Fortec's Jordyn Martin secured her maiden top-10 result in race two at Oulton Park, after a strong drive from 15th on the grid.
She gained four spots on the first lap alone, and then made a move late in the race to break into the top-10, an impressive result given this is her first full season of single-seater racing. The top-10 is the first for a female driver in this year's championship, while she was also the second highest-placed Rookie driver.
"I had a really good start and I was able to pass them [two drivers] around the outside which was a really good opportunity" she commented. "Coulthard and McLean then got tripped up a little bit, which was also a good opportunity on my side. I was catching Del Grosso and with my speed I was pretty much up there, and I was able to get him."
The American youngster moved into the top-10 with a move on Elite's Emmilio Del Grosso with three laps to go, and she describes how she was able to take advantage of a slight mistake from the Venezuelan driver.
"Into turn one he had a little incident, he got a little tripped up and it gave me a really good opportunity and I was able to get him on the inside at the kink of turn three. He kind of went off a little bit and he was trying to keep it, but I was able to get past."
Martin has been a consistent figure in the top half of the grid, displaying excellent pace to qualify 14th, 12th, 17th and 15th for the four 'main races' so far this season.
"It’s been a great start," she notes "We’ve been showing a lot of pace, but qualifying at both rounds has been a little bit unlucky.
"But by the second round, to be finishing in the top-10 is great, it feels amazing and it definitely has brought my confidence up a good bit. I knew I had the pace, I knew I could definitely have done it, especially in a reverse grid."
"It’s been a big jump and it’s been hard but it’s a learning process. But I’ve learned a lot with Fortec and I’m truly grateful for everything they’ve done for me, it’s been an amazing experience so far and I can’t wait for the rest of the season."
