Lola shocks with Combe pole
Danny Watts took a significant pole position for Promatecme at Castle Combe today (Saturday). The British driver's fastest time in the first session has finally broken the Dallara monopoly at the front of the grid, and raised expectations of a maiden win for the lone Lola-Dome-Mugen tomorrow.
"All credit to the team for all their work," said Watts, who cured an oversteer problem from morning practice. "The car was mega and felt like it was on rails. It was doing exactly what I wanted to do."
Watts followed up the success with second on the grid for the second race tomorrow, when he will line up behind the cash-strapped Adam Carroll (P1 Motorsport). Watts was top of the timesheets for much of the second session before Carroll pipped him.
Some of the championship heavyweights are again in trouble this weekend. Nelson Angelo Piquet starts ninth and tenth, while Danilo Dirani (Carlin Motorsport) is 12th and 11th. James Rossiter, who like Dirani did not drive the track until today struggled to 13th in the opening session before improving to fifth in the second as his Fortec team made progress with its setup.
With Carroll (second in the championship fight) sitting fifth on the grid for the first race, he will be looking to take a load of points off Piquet this weekend. Watts, meanwhile is not in title contention, with the underfunded Lola project having missed races earlier in the year.
Danny Watts (Lola-Dome-Mugen) 59.271s
Ernesto Viso (Dallara-Mugen) +0.053s
Clivio Piccione (Dallara-Mugen) +0.059s
Lucas di Grassi (Dallara-Renault) +0.079s
Adam Carroll (Dallara-Mugen) +0.154s
Alvaro Parente (Dallara-Mugen) +0.169s
Adam Carroll (Dallara-Mugen) +58.965s
Danny Watts (Lola-Dome-Mugen) +0.014s
Alvaro Parente (Dallara-Mugen) +0.114s
Ernesto Viso (Dallara-Mugen) +0.154s
James Rossiter (Dallara-Opel) +0.218s
Clivio Piccione (Dallara-Mugen) +0.319s
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