Photo: Max Coates in action at the MINI CHALLENGE UK Official eSeries at Silverstone
Key points:
· Coates takes 4th in race four of MINI CHALLENGE UK Official eSeries at Silverstone
· Next race at Snetterton 300 20th June
Max Coates took a best finish of 4th place in the MINI CHALLENGE UK Official eSeries at Silverstone to close the gap in the real-world driver class of the championship
Starting in 14th for the opening race Coates had work to do, but duly made his way through the pack in the Elite Motorsport MINI CHALLENGE car, finishing race one 7th. A virtual problem for race two, no starting lights, meant Coates dropped from 3rd on the grid to the bottom end of the top ten in race two. The racing and competition was so tight he struggled to make up places.
Qualifying 2 was much better for the Primex Plastics and PLASgran Recycling backed driver, this time in 7th place. Whilst battling for 5th position the JiC Transport backed car collided with a rival and into the wall on the outside of turn one. Undeterred Coates carried on picking up positions rising from 21st to 13th at the drop of the flag.
With work to do again he set about catching the leaders and found his way through to 3rd place by mid-race. Coates, backed by NGK Spark Plugs then battled with series leaders Dave Marshall and Jack McIntyre to the flag, holding onto fourth place and narrowly missing out on a podium finish.
The next round of the championship comes from the virtual version of the Snetterton 300 circuit. The races can be watched via the MINI CHALLENGE UK social media channels and the links below.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MINIChallengeUK/posts/4162609693779256 YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgbUgn83yQ0 Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/vrracingclub
Season Calendar:
1. Donington Park National – Saturday 23rd May
2. Brands Hatch Indy – Saturday 30th May
3. Silverstone National – Saturday 6th June
4. Silverstone International – Saturday 13th June
5. Snetterton 300 – Saturday 20th June
6. Croft – Saturday 27th June
7. Knockhill – Saturday 4th July
8. Brands Hatch GP – Saturday 11th July
Event Timetable:
· Live streams start approximately 11:45
· Qualifying 1: 12:00
· Race 1: 12:30
· Race 2: 13:00 (Reverse grid top ten)
· Qualifying 2: 13:45
· Race 3: 14:15
· Race 4: 14:45 (Reverse grid top ten)