Robert Bell wins frenault winter series

[Jonny Apex]

Congrats to Robert Bell for a brilliant drive in the winter series against a very big grid and some truly vrey exciting hot young prospects. And get this Sassy - Katherine Legge was mega in that second race. Sghame about the puncture down Craners.

[Takuma]

For the record, Rob Bell had 4 wins, 4 pole positions, 4 fastest laps and set net lap records at both the circuits the series was held at.

Rob showed that he is one of the most talented young british drivers, I lookforward to seeing him race, and WIN, in Renault next season.

I was also veery impressed by Jamie Green in teh Fortec car.

[Zingo]

Well done to Robert Bell...

...but before you hype him as the "next Senna", remember has three times more experience in British single seaters that the majority of those guys. Outpacing a few mid pack Renault drivers and some star Karting drivers doesn't say much after he's been stomped on in Formula Ford for the last two years!

Let's see how he does up against some race winners next year!

Sorry to sound so negitive towards the guy, but if you look further in to it you start to wonder a bit.

[bella]

robert bell was very impressive indeed. there were some drivers in the field that i was expecting more of, but they failed to deliver. in comparison to the full season's field it wasn't very competitive at all, but the race on sunday was a very good one indeed.

[Takuma]

Zingo,

I'm not "hyping" Rob Bell as the "next Senna", just giving him some much deserved praise.

However before you critise him for his years in FFord, examine the facts of who he was driving with and the resources avalable to him.

This series was probably the first time Rob has had #1 treatment since he was in FVJ. And the quality of preparation and engineering at Motaworld is, in my opinion, much higher than at JLR and Heyward Racing.

[nobjockey]

Takuma, your on another planet. Robert Bell has four years of experience in V/Junior and FF. He was with the best teams for two of those years and in the end he didn't even look like winning anything.
The level that was competing in the F/Renault winter series was poor because of the none of the drivers had any decent experience and certainly none near the experience of Bell. Motorworld couldn't engineer their way out of a paper bag. The only thing they do is cheat better than the others.

[AndyF]

Congrats to Robert Bell - I look forward to more of the same next year.

[bella]

got any evidence you can back that wild claim up with, mr. jockey, or are we going to have to take your word for it?

[Takuma]

"nobjockey",

Would you like to explain exactly how Motaworld were "cheating".

I'm sure we all look forward to your explanation.

[Jonny Apex]

I think you'll find cheating in Formula Renault is non-existent. The regulations are very well policed and the level of technical scrutiny is amazing. Ask the teams. That's why I think you'll find there is now an enormous raft of drivers and teams all queuing up to do the series next year - because they know it's very fair. All I could see in the paddock on Sunday were loads of Ford drivers ogling over the Renault set-up ...

As for JLR. Just because it looks good on the outside of the awning does not mean to say it's impressive inside. From what i recollect when they tried to FRenault they got comprehensively stuffed, usually because the cars were falling to bits or never ran right. Personally, I think it is the most over-rated team out there. In anything.

Takuma. I was also impressed with jamie Green. That boy has got talent. You seem to know what you're talking about, unlike poor old nobjockey.

[Zingo]

'Apex',

JLR was one of, if not the best team in V/junior. Richard Lyons took their car right down to the championship wire against Antonio Pizzionia in one of those dodgy LEWIS Motorsport cars! I agree that they might not have figured out the FF as well, but Bell went on to Haywood for 2001. There he was given #1 status in the Festival winning car and produced more crashes than finishes! His teamates made him look like a novice; Bremmer was straight out of Karts!

I didn't mean to start a pis*ing contest about Bell's past... Just take a look at what he was up against in this year's winter series before you have a heart attack over the guy!

As far as the team cheating, those rumours have flown about the paddock all year! ...any truth to them? I don't know/

[Jonny Apex]

As in any formula, the team that's winning is always accused of cheating. I think you'll find there was far more to it than meets the eye at Haywood - a lot of in-house bickering.

Nor do I want to make Bell sound like something extra special but he did take a second off Raikkonen's lap record around Donington. No doubt people will argue conditions were better but I was there when Kimi did that time and conditions were pretty good then. They might have been a bit better on Sunday but you've still got to go out and do the time.

Even the people at Manor acknowledged he was doing a very good job. And they've seen a few in their time.