Lennox-Lamb proves he’s a master in showpiece event

Jordon Lennox-Lamb produced a fighting performance in his most recent outing, to seal a rostrum finish in the most prestigious event on the British karting calendar.

The Bedford ace travelled to the PF International circuit in Lincolnshire for the annual Kartmasters classic, having collected the Top Kart mount he races in Europe only days beforehand from Heathrow airport. Though it was the first time he had used the Top Kart chassis in the UK, it did not take him long to get on the pace.

“The first practice session was just a bit of a learning curve,” he acknowledged. “We wanted to make sure the kart was working properly and try out different engines.

“It felt really good and I was very pleased with it. Hopefully this will be a good promotion for Top Kart to be able to sell a few more karts over here too.”

A stirring drive in his opening heat saw Jordon climb up the field from 16th spot on the grid to second at the chequered flag, having made up a staggering eleven positions into the first corner alone. Just a few more laps and he may even have been able to challenge for victory.

A similarly committed showing earned the JICA star third place in heat two. Though he admitted he had considered attempting a move for second in the closing stages, a defensive chop from McLaren and Mercedes-Benz Young Driver Support Programme member Oliver Rowland made him think better of it and he elected to settle for a safe third place. The last heat, however, would not go quite so according to plan.

“I started right down towards the back,” he explained, the grids devised as usual to ensure every driver has an equal average starting position throughout their heat races. “At the start I went to move across to the inside line and saw someone on the grass ahead of me. I could see by the time we got to the first corner it would be me he would hit so I moved back across to the outside to get clear of it all. Unfortunately the guy who was on the grass hit someone else who clipped my rear, turned me around and put me out on the spot.

“I think I would have got a top five finish again which would have put me right up there for the final, but things don’t always go your way.”

Given his heat three DNF, tenth spot on the grid for the pre-final out of the 36 drivers present was an excellent effort, but a tardy getaway dropped the 15-year-old some way down the field on the opening tour and from there he had to work his way back up through the order again. He did so in considerable style, being the fastest man on the track over the closing laps as he battled back to secure fifth on the grid for the all-important grand final later in the day. And this time there would be no such hesitation when the lights went out.

“I felt really confident going into it,” Jordon recounted, “especially in the rain. I got a really good start and set myself up to get a run on Jack Harvey into the second hairpin, but someone tagged my rear bumper and pushed me out onto the kerb.”

That dropped him back down to sixth, but he wasted little time in regaining positions and would rapidly become embroiled in a frenetic, no holds-barred tussle for supremacy with eventual winner Harvey and second-placed James Godbehere, a fight that would last all the way to the finish line.

“We had gone for a gamble on the tyre pressures,” Jordon explained, “but it didn’t really work out to our advantage. I was quick in places but not in others; I was struggling through the hairpins in particular, but through the opening few corners and complex towards the end I caught them back up again.

“The rain made things pretty tough. The track’s surface is completely flat, so there are no slopes the water can run down and drain off – it’s all just one big puddle! It was difficult being in the spray of the two leaders; I kept having to move away from the racing line just to be able to see.”

Though ultimately disappointed with third place, just over a second shy of overall victory, it was nevertheless an impressive showing and one that has left Jordon heading to the European Finals at Sarno in Italy at the start of September in positive mood. Having shone in the qualifying meeting at Essay in France last month, he has only one objective in mind.

“My aim is to win,” he asserted, without the slightest pause and with a steely glint in his eyes. “It always is.”

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