14/10/07 » Snetterton » Mechanical failure robs Brett of the title

With only a two point lead in the championship going into the last round, it was to be a high pressure weekend for everyone at HS Motorsport, but confidence was high within the team.

“The season couldn’t have finished at a better circuit for us. To have the title showdown at Snetterton where we have always been extremely quick and hold the lap record certainly stacks the odds in our favour. I’m totally focused on getting the job done this weekend, and as a team we’ve done everything we can to ensure we come away as worthy champions.” Brett’s confidence was bolstered in Friday testing when he was lapping faster than his own lap record, and considerably faster than any other driver.

Qualifying lived up to expectations, with Brett claiming pole on his third lap. An electronic problem meant it was considerably closer than expected however, with P2 only a hundredth of a second behind.

A good start saw Brett go into turn 1 in the lead, where he continued to bang in fastest lap after fastest lap until his lead had grown to 11 seconds, at which point he backed off and cruised to a fantastic lights to flag victory. This gave him a comfortable 7 point lead in the championship going into the final race on Sunday.

His win in the first race meant he would start from pole in the second. Another great start and by the second lap he was nearly 3 seconds ahead. Only needing to finish fifth to take title, it appeared to be a done deal. Despite all of the teams best efforts throughout the year to provide Brett with a rapid as well as reliable car, the championship would prove to be elusive for the second year in a row. His car suffered a suspension failure, ripping the left rear wheel off and leaving Brett to watch his well deserved title slip away from the sidelines.

It was a huge disappointment for everyone involved in Brett’s title campaign, particularly after having dominated the series from start to finish, scoring five convincing wins, five poles, six podiums and three lap records. The team now look towards their Formula Renault campaign hoping for a more fortunate season.