Latvian rallycross driver Roberts Vītols dramatically lost the victory in the second round of the British Junior Rallycross Championship in Lidenhill. Having won all the qualifying races, the Latvian experienced technical problems in the final, while in the leading position. The Provento Racing pilot showed the second result in training, but starting from the qualifying races he became invincible. If he managed to win the first qualifying due to a collision between competitors, then the victories in the second and third heats were convincing. This gave him the first starting position in the final. At the start of the decisive race, Vītols gained an advantage over his followers, confidently claiming victory. However, on the third lap, the car suffered technical problems – the engine lost power, which caused him to lose several positions. Although the car regained its sporting performance, he finished in sixth place. “When driving uphill, the power disappeared… I shifted up, there was no power, I shifted down, there was still no power… Then, when driving down the hill, the power appeared, but everything was lost,” comments Roberts Vītols. “At first, we hoped that we would be able to win the British Championship one at a time, get on the podium one at a time, and thus accumulate points for first place in the overall standings. Now there are seven stages left, in which, it seems, we must now win all of them. It seems that the Most High also wants this – for us to ride at full power, with full emotions, without concessions. We experienced many such episodes last year, but this year there are no more snot and tears, I can take it more for granted. We must accumulate points, and at the end of the season, when the last checkered flag is waved, then we will also be happy. Right now, one victory would not mean anything, but this loss means a lot in terms of points. So let’s fight on. We must move on.” It should be noted that last September, Vītols made his debut in the British Rallycross at this same Lidenhill track. Roberts was also the leader in the final until he was forced to retire due to a half-axle defect. Roberts’ father and manager Uģis Vītols: “We came here for the victory, but it was not our fault that we did not get it. It was possible. Let’s investigate what happened. This track does not love us yet. If we generalize, then this season is meant for us as a learning process and school. If we perceive this event in this way, then we accept that this is also our lesson.” In the final, after Robert’s retirement, the leader of the first stage at Silverstone, Luke Constantine, and his follower Patrick O’Donovan, won, but James Constantine, who was not a driver in the leading group throughout the day, taking fifth and two sixth places in qualifying, took third place. The third round of the British Rallycross Championship will take place in the second half of June, during the Midsummer holidays, at the Pembrokeshire circuit.
