@LukeChudleigh • @FortecM • @FR2NEC • TORONTO, ON – Luke Chudleigh endured a soaking wet Sunday at Spain’s Motorland Aragon circuit to score his best result of the weekend, a 12th place finish, as the 2015 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 Series kicked off with a busy triple-header event as part of the World Series by Renault platform, 25-26 April.
The Canadian, competing for the British-based Fortec Motorsports outfit, started the weekend with Saturday’s pair of races in the dry, recording a finish of 16th and a DNF in a frustrating first day of competitive action in the premier class of Formula Renault 2.0 competition.
Switzerland’s Louis Deletraz topped the podium on both occasions for a Saturday double with Josef Kaufmann Racing.
Chudleigh, who always relishes racing in the rain, was probably in the minority in welcoming Sunday morning’s Spanish downpour. The 20-year-old from Milton, Ontario took to the grid in 19th, from 29 entrants, and promptly set to work on the damp 5.3km track behind the wheel of the #8 Fortec Motorsports Tatus-chassis.
An aggressive performance from Luke reaped rewards as he climbed the order in the short, 10-lap sprint race.
Capturing seven spots on his way to 12th place at the checkered flag, Chudleigh was satisfied to exit Spain with a solid performance under his belt. Race 3 was won by Norway’s Dennis Olsen racing for Manor MP Motorsport.
“I’m definitely hoping we get some more races like today where we can showcase our pace in the wet,” reflected Luke on leaving Motorland Aragon. “We generally struggled for pace this weekend but in the wet today we were fast. Combined with a fairly aggressive race, it worked out well enough. We made progress today. I’m pushing hard and learning more with this team each time we head out on track.”
“The team atmosphere at Fortec is wicked. My engineer Martin and I are getting along really well, it’s an environment where I’m happy and set to thrive. It was also a lot of fun racing in front of a big crowd again. They reckon there were 50,000 here this weekend, which shows the appeal of the World Series by Renault and the quality of racing.”
“I’ve got a few weeks before racing at Silverstone in the Northern European Cup. I’ve got some more simulator work lined up with Fortec and I’m looking forward to building on these first two events with the team.”
2015 sees Chudleigh racing full-time in two Formula Renault 2.0 championships, the premier Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 series and the Northern European Cup (NEC). Round 2 of the NEC series is up next for Luke with a home race for Fortec Motorsports at the renowned Silverstone Circuit in the United Kingdom, home of the ‘British Grand Prix’, 23-24 May.
Round 2 of the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 takes place a week later, 30-31 May, at the equally famed Spa-Francorchamps Circuit in Belgium.
The prize on offer to this year’s Eurocup Champion is €500,000 to put towards a budget to graduate up to the Formula Renault 3.5 Series and move a step closer to Formula One™. Luke’s new team, Fortec Motorsports, finished third last season in the Team Standings in Eurocup while they won the Northern European Cup with British driver Ben Barnicoat.
Luke Chudleigh is supported by Chudleigh’s, Adidas, Bohten, Mio, Sony and PRIME/Wickens Management.
By Stuart Morrison / Stuart Morrison Public Relations
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