Foster-Jones weathers storm to win title

Thorpe Bay karting star, Robert Foster-Jones won the British Super 1 Championship at the very last round, held in terrible conditions.

Driving rain and bitterly cold winds lashed Shenington in Oxfordshire last weekend (4/5 October) but failed to dampen Robert’s charge to his third major title victory of the year.

Prior to the finale of the season, Rob was 3rd in the title-chase, (26 points behind the leader, Welshman Jordan Chamberlain) and acknowledged that he needed to go on the attack - "We’ve just got to win the races. We’ve got to try and do a better job than the others."

In timed qualifying, Rob posted the 3rd fastest time to give himself a better grid position than both Chamberlain (6th) and his other title-rival, Michael Simpson in 13th.

Solid performances in his heats earned the 18-year old P4 on the grid for the first of the day’s two point-scoring finals. However, Simpson would start immediately behind him - with Chamberlain further back, on row 7.

Some feisty exchanges between the 23 competitors saw Simpson lose two places in the opening lap, whilst Rob held onto his 4th place. Moments later, Simpson was down to 16th whilst Rob was moving forward. With 3rd-placed driver Charles Bonsey pushing his rear bumper, Rob took 2nd and began to pressure the appropriately named, Shaun Carter, for the lead.

Braking Bonsey’s tow, Rob made the fight for the lead a two-way affair with Carter. A daring, late-braking manoeuvre at the top of the circuit saw him slice down Carter’s inside and assume the advantage. With clear air in front of him, Foster-Jones powered his way to the chequered flag and 50 vital championship points. Behind him, Chamberlain and Simpson finished in 7th and 11th scoring just enough points to make sure that the following race would be the title decider.

Rob almost settled dad, Gary’s and his Ricky Flynn Motorsport team’s nerves with a perfect start from pole position, whilst the fast-starting Chamberlain clipped Bonsey and ran wide at the circuit’s second hairpin to lose ground.

Rob began to ease away from the chasing pack - with Chamberlain and Simpson embroiled in battles behind - to seal the championship with a commanding victory. He said, "It’s fantastic, I’m ecstatic! I said beforehand, that my sole intention was win the races and it fell my way."

Having already come to the attention of several leading motorsport teams and managers, Rob gave the merest hint of his future plans and ambitions, he added, "Hopefully, this will influence the people we’ve been talking to."

Robert’s team boss, Ricky Flynn was justifiably proud of his young charge - "He was stunning. He’s done a very professional and mature job. When he went back at the start of the first final, he didn’t panic. He just got his head down, hit the front and went away."

Robert’s win also made history, as it made it the third year running that his team have won the British title. Flynn joked, "I wonder if they’ll let us keep the trophy for winning it three times, they do in football."

To find out more about Robert and follow his fortunes, visit www.robertfosterjones.com  

- Adam Jones at 100cc PR – photo credit Graham Smith/TSR Productions