Team Pyro’s Josh Files suffered from a difficult weekend in the office at Donington Park, after incidents in both rounds 3 & 4, blighted the Norwichman’s aim of exiting the weekend as a firm championship contender in the AirAsia Renault Clio Cup.
The driver, backed as part of Direct Debit’s Big Break campaign, made a good start in round three to challenge Rivett as the pack of Clio Cup racers entered Redgate for the first time.
Files settled into second on the exit of the corner for a brief period, before the 21 year-old ran wide at Old Hairpin, allowing Adam Bonham and through in the process.
Whilst recovering from his moment at Old Hairpin, Files soon came under pressure from Team Pyro teammate, Jack Goff. The Norwichman soon fell victim to a nudge from his championship counterpart at Coppice, due to Goff under steering into the corner, shooting him off the track.
With it all to do from 17th position, Files, renowned for his sheer pace in the series, soon set about recovering ground lost in the first lap encounter, and by the end of the fifth lap, found himself in 11th position, on the edge of the top ten.
Despite holding a four second lead over Files, Will Davison was unable to halt the charge of the 2011 Rookie of the Year, with Files snatching a staggering three seconds off the Westbourne Motorsport driver on lap nine of the race.
Files’ successful challenge to enter the top ten came soon after on lap ten at Coppice, and with 2011 championship contender, James Colburn, exiting the race, Files finished ninth, taking 12 points towards the championship cause.
Round four Britain’s premier one-make saloon car championship was a lot less forgiving for the series front-runner.
While Files made a strong start from the second row of the grid in third position, he was unable to fend off Kim Andersson into Redgate for the first time, but as the pack exited Craner Curves, a mistake from Andersson close in front, saw the Swede lose the rear of the car, shooting back into the path of Files.
Files had nowhere to go but straight into the side of the Team Pyro car, but with no severe damage done, a still determined Files reclaimed his 3rd position, setting off in hot pursuit of leaders Goff and Rivett, before the safety car was released due to the first lap incident.
At the end of the two-lap safety car period, the race restarted with the front pairing of Goff and Rivett, pushing hard to break away from Files.
Able to stay with the pairing, Files took advantage of the momentum gained on Rivett into Redgate, attacking on the inside of the corner. This saw the championship rivals battle it out side-by-side down through Craner Curves, and into the Old Hairpin.
With Files still on the inside of Rivett refusing to give up on his challenge for second place, Rivett out braked himself on the exit of Old Hairpin, causing all four wheels to go off track.
On re-joining the circuit, the experienced racer cut back into the line of Files, breaking the steering and puncturing a tyre in the process, culminating in a retirement for Files.
““The weekend started brilliantly in qualifying,” explained Files. “Unfortunately it went from bad to worse in races one and two.”
“That’s motorsport for you though, everyone has a bad weekend, and this was mine. I’m just looking forward to Thruxton and getting back up the front.”
Rounds 5 & 6 of the AirAsia Renault Clio Cup will commence in two weeks time at Thruxton, Hampshire.