Rockingham test: Hayes bounces back

The Northern Irish redhead, who is standing in for the indisposed James Courtney at Carlin Motorsport, was already fastest when he further lowered the standard on the final lap of the three-and-a-half hour session.

Hayes drove an extra Carlin car in the British Grand Prix support race at Silverstone. He finished a disappointing 18th, but the Carlin team has now pinpointed the mechanical problems which slowed him throughout the weekend.

Delighted team boss Trevor Carlin said: "All we did was change the seating position and pedals. Then we just told him to get in the car and rag the arse out of it."

Courtney's closest championship rival, Robbie Kerr, was second fastest for Alan Docking Racing. If he maintains that form over the weekend and steers clear of trouble, Kerr will take over the series lead from the Australian, who is just 18 points ahead.

Silverstone winner Heikki Kovalainen was third for Fortec, while Carlin's Shinya Hosokawa returned from a break back home in Japan to show much improved form and take fourth place.

Scholarship Class leader Adam Carroll topped the B-division times from Karun Chandhok.


1 Derek Hayes (Carlin Motorsport Dallara-Mugen) 1m34.656s
2 Robbie Kerr (Alan Docking Racing Dallara-Mugen) 1m34.937s
3 Heikki Kovalainen (Fortec Motorsport Dallara-Renault) 1m35.061s
4 Shinya Hosokawa (Carlin Motorsport Dallara-Mugen) 1m35.069s
5 Matt Gilmore (Promatecme Dallara-Mugen) 1m35.152s
6 Bruce Jouanny (Promatecme Dallara-Mugen) 1m35.209s
7 Mark Taylor (Manor Motorsport Dallara-Mugen) 1m35.212s
8 Alan van der Merwe (Carlin Motorsport Dallara-Mugen) 1m35.298s
9 Richard Antinucci (Manor Motorsport Dallara-Mugen) 1m35.359s
10 Adam Carroll (Sweeney Racing Dallara-Mugen) 1m35.416s


1 Carroll 1m35.416s
2 Karun Chandhok (T-Sport Dallara-Mugen) 1m35.667s
3 Robert Dahlgren (Sweeney Racing Dallara-Mugen) 1m35.739s