series by Renault, and Jimi Hughes leads Davy Vandevenne by just 10 points. Jan Wikstrom, currently in third position, sits a single point behind Vandevenne and remains well in touch with Hughes. The worst round score of each driver is dropped, meaning that the RDWSR2 title race is wide open and will undoubtedly come down to the wire. Hughes, Wikstrom and Vandevenne generously gave their time to speak about their respective seasons and prospects for the final two races of the season.



First of all, do you think you can win the RDWSR2 title?

Jimi Hughes: I have had a pretty good run of luck in the first half of the season, which puts me in a good position to go on from here to fight for the championship. I believe I can win it, and that is now my goal for the remainder of the season.

Davy Vandevenne: I think I can do it, but can I do what I think?! If I want to win the title then I have to win the 2 next rounds. It’s going to be difficult, but maybe one special move of me can bring changes in the title run.

Jan Wikstrom: I will do my best for sure and I can always hope, but to be honest I think my chances are limited since the other guys have demonstrated really great performance. But give up….. No way!

Could you give us a brief summary of your season so far? What have you learned about the car and the other drivers?

JH: So far I have had a positive season, with 2 race wins under my belt despite starting off somewhat on the back-foot having only managed to qualify P9 (I believe) for the first race. I've been fairly happy with my performances thus far, however there are still a few mistakes which need to be ironed out in order to raise my game for the final 2 races. The car is pretty easy to get up to speed with, it is very responsive, quite nippy and a real pleasure to drive! The championship itself is very competitive with some really talented drivers, the times are always close in qualifying and it is always great to see battles going on throughout the field.

DV: I am happy with how my season has gone so far, but I need to qualify better to even hope for a win. I like the long races, as after half race distance it seems that my pace is always a bit faster than the car in front of me. Maybe it is my setup or driving style. The battles I have had with Jimi (at Heartland) and Jan (at Mid-Ohio) were epic. Close and fair, the way I like it and it is nice to watch!

JW: First of all I usually don’t like front wheel drive and “under-powered” cars (sorry to all lovers of the Mini); I’m more a fan of open wheel racers or powerful GT type cars. I joined the league since nothing funny was going on in other RF2 classes and I was a bit surprised that I actually had some competitive speed. I still feel that the front wheel drive car is a challenge to drive and the techniques to get it to perform are really different from other cars, but it is fun and there are great drivers taking part.

There is a strong possibility of rain at Palm Beach next Saturday according to league administrator Marco Bijl. Are you confident driving in wet conditions? And do you think this race could potentially cause a major upset in the championship standings?

JH: While I don't want to jinx myself, I am confident that I can achieve another strong result at Palm Beach come rain or shine; in previous championships (albeit not in RF2) I have always been competitive in wet conditions. Having many years of experience racing Karts around the UK certainly helps, where we're lucky to get a dry weekend of racing! Of course there is potential for it to cause a major upset, especially if the conditions are mixed and strategy comes into play, but it is the same for everyone and personally I am looking forward to the challenge.

DV: I hope we get some more information about the rain conditions from Marco. I am quite confident in wet conditions. Everything depends on how wet the track is going to be. Do we have to make a pit-stop for wet tires or not? The best strategy and staying on the track is going to be the biggest challenge for everyone at Palm Beach.

JW: I usually have a smooth driving style so rain should not be a big issue, and I have had some success in rain when driving open wheelers, but this Clio is for sure something different to handle. My guess is that all the top runners will perform more or less similar since I’m pretty sure we all are putting down a great number of practicing laps prior to each race.

What will be your attitude coming into the final two rounds? Is it all out attack from here? Or will you be more conservative and settle for strong points finishes with minimal risk?

JH: I will approach the final two rounds in the same way I have approached the previous races; maximum attack. However, this does not mean 'win it or bin it'. If I have the pace to win more races then I will be going for it, otherwise I want to finish as high up as possible, without damaging my car or anyone else's.

DV: My driving style will be the same for the final two rounds, and continuing to drive consistent pace like previous races is my first priority, and I also hope I don't make too many mistakes (or no mistakes). I’m hoping to have a better qualifying session which will help me achieve a higher podium finish.

JW: I might be strange here, but I’m happier with a strong clean race with a great fight compared to risking something for myself or some of my fellow drivers. I will fight if I can, but not regardless of consequences.

Davy, you have been “Mr Consistent” for the first three rounds of the season, taking second place in all three races. Are you confident of taking a win this season? And have you been disappointed to have come off second best in race deciding battles with Jimi and Jan? Or are you satisfied to have finished on the podium on all three occasions?

DV: I would like to have at least one win but the time calls. I almost had one win or two. If you are quicker, closing a gap is quite easy, but passing is more difficult. I am not disappointed at all with my races so far, better than I expected. The battles with Jimi and Jan were fantastic as you all saw.

Jimi, you were openly dissatisfied with your pace at Mid-Ohio for the first round of the season. What did you change between Mid-Ohio and Croft, where you took pole position, the fastest lap and a 15 second win?
JH: I wish I knew a definitive answer for myself to be honest! Croft is a fantastic circuit, which I am very familiar with, so that helped. Straight away at Croft I felt very comfortable with the car and was able to concentrate on pushing hard and going as fast as possible for 45 minutes, whereas at Mid-Ohio I felt rather more like I was holding on for dear life, so I couldn't get into a comfortable rhythm. I wasn't happy with my pace there for sure, but P4 was far from a disaster! The win at Croft was a great moral boost and now I feel, with two wins under my belt, that I have the momentum going into the final two races to be strong contender for the championship. Although that said, I'm sure the rest of the field will have ambitions of their own and it will be tough.

Jan, you took an amazing win ahead of Davy at Mid-Ohio, however you haven’t quite had the pace over the past two rounds. Are you confident that you can beat Jimi and Davy to the top step of the podium at Palm Beach and Sebring?
JW: I just love Mid-Ohio, that’s my type of track with high speed corners where you have to constantly balance the car on the limit. The 4th place at Heartland Park was actually a bit disappointing since that too is my type of track (and I got pole position), but the first 10 or so laps the car felt really strange and I lost positions, but after that I matched the lap times of the guys in front. Not sure what happened there but that's life. Palm Beach is again more of a stop and go track and very similar to Croft, which I don't like, so I might struggle here again but I just have to try and do my best as always. Jimi, Davy, Miroslav and probably some other guys will all have something to do with the last two rounds and the final standings.

The battle for the championship is hotting up, and you can keep track of all of the action in the RDWSR forums. Thanks again to Jimi, Jan and Davy for giving their time to make this article possible.
View the Post on the Blog
 

Latest News

Online or Offline racing?

  • 100% online racing

    Votes: 77 7.3%
  • 75% online 25% offline

    Votes: 112 10.6%
  • 50% online 50% offline

    Votes: 154 14.6%
  • 25% online 75% offline

    Votes: 289 27.4%
  • 100% offline racing

    Votes: 419 39.7%
  • Something else, explain in comment

    Votes: 4 0.4%
Back
Top