Brandon McCaughan, Alisha Palmowski and Harry Burgoyne were the top-three finishers in the first qualifying session of the year at Oulton Park. Here's how each driver reacted at the end of the session.
Double pole, Brandon McCaughan, KMR Sport:
"I'm very happy with it. I knew this weekend that I have to get results, there’s no other option if I want to continue in the championship. I need to make an impact, try and get some more sponsors and keep going. Very happy, that was my third dry session at Oulton Park and I put it on pole. Very happy with that, hopefully the same in the races. And again, in terms of the drive for this year, I’m doing the first two rounds, I wouldn’t be doing them without the GB4 shootout so thank you for that.
"Thanks to the team really, Tom [Mills] on the driver coaching, a very good driver coach, and to Kevin. They’re both used to Formula Ford racing and that’s where I come from, my driving style is definitely very suited to a Formula Ford and I’ve been able to set up the car to work with that, make the right changes, make me feel comfortable in the car, comfortable enough to get up to speed so quick.
"The plan is to win it anyway, I’ve only had one practice start but if I can have a good enough start, win race one."
Second, Alisha Palmowski, Elite Motorsport:
"I'm very pleased. Little bit bittersweet, obviously being so close to that pole position, very tight about seven hundredths of a second, very close. My first quali session, making sure we got the right space on track, getting the tyres into the right window, only a small space of time to do those laps in that 15 minutes. But yeah, a great result, we’re right in the fight on the front row, I'm looking forward to the race, looking forward to learn, get a good launch off the line hopefully and take it from there.
"I’ve not done many [practice starts] but they’ve been good so far. In Ginetta Juniors, starts were actually one of my strongest points, I know its very different in a single seater, its very much going to be a learning experience for me but fingers crossed we can get it off without too much wheelspin and be pushing for the lead.
"A podium is the aim, my eyes are set on the win if there’s an opportunity there, but I know Oulton Park is an extremely difficult circuit to overtake at so at this early stage championship points are absolutely crucial so if I can bring the car home in one piece, on the podium, that would be great."
Third, Harry Burgoyne, KMR Sport:
"It was good, we were on it from the start, from lap one. Struggled a bit towards the end with tyres going off, I made a mistake on a lap which cost me quite a bit of time but its all about the race. Whoever can get off the line should be able to win the race because it’s a very hard track to pass here.
"They [McCaughan & Palmowski] could’ve been doing practice starts, so they could be getting better every time. We’ll just need to see who gets off the start the best.
"It would be nice to get on the podium for the first race of the year, so we’ll see how it goes."
