SV Racing (SVR) and Alex Morgan will step onto the European stage and take on the super-competitive Renault Eurocup Clio Championship – part of the prestigious World Series by Renault (WSR) package – starting with Rounds 1 and 2 at Motorland Aragon (26-27 April).
With former Clio Cup Champion, Danny Buxton, at the helm, SVR has utterly dominated the top step of the podium in the opening two rounds of the 2014 Renault UK Clio Cup.
The Wettenhall, Cheshire-based team locked-out the top four positions at Donington Park’s most recent round last weekend (19-20 April) and subsequently sits atop both the Teams’ and Drivers’ standings with Reading-domiciled Welshman, Morgan.
The young Welsh racer from Bridgend was previously a regular podium finisher in the Formula Renault Eurocup, finishing 14th overall in the 2008 standings, but has since made an effortless transition from ‘wings and slicks’ single-seaters to front-wheel-drive ‘tin-tops’.
Morgan, aged 27, achieved multiple race wins and podium finishes to complete 2013 as UK Clio Cup Vice Champion and has picked up from where he left off by achieving a brace of victories to top the championship points this year.
The World Series by Renault is now in its tenth year and the 2014 Eurocup Clio Championship will be held over four meetings on the WSR calendar at Motorland Aragon, Nürburgring, Circuit Paul Ricard and Circuito de Jerez.
The 5.34km-long Motorland Aragon track is based near Alcaniz in Spain and was penned by world-renowned circuit designer Hermann Tilke in conjunction with Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 Test and Reserve Driver, Pedro de la Rosa.
With fresh backing from South Wales-based construction firm, Carter Lauren, for Morgan’s UK Clio Cup challenge, the opportunity to extend his racing commitments to the Eurocup Clio Championship has arisen.
Despite having very little knowledge of the southern Spanish venue, Morgan believes he’s capable of acquainting himself with the circuit’s intricacies quickly and taking the fight to former UK Clio Cup foe and reigning Eurocup Clio Champion, Josh Files, as well as other established frontrunners, including Eric Tremoulet and Massimiliano Pedala.
“I’m brimming with confidence heading to Spain and I’m expecting to be at the front from the get go,” said Morgan. “I will have to learn the Michelin tyres and the Motorland Aragon track is new to me too, but I’m still looking for top five finishes at the very least. It’s all a bit of an unknown at the moment, but I’m looking forward to locking horns with Josh Files once again, having raced against him throughout 2013 – he’s my only target, as he won last year’s Eurocup title, has done a lot of preparation and will undoubtedly be the number one contender once again. However, I’ll be treating it as a learning experience and it’s really just to supplement my 2014 UK Clio Cup programme and boost my title bid.”
SV Racing Director, Danny Buxton, added: “The Renault Eurocup Clio Championship is something we looked at towards the start of the year so it’s exciting that it has come to fruition and we’re finally heading to Motorland Aragon in Spain for the first round of the season. SVR will have to get its head around the circuit and its individual demands very quickly but, using the data and knowledge we’ve accumulated with the new-generation Clio Cup car, we should be in a strong position from the outset.
“It would be great to challenge for podiums, but top six finishes in the points would be a good place to start. You can’t underestimate the quality of the field and, while Josh Files stands out as the one to beat, you also have others returning for another crack at the title. We have to be mindful and respectful of that, but make sure we put our own SVR stamp on it.”
Renault Eurocup Clio Championship testing will be held at 15.50 on Friday (25 April), with qualifying at 11.25 and race one 16.10 the following day (Saturday 26 April).
Qualifying for Round 2 is scheduled for 10.50 on Sunday (27 April) and the race itself will cap-off the weekend at 15.40.
For more information on the Renault Eurocup Clio Championship, please visit the official www.worldseriesbyrenault.com website, ‘like’ the Facebook page or follow@WSR_Live on Twitter.
And for more on SV Racing, please visit the new www.svracing.co.uk website, ‘like’ the team’s Facebook page or follow @SV_Racing on Twitter.