Visma Software Formula Palmer Audi Championship leader Jonathan Kennard was denied the chance to capitalise on his pole position in today's Round 9 at Silverstone, after a mishandling car put paid to his chances of taking his fourth series victory. Nineteen year-old Kennard, made a great start to take the immediate lead ahead of series rival Rob Jenkinson and at the end of the opening lap, he'd pulled out almost a second advantage.

Behind him Jenkinson was stretching the advantage to Sam Edwards with Karim Ojjeh just behind in fourth. As Jonathan began to struggle with both understeer and oversteer, Jenkinson began to close the gap down, taking Edwards and Ojjeh with him and on the third lap made a move up the inside at Luffield, but Kennard shut the door. For three laps, the four ran nose-to-tail, with Jenkinson trying every which way to pass the leader until lap eight when a move at Club, pushed Kennard wide on the entry to Brooklands, allowing Jenkinson through into the lead and Edwards through into second.

With his car getting progressively worse, he soon came under pressure from Ojjeh, who found a way past on the penultimate lap, dropping Jonathan to fourth, although he maintains the series lead going into the weekend's second race tomorrow at 12.40.

"I had understeer in the fast corners and oversteer in the slow corners," said Jonathan. "It was a real job to keep on the track and I really don't know why it's happened. I was very careful with the tyres and have been all weekend so I'm obviously a bit disappointed with that. The first two laps were pretty good and I was pulling away from Rob but then the car was getting worse and he made a dive up the inside which pushed me wide and allowed Edwards through. After that the car got progressively worse and Karim started catching me up and then came past me as well, so I was very disappointed to finish fourth." 

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Cathy Metcalfe
MPR Associates
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