“UNBELIEVEABLE” PERFECT WEEKEND FOR JON BARNES

Two poles, two wins, two fastest laps

3rd September 2006

Jon Barnes extended his lead in the 2006 Formula Palmer Audi Championship with a totally dominant performance at Dijon this weekend.  The 22 year-old from Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire led every practice session, took two pole positions and won both 15-lap races to extend his lead over pre-season favourite Viktor Jensen to 31 points.

The BRDC Rising Star has now won six of the last seven races and taken ten podiums from 12 rounds as he bids to clinch the title, and with it a coveted Formula 3 test with Carlin Motorsport . The weekend started well for the mechanical engineer, who posted the quickest time in both Friday's official practice sessions, clocking a time more than a second quicker than his rivals first time out.

In qualifying he was untouchable, calmly taking to the track and banging in three quick laps in each to guarantee pole position for the races.  Race one saw him take an immediate lead, stretching his advantage over Giacomo Petrobelli to a staggering eight seconds before a safety car period negated his lead. 

At the restart, Jon held his nerve and the position as he went on to take win number five, with fastest lap and with his main series rival Jensen down in fifth.  Race two saw Jon briefly lose the lead after a fast-starting Petrobelli got the jump on him.  Another safety car period two laps in allowed him to keep in contention and when the race resumed Jon wasted no time in moving ahead, slipstreaming the leader along the start/finish straight and diving up the inside at the first corner.

Thereafter he pulled out a gap every lap, extending his lead to more than eight seconds and claimed another fastest lap of the race.

“That was an unbelievable weekend,” said a delighted Jon at the finish.  “Absolutely perfect, definitely the best ever weekend for me, never before have I been so dominant over a race weekend. In free practice I spent around nine laps just settling into the car and getting to grips with the track.  Then come qualifying, I just waited for the right time to get into the car and go out on the track.

“I think that upset some people, but it wasn't intentional.  I felt confident that the car was perfect I just needed to wait until I felt I could produce the perfect lap and that's what I did.  In both races the car was great, and apart from those few laps at the start of race two, it's nice to have led every lap and taken fastest lap in both.

“The fastest lap in race two was perfect.  Looking at the data, it really was the perfect lap, quickest in every sector, and that's a very satisfying feeling.”

“Now I just have to do the same again next time out!”

Jon now enjoys a two-week break until the final three rounds of the 2006 Formula Palmer Audi championship, at the stunning Mugello Autodromo in Italy on September 16/17.

Results of Race One – 15 laps

1. JON BARNES  23:12.460 

2. Giacomo Petrobelli 23:13.941

3. Chris Hyman 23:19.142

4. Tom Haines 23:21.087

5. Viktor Jensen 23:21.149

6. Paul Warren 23:21.382   

Fastest Lap: JON BARNES 1:18.565 108.19mph 174.12kph 

Results of Race Two – 15 laps

1. JON BARNES 23:11.531 

2 Giacomo Petrobelli 23:19.769 

3. Chris Hyman 23:25.709

4. Paul Warren 23:29.952

5. Bruce Hodges 23:38.016

6. Chris Bell 23:42.907

Fastest Lap: JON BARNES 1:18.450 108.35mph 174.37kph 

 

Championship points after Round 12

1. JON BARNES 254pts

2. Viktor Jensen 223pts

3. Chris Hyman 210pts

4. Giacomo Petrobelli 154pts

5. Tom Haines 150pts

6. James Wingfield 149pts 

ENDS

For media information:   Cathy Metcalfe, MPR Associates

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