Race 1: Qualified 19th, Finished DNF
Race 2: Qualified 15th, Finished DNF

For the first time in two seasons with Jamun Racing Services, Duncan failed to finish with mechanical issues. The team was particularly disappointed after making significant improvements and running in the top six during practice.

In testing Duncan and the team found a major improvement for the car and were running in the top six. Everything was looking good for qualifying, but a suspected tyre issue caused chronic understeer and Duncan could only manage a 19th-fastest time.

Having stripped the car to find the problem, a new tyre was used for the second qualifying session. It was too late to return to the optimum set-up of the previous day but Duncan still managed to qualify 15th for the second race.

Duncan didn’t get off the starting block in Race One. He took the car to the dummy grid but the driveshaft failed as he tried to proceed on the green flag to the race grid. Race Two got underway later in the day and Duncan took a great start, gaining three places in the opening lap and with a top ten finish in sight.

A safety car was then deployed to deal with a major accident and while touring round, Duncan’s car developed a problem, cutting out intermittently. He persevered and hoped that under full race conditions the problem would clear. However, when that didn’t happen he retired with what is suspected to be a fuel or electrical issue.

Duncan said: “It was very, very frustrating to think we’d made progress and were getting close, but then not be able to start the first race. To then have to retire with another problem in Race Two just added to that frustration.

“We’re making progress and it’s just a case of getting the results on paper to match the improvements that we’ve made. We’ve just got to look forward to a chance to prove that, which will hopefully be at Snetterton”.

Duncan’s next event is at Snetterton, Norfolk on August 12th and 13th.

•   Filed under: Formula Renault UK
•   Tagged as: Donington Park