Second Puts Westbrook On Verge Of Title

British Porsche star Richard Westbrook homed in on his second successive Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup title with yet another charging drive at Monza.

The HISAQ Competition star stormed through to take second place, leaving him requiring only a fifth-place finish from this weekend’s final round at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.

It was a nervy weekend for the Londoner at the famous Italian parkland circuit. He qualified a frustrated fifth due to a problem with his rear brake discs. “At Monza any problem with the brakes is really punished because of those chicanes,” he said. “Luckily we had a really good set-up and the car was otherwise beautiful - if I’d been 13 hundredths slower I’d have been 11th on the grid…”

The disadvantage was compounded with what Richard described as a “painful start - I think I was down to about 10th. But I slowly picked my way through. The car was amazing.”

Westbrook, as usual in 2007, set fastest race lap as he launched his way into second place ahead of Uwe Alzen at half-distance and set off after race leader Damien Faulkner, his main title rival. “I passed Uwe just after Damien had done him and then caught up to the back of Damien. But then around the Ascari chicane the car just went ‘burrrr’. I had a fuel-surge problem which was affecting me on left-handers - thank God there are only two left-handers at Monza!

“Alzen closed back up and put me under pressure. All I could do was be as quick as possible around the Lesmo right-handers so that I’d have an advantage into the Ascari chicane, which was where the problem was worst. But with three laps to go he got me into the Parabolica, along with a big whack that sent me sideways. We then had a really good battle and I got him back on the last lap going down to the second chicane. It was a great race to be part of - an absolute classic!”

The result allowed Irishman Faulkner to close the gap slightly to Westbrook, but Richard needs only a top-five at Spa, even if Faulkner wins in Belgium.

“If you’d offered me second before the race I’d have taken it definitely,” said Westbrook. “It’s a great result, but a bit of me feels it could have so much more without the brake and fuel-pump problems. My main job next weekend at Spa is to win the championship, so I just need to qualify well, so that I can give myself and the team as stress-free a time as possible. We could all do without the nerves to be honest.”

Qualified 5th; finished 2nd
1st in championship

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