Smith wins title crown with double podium at Brands Hatch

Manor Competition’s Dean Smith (Wolverhampton) needed just one round to secure the 2009 Michelin Formula Renault UK Championship during the final meeting of the season at Kent’s Brands Hatch GP circuit on 3rd/4th October.

Smith cruised to a lights-to-flag victory in round 19 to give him enough points to secure the title and follow in the footsteps of previous Champions Lewis Hamilton (2003) and Kimi Raikkonen (2000). The 21-year-old also picked up a podium (third) in the final round of the single-seater series to round off an impressive weekend for the racer who now plans to move into European F3.

Nearest rival Fortec Motorsport’s James Calado (Worcester) had to settle for the Vice-Champion spot despite a lights-to-flag victory in round 20. The weekend also saw podiums for Fortec team-mate Oli Webb (Knutsford) who finished second in round 19 with Mark Burdett Motorsport’s Jesse Krohn (Skegness) rounding off the podium honours in the round.

CRS Racing’s Lewis Williamson (Golspie) claimed the final podium spot with second in round 20 and his best performance of his debut season. Team-mate Harry Tincknell (Exeter) was also able to wrap up the Graduate Cup title during the action-packed weekend.