Westbrook Back In Winner’s Circle

A brilliant win for Richard Westbrook has put him in the box seat for a second successive title in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup.

Westbrook blasted to the season’s biggest margin of victory in the Hungarian Grand Prix support race at the Hungaroring near Budapest, taking the flag six and a half seconds clear and extending his advantage to 16 points, with three rounds to go.

“It was a much-needed win,” sighed the Londoner after ending his recent run of bad luck. “We thoroughly deserved it and the team gave me a great car for the race.”

The HISAQ Competition Porsche was narrowly outpaced for pole position by Dutch rival Jeroen Bleekemolen. “I haven’t had a pole this year so to miss out this time was a bit disappointing,” said Richard. “The car was a bit nervous and I made a small mistake, and that was enough to lose pole.”

With Bleekemolen out of contention in the championship, Westbrook went into the race with his eyes on the points situation. “I told Jeroen that if he got into the first corner in front I wasn’t going to fight him, because I had to think about the points. But after a while he was looking a little bit ragged and I could smell the win more and more. I thought I’d put him under pressure, because you never know what might happen - his car was deteriorating and mine was getting better and better. Finally he made a mistake and I got through.”

Westbrook stormed away, setting the fastest lap of the race, to take the 20 points for the win. “My car just got quicker and quicker - this win is a massive boost for the team.”

After a three-week break, the all-important run-in to the season finale begins at Turkey’s Istanbul Park on August 26. “I’m sure the championship will go down to the last race,” said Richard. “The Supercup has never been to Turkey before so I’m looking forward to trying a new circuit. They had a Carrera Cup Deutschland round there a couple of years ago so some of the drivers already know the track, and it’s not a place you can go and test. So it’ll be a challenge but, looking at the data we have, I think it should suit us.

“Now I’m going to chill out for a couple of weeks and just look at the points table - it’s making me smile at the moment.”

Qualified 2nd ; finished 1st
1st in championship

Top quality photographs available from http://www.sutton-images.com/richardwestbrook/