PATKI’S THE GREEN KING

Every year within the Caterham Motorsport ranks, a brand new group of first-time drivers take their initial steps as fully-fledged racing drivers as part of the ever-popular Caterham Academy, and such is the size of the entry each year that it has to be split into two groups – Green and White. All drivers competing have never held a competition licence of any kind before and begin the year as rookies, ending it by throwing away their novice plates and graduating to their National licence as a result. Here, we’ll detail the events of this Green Group’s very first year of competition. Scott Woodwiss reports.

Every season begins with a traditional sprint event to warm the drivers up and Curborough was the chosen venue. The man who ended up fastest of the lot come the end of the event was Harvey Lawrence, although that would turn out to be his only top-step visit of the year. Ravi Patel and Rrutuj Patki joined him on the podium.

Nobody would expect just how the tables would turn within the group as Patki prepared for a run of dominance throughout the season, but that wouldn’t begin until after Snetterton where his race lasted just four laps after being hit from behind by Craig Boyle at the Agostini Hairpin and retiring on the spot. Patel recovered from his own spin to win while a photo finish for second had Iain Hibbert just pip James Emson to the line.

entire 20 minutes, and he especially came under pressure in the final couple of laps but held it all back to clinch his third victory. Next up was the double header in both directions of Knockhill in Scotland, and despite the timing sheets showing another Patki domination with pole and both race wins, it certainly wasn’t that simple. Once again, Patki and Patel engaged in non-stop position swapping between them and contact at the final hairpin leaving Patki to win with Simon Sabin stealing second from Patel at the death. More action occurred on the Reverse layout the next day, with Sabin leading most of the encounter, but being beaten in a last gasp sprint to the flag, with the top three of Patki, Boyle and Sabin covered by just a tenth and a half respectively.

Above: Rrutuj Patki dominated his side of the Caterham Academy entry and didn’t even compete in the final round as he’d already won the title

On the Silverstone GP circuit with a combined Academy grid in one race, Patki was by far the best of the Green Group cars, running in the leading pack all race against the front-running White Group drivers and ended up finishing second overall and best of his group, several seconds ahead of Toby Ballard and Harvey Lawrence. Patel grabbed the holeshot at Donington Park, but through an early safety car he duelled back and forth with Patki and Hibbert all race long, before the pink car of Patki took the flag first with Ballard and Emson left in his wake by several tenths of a second.

Anglesey heralded another race win to add to Patki’s season tally, but it was another fourcar fight with Patel, Emson and Hibbert for the

With so many race wins under his belt, Patki calculated that he didn’t need to contest the final round at Silverstone International, as the dropped score he’d gain back would give him more than enough points to become Academy champion. Therefore it was the podium places up for grabs, and from the outset Patel looked as though he was in firm command of the final race of the year. However, a superb drive from Sabin reeled in the leader and with less than three minutes to go he pinched the lead and his first Caterham win, while Patel’s third place behind.

Hibbert was enough to head the latter in the points by five, while Patki was confirmed as champion by 11 points in the end. These drivers will now move on to their next season of competition in the Roadsport category next year.