Imola podium for young Scotposted in MSPOR10 | 09 | 2012
SCOT GREGOR RAMSAY, quietly progressing his motorsport career under the mainstream radar, has made history by becoming one of the youngest British drivers to take a podium finish in an international single-seater race (see more photos of Gregor at Imola).
Aged 16 years, two months and two days, Ramsay finished third in a round of the Formula Abarth European Series at the famous Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari at Imola in Italy.
Driving for the Swiss Jenzer Motorsport team, the East Kilbride recur, who is mentored by Ferrari, had already finished fifth in the opening two races of the weekend to score a good haul of points in the championship.
Ramsay also netted his first two wins in the concurrent Rookie trophy over the Imola meeting, solidifying his top-three spot in the season’s Rookie standings.
It was a great boost for ex-karting star Ramsay, who got his break into car racing when the ultra-prestigious Ferrari Driver Academy was instrumental in his acquiring a coveted International C licence – at the age of just 15!
From ninth on the grid, Ramsay raced to fifth in the opening race at Imola, despite getting pushed into the gravel trap on the opening lap one.
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In race two, he ran his older set of tyres but once again climbed the order from ninth to fifth. In the third race he had a front-row start and, after briefly running wide on dust at the Villeneuve chicane, tucked in behind the two leaders and drove a controlled race to third.
“It was very special to get my first podium in a single-seater at Imola, with Ferrari watching on in the famous and prestigious Autodromo,” Ramsay explained. “It was a very emotional moment for me.
“My dad and supporters are well pleased, as they keep telling me I’ve set British motorsport history. Certainly it’s fantastic to be doing well for my country in Formula Abarth – they are great cars and very professionally run.”
And Ramsay’s performance was praised by his Jenzer Motorsport engineer Andy Welch.
"It was a good performance from Gregor over the weekend," Welch explained. "He has been working on some important aspects of his technique, and the end result is better lap times and a third place in the final race. It was a good effort and a well-deserved first podium.”
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The son of former Formula Ford 1600 champion Scott Ramsay, Gregor is loyally backed by Clyde Blowers. In addition, e has support from Europe’s biggest-ever lottery winners, Colin and Chris Weir, who are expecting their new protégé to hit another jackpot!
The Formula Abarth cars are built to FIA Formula 3 standards by Italian constructor Tatuus, using carbon-composite monocoques and powered by a 1400cc turbo engine giving 180bhp.
The championship is very closely monitored by Ferrari. The Ferrari Driver Academy, which Ramsay is on the shortlist to join, includes Formula 1 star Sergio Perez.
The next round of the Formula Abarth European Series is at this weekend at Vallelunga, just outside Rome.
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Jim McGill