Press Release
In only his 3rd year of kart racing, Super 1 front-runner, Robert Foster-Jones has made it through to the winner-takes-all European championship finals at Salbris, France (5 August).
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Robert Foster-Jones
Pic: © Chris Walker/Kartpix |
Competing at the Essay qualifier, Foster-Jones was one of 61 KF2 drivers from across Western Europe. In Timed Qualifying, the 16 year-old posted the 3rd fastest time overall. With a front-row grid position for his first heat, Robert was ideally placed to avoid the usual, first-corner crashing which inevitably takes place at such high-stakes events but a mistake forced him off the racing line, allowing the tightly-bunched pack through. Having dropped right down the order, he had to work hard to clean his tyres before charging back to a respectable 14th place.
In the 2nd race he made no such mistake and finished 2nd. This was followed – ironically in the third heat – with 3rd place. After the heats, Foster-Jones’ whose father, Gary once raced for the Great Britain kart team himself“ ranked 9th in the Intermediate Classification, giving him a 5th row starting position for Sunday’s two finals.
In bearably hot conditions for the first of the day’s two finals (unlike at last year’s qualifiers at Braga, Portugal, where mechanics had to pour bottles of water into the drivers racesuits to cool them down before races) the Ricky Flynn Motorsport driver sensibly stayed out of trouble and brought his Alonso kart home in 9th.
With so much at stake for many drivers now in danger of not making the cut, the second final was always going to see fireworks. As the pack of 31 karts plunged into the first corner, Robert saw fellow Brit Richard Bradley ahead of him, t-boned by an out of control French driver, causing mayhem. Foster-Jones was forced to take avoiding action and lost places. However, he was able to take the chequered flag in 16th place – knowing he’d done everything necessary to qualify for the biggest race of his life.
He said, “I’m very happy to be going (to Salbris) but with the speed I had, I should’ve been higher. Hopefully at Salbris, things will be a little calmer.”
With barely any time to recover, Robert and his RFM team head to Val Vibrata, Italy for the final round of the Italian Open Masters championship.
To follow Robert’s progress, visit www.robertfosterjones.com