Monday 9th September 2024
Round 6 of the GB4 Championship was a second visit to Donington Park and was again held on the GP layout on Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th September.
This was to be Alisha's sixth race meeting in a single seater and at one of her favourite UK circuits.
SATURDAY 7th SEPTEMBER:
Qualifying:
Race 1 = P4
Race 2 = P4
Race 3 = P9 (full reverse grid from Race 1 qualifying position)
Qualifying was positive, although Alisha had again hoped to be higher up following the pace she had been able to show in the testing leading up to the race meeting. This still put her in a good position for the races.
Race 1: P4 - P3
This was to be a tricky race due to the weather conditions. The circuit had a developing dry line but was wet and greasy off line. Alisha got off to an ok start but with some wheel spin due to being off the racing line and held position into turn 1. Alisha clearly had good pace on the opening lap but struggled to find a way past into P3 due to how slippy it was off the racing line. She then initially lost some pace into lap 2 as she fought to maintain her position and dropped off the back of P3 in the process. However, over the coming laps she settled in and began to create a gap behind and close back in on P3. She was then able to set up a great move into Mclean's and make the pass stick into Coppice! From there on she maintained P3 to the chequered flag despite some pressure applied from behind by one of her championship rivals. This result maintained Alisha's unbroken run of podium finishes at every round to date.
This race can be viewed at the following link:
SUNDAY 8th SEPTEMBER:
Race 2: P4 - P4
The weather for Race 2 was wet. Alisha got a good start to jump straight up into P3 going into turn 1. She drove well in the very wet conditions and held the position for a number of laps before an overtaken was made on her dropping her back to P4. She continued to push as hard as possible, but was also balancing the risk versus reward as she was aware one of her main championship rivals was behind her. She did have a moment several laps later when the car went very sideways coming out of Mclean's but showed exceptional car control to hold the drift and continue in P4. She went on to finish where she started in P4.
This race can be viewed at the following link:
Race 3: P9 - P3
By contrast to Races 1 & 2, Race 3 was dry. Alisha made a great start but got boxed in so was only able to maintain her position into turn 1, but on exiting turn 1 was able to immediately capitalise on a car running out wide and immediately made a move to make up two places into P7 whilst another place was made up on the run up to Mclean's into P6. From there Alisha was able to make another position up on the next lap into the Old Hairpin before making another great pass into The Esses to take P4 a few laps later. At this point Alisha was suffering from a large amount of understeer but set about chasing after P3 who had built up a gap ahead. Several laps later Alisha had closed the gap and was putting pressure on before making a well judged dive to the inside of Redgate to take P3. From there the gap to the two cars ahead was too great but Alisha continued to build a gap to the car behind and went on to take another well deserved podium, her second of the weekend.
This race can be viewed at the following link:
Overall a positive race meeting which kept the championship challenge on to the final round at Brands Hatch!
There is now a three week wait to the next and final round of the year that will take place at Brands Hatch (GP) on 28th - 29th September.
A big thank you as always goes to Elite Motorsport, Ed Ives, Chris Hodgetts, Sarah Moore, Jody Fannin, Oli Bailey & Demi Belt for all the hard work and support throughout the weekend!
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