Wesleigh Orr reasserted his championship credentials with two pole positions, a win and a second in the third round of the Formula Volkswagen championship at Killarney in Cape Town on Saturday.
The former Rotax Max and Rok world karting champion, driving the SAM Racing Global Consulting Solutions car, finished the day first overall and top points scorer, improving his championship position from fifth to third.
In the first 10-lap race he finished second behind Gordon Connelly after being demoted under controversial circumstances to third in the first corner of the first lap. The gap at the finish was just 0,78s. Third, a further 1,38s back, was Cristiano Morgado with Jimmy Auby fourth.
Orr led race two from start to finish, crossing the line a comfortable 1,32s ahead of Connelly and 1,58s in front of third-placed Jayde Kruger. Jimmy Auby was again fourth.
“This was a breakthrough weekend for us,” said a delighted Orr. “We had the pace to win both races today. I was third out of the first turn in race one (behind Connelly and Morgado) despite the fact that we are not supposed to pass under the yellow flag (that operates from the start through the first turn).” He and Morgado made contact, damaging Orr’s suspension, but the 21-year-old was able to pull away from Morgado and chase down Connelly.
The SAM Racing technicians fixed the suspension between races, but it later turned out that the steering column had also been damaged, making Orr’s winning performance in the second race all the more impressive. He is now 10 points behind championship leader Kruger and only five shy of second-placed Connelly.
Team-mate Paolo da Cunha, in the SAM Racing Tubular FVW, had a steady race weekend, qualifying eighth and finishing eighth in both races. He recovered from a slow start to race one, dropping back to 10th place before picking up a couple of places before the chequered flag. He has improved his championship position from eighth to seventh.
“We were on the pace right from the first practice session,” said SAM Racing team principal Lee Philips. “Wesleigh drove well all weekend and deserved to take both race wins. Overall, it was a great day for SAM Racing: wins for Wesleigh and also for Leeroy Poulter in the Bridgestone Production Cars, pole position for both Wesleigh and Leeroy, first overall for the day for Wesleigh, second overall for Leeroy (in production cars) and third overall for Marco da Cunha (in production cars).”
The Formula Volkswagen races were distinguished by the presence of three A1GP rookie drivers, Orr and Morgado (South Africa) and Jimmy Auby (Lebanon), making his first appearance in the domestic series this year.
“Wesleigh’s wins against drivers with international Formula 3 and A1GP experience like Cristiano and Jimmy is all the more significant. FVW is very competitive and attracts the best single seater drivers in the country,” commented Lee Philips.
SAM Racing acknowledges and thanks its sponsors for their continued support: Tubular Technical Construction, Exa Motor Group, Ferodo, GP Windscreens, Global Consulting Solutions, Exa Platinum Rentals, Top Car Paint & Panel, Tri Dent Middelburg, Hi Tech Mag Repairs, Sax Shocks, Signs For You and Fish & Meat City.
