The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
It was a weekend of frustration and what could have beens for Jonathan Hoggard as the F4 British Championship series arrived in Croft.
The Weston Hills racer managed to gain points in all three rounds of the championship, but will be pondering how much better things could have.
In qualifying Fortec Motorsports racer Hoggard wound up sandwiched between JHR Developments duo Ayrton Simmons and Josh Skelton on the timesheet in sixth having clocked a fastest time of 1:21.501.
He then cemented that position during the first race of the weekend and brought home sixth, which crucially eared him pole for Sunday’s partially reversed grid race.
The round was eventually won by Dennis Hauger of Norway.
On Sunday Hoggard was unable to make the most of his pole position and add to his tally of two victories this season.
Runaway eventual winner Kiern Jewiss hunted Hoggard down on lap five and overtook him around the outside of
Tower bend on his way to the victory from fifth on the grid.
Hoggard was then involved in a tangle with Patrik Pasma at the hairpin, the result of which was a safety car as the Finnish driver’s car was recovered.
It was a tough weekend for Pasma who was handed a 10 place grid penalty for the next round for “driving in a manner not compatible with general safety” following another crash in the final race of the round.
Thankfully, Hoggard’s car wasn’t too badly damaged in the incident and he did brilliantly to battle back through the field and claim a top 10 finish and championship points.
He ended up finishing ninth, stuck between Fortec teammates Hampus Ericsson and Lucca Allen.
The final race of the weekend saw Hoggard start well, but an attempt to go round the outside of Simmons at Tower
Bend on the opening lap ended with the Fortec star off the track and giving up a host of places.
He once again battled back into the top 10 to earn points being the eighth driver past the chequered flag.
However Sebastian Alvarez’s five time penalty for “gaining an unfair advantage” lifted Hoggard into seventh.
Dennis Hauger claimed a second win of the weekend holding off the challenge of Jewiss.
Hoggard is eighth in the championship placings with 96 points.
Kiern Jewiss has taken control of the championship and is 16 points ahead of Ayrton who is way ahead of third placed Jack Doohan.
The championship heads to Norfolk in six week’s time with the next round at Snetterton on July 28 and 29.
