Ryan Lewis dominated qualifying for the Avon Tyres British Formula 3 Scholarship at Castle Combe today, posting the quickest time in both 20 minute sessions at the Wiltshire track. The 20 year-old Royston driver, who leads the series by a massive 46 points from Barton Mawer, capitalised on his circuit knowledge to close down the gap to the championship class runners, his times of 1:01.055 and 1:00.686 just over 1 and a half seconds off the pole times set in cars three years younger.

The BES plc supported driver has now won eight of the ten rounds in his T-Sport Dallara Mugen-Honda and today's double pole position takes his total to seven. Such is the youngster's domination so far, several of the scholarship contenders have left the series as the reigning FPA champion seems unstoppable in his quest for the title.

Jelley though, in a Performance Racing Opel-Spiess powered Dallara, has always looked like being the main opposition and tomorrow's races will see him just 2 tenths behind Lewis on the 19-car grid determined to stop Ryan from picking up another double victory.

But victory in both races is only part of what's on Ryan's mind; “Of course I want to win both races again, I said at the beginning of the season that I wanted to dominate this series and win it before the season end. But now with some of the scholarship runners pulling out, I need to find another focus and that is to start mixing it with the championship guys. I know there's probably another second in the car here this weekend, and I didn't capitalise on that in the second qualifying as I only completed six laps before I clipped the tyre wall. So tomorrow that'll be the aim, to win both races and try and get as high up the overall order as possible.”

Tomorrow's two 20 lap races will take place at 10.58 and 15.18.

Qualifying for Round 11
1. RYAN LEWIS BES Dallara F301 Mugen-Honda 1:01.055
2. Stephen Jelley Dallara F301 Opel Spiess 1:01.199
3. Vasilije Calasan Dallara F301 Mugen-Honda 1:01.541

Qualifying for Round 12
1. RYAN LEWIS BES Dallara F301 Mugen-Honda 1:00.686
2. Stephen Jelley Dallara F301 Opel Spiess 1:00.872
3. Vasilije Calasan Dallara F301 Mugen-Honda 1:01.758

Avon Tyres British Formula 3 Scholarship Points after 10 rounds

1. RYAN LEWIS 180
2. Barton Mawer 134
3. Stephen Jelley 96
4. Adam Khan 78
5. Ajit Kumar 70
6. Vasilije Calasan 68

Editor's note: Copyright free images of Ryan Lewis are available from the website below. All requests for interview should be directed to Cathy Metcalfe at the details below

Ref: ml00090
19 June 2004

For media information: Cathy Metcalfe, MPR Associates, Tel: 01327 352199, Fax: 01327 352908 Mob: 07802 332398, E-mail: cathymetcalfe@mpr-associates.co.uk, www.ryanlewisracing.co.uk