Photo: Max Coates in action at the MINI CHALLENGE UK Official eSeries at Brands Hatch
Key points:
· Coates now 2nd in real world standings of the MINI CHALLENGE UK Official eSeries
· Next race at Silverstone International on 13th June
Max Coates took a brace of top ten finishes in the MINI CHALLENGE UK Official eSeries at Silverstone last weekend moving him to second in the real-world driver class.
Coates qualified his Elite Motorsport MINI CHALLENGE car 10th for the opening race of the weekend. After climbing two positions early on he battled with Ryan Elliott for the duration and ended just behind him in 8th place. This put him 3rd on the grid for the second race and Coates battled at the front in the Primex Plastics and PLASgran Recycling backed car throughout the race. On the penultimate lap Tobin Leigh squeezed into a MINI sized gap to take the final podium spot away from the Yorkshireman.
The second qualifying saw Coates in 9th, just two tenths off the fastest lap time. Like the real world racing the eSeries is incredibly close. The JiC Transport backed driver climbed two positions again, this time finishing 7th in the first of the two races. He started well in the second encounter and was going for a move to take the lead when we was hit from behind into a massive slide. Loosing significant momentum and 7 positions he fell back outside the top 10. The NGK Spark Plugs car had ground to make up and Max became daring with his moves to gain a top 10 slot back, ultimately finishing 9th.
The top ten finishes mean Max moves up to 2nd in the real racers category and 7th in the overall standings.
Coates said, “I didn’t feel quite as strong pace wise at Silverstone as I did at Brands Hatch, but still felt as though two podiums were on the cards in race two and race four, it just didn’t quite go my way. I need a strong round at the International layout this weekend to gain valuable points back on Josh who is leading the real world class.”
The next round of the championship comes from the virtual version of Silverstone International. The races can be watched via the MINI CHALLENGE UK social media
channels and the links below.
MINI CHALLENGE UK Live Stream Links for Round 4 – Silverstone International:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MINIChallengeUK/posts/4137617159611843 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wImKJz9PkY4&feature=youtu.be Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/vrracingclub
Season Calendar:
1. Donington Park National – Saturday 23rd May
2. Brands Hatch Indy – Saturday 30th May
3. Silverstone National – Saturday 6th June
4. Silverstone International – Saturday 13th June
5. Snetterton 300 – Saturday 20th June
6. Croft – Saturday 27th June
7. Knockhill – Saturday 4th July
8. Brands Hatch GP – Saturday 11th July
Event Timetable:
· Live streams start approximately 11:45
· Qualifying 1: 12:00
· Race 1: 12:30
· Race 2: 13:00 (Reverse grid top ten)
· Qualifying 2: 13:45
· Race 3: 14:15
· Race 4: 14:45 (Reverse grid top ten)
Comments