Lobb Suffers Two Critical Hits

Media Release: Sunday 25th November

Two crunches from the rear over the weekend left Whangarei driver Caine Lobb with no chance of getting on the podium by the end of Round Two of the MTA New Zealand Formula Ford Championship at Ruapuna International Raceway.

Starting from fourth on the grid after suffering tyre and suspension problems in qualification, Lobb showed he was indeed the quickest on the Christchurch track when he worked his way up the field but became stuck behind race leader Simon Evans in Race One. Evans did all he could to keep the Hydraulink Ford behind him through the eight lap sprint race and succeeded in pipping lobb at the finish line by 0.025 of a second after an exciting battle.

On Sunday in Race Two again starting from fourth Lobb made his way up to second behind Andrew Waite only to be knocked off the track by third placed Simon Evans at the tight Ruapuna hairpin leaving him in the dirt and relegated to the rear of the field. Working his way up again the best he could achieve was 12th place with the Ford which had suffered some rear suspension damage from the collision.

Andrew Waite took the chequered flag followed by John Whelan and Stefan Webling. Simon Evans lost control on the sweeper shortly after his scuffle with Lobb putting his car into the tyres.

"I was pretty upset with Simon about that (collision)" said Lobb's manager Brian Craig "But he had a bit of a crash himself so there's not much to say."

In Race Three it was all or nothing for Lobb who was down on points after finishing 12th in the last race. He went to Round Two at Ruapuna chasing a 22 point deficit between himself and leader Andrew Waite after Round One at Pukekohe and needed a win.

Again moving up from a start in fourth Lobb was (again) in second place behind Waite who had pulled a small margin while Lobb got by Evans' team mate Matthew Wooding. Clearing the Hamilton driver Lobb promptly clawed his way up behind Waite and started to make the moves on him to overtake which he did two or three laps later at the long and fast turn one. Then the race was on between the two drivers as the headed down past the kink and into the hairpin where Lobb had been shunted earlier.

The unthinkable happened when Waite tried a move on Lobb at the corner causing a collision which left Lobb's Ford with bent suspension and no steering and left with no choice Lobb had to park the car onto the grass and watch while his team mate John Whelan overtook Waite claiming the win and ultimately the round.

"It was a crap weekend for us really" said Lobb. "Getting hit at the hairpin twice in one meeting is pretty unlucky but that's just how it is and we will just move on to the next round. At least we know we are fast."

The next round is at Manfeild mid January followed by the A1GP round in Taupo a week after.