Renault anticipate Qualification Races for Clio's in 2007

52 cars have been ordered for the 2007 ELF Renault Clio Cup, making the series the most successful in Renault UK’s 30+ year motorsport history.

Championship registration will open at Autosport International, Thursday-Sunday, 11^th to the 14^th January 2007, with teams and drivers having until Friday, 23^rd February 2007 to sign-up ahead of the first official test day at Silverstone on Monday, 26^th February 2007.

With the possibility of 40 plus competitors, special arrangements have been made to ensure all entrants can race.

In the event of more registrations received than can start a race according to the circuit’s track licence, the new format for both qualifying and races makes sure everyone entered can race. The field will be divided into two groups of approximately equal size. The first group will qualify for 15 minutes, directly followed by the second group for 15 minutes. The starting grid for the first qualification race will be based upon the times recorded by the first group’s qualifying session. The starting grid for the second qualification race will be based upon the times recorded by the second group’s qualifying session. On Saturday afternoon there will be two qualifying races – one for each group.

The starting grid for Sunday’s championship round will be based upon the results of the two qualification races. The group containing the driver setting the fastest individual lap time will line up on the pole position side of the grid with the race winner in pole position and the second-placed driver directly behind and so on. The other group will line up on the opposite side of the grid with the race winner in the second grid place and the second placed driver directly behind and so on. When the qualification races procedure is applied there will be only one championship round during the race meeting but prize money will be adjusted accordingly.

The new Renault Clio's, destined for next years championship, are seen in the photo taken at the Renault Sport factory in Dieppe ahead of delivery in the new year.

ELF Renault Clio Cup - Silverstone 15-16 October 2006

ELF Renault Clio Cup - Brands Hatch 23-24 September 2006

After a best result of the season on the Saturday the result on the Sunday for Stephen Colbert was a disappointment when the throttle cable broke whilst in a strong second place.

Robert Lawson continued his strong form with solid result on both days.

ELF Renault Clio Cup - Donnington 8-10 September 2006

After his spectacular qualifying, Robert Lawson was disappointed in the two races. After a first lap incident on the Saturday Robert led for the first three laps on the Sunday before an incident relegated him to the back of the field.

Stephen's steady performances lifted him to third in the championship.

BRITCAR 24 Hour Race – Silverstone 8-10 September 2006

With two Clio's running at Donnington Park, the team faced their most demanding weekend of the season. It was also one of the teams most disappointing results when the team failed to get a car to the finish of a 24 hour race for the first time it their history.

The McInerney's raced their Porsche with Michael Vergers but unfortunately it expired with an electrical gremlin that could not be resolved after 18 hours of the race.

John George was supported by regular co-driver Phil Bennett along with Ed Pead, Rob Huff and Mark Lemmer in the Honda Civic. They brought the car home in 12th place after dramas during the night. John unfortunately had an accident with a Marcos, which badly damaged the left front damper. This had to be extensively welded to replace the mounting bracket, that had been sheared off, which dropped the car down the order.

ELF Renault Clio Cup - Snetterton 12-13 August 2006

Robert Lawson was the star of Saturdays wet race at Snetterton. Motorsport News wrote:-

" Robert Lawson took his first ever podium finish in the first Renault Clio Cup race at Snetterton on Saturday. Lawson finished 3rd in terrible conditions on a very wet track. After the result, Lawson was pleased to have even made it to the finish. "It was very difficult with oil everywhere," he said "I was quicker than Paul (Rivett) but I couldn't risk overtaking him because I had Stephen Colbert catching me and I didn't want to lose 3rd". In the second race Lawson once again finished highly in 6th. "

Sundays race was in dry conditions and again the Mardi Gras drivers rose from lowly grid positions. Stephen Colbert was the better this time, running as high as 2nd at one stage before dropping back to finish 4th.

BRITCAR – Donnington Park 5 August 2006

Mardi Gras finished 6th and 7th in Production S1 at Donnington Park. An early Safety Car worked against the two Mardi Gras cars, effectively putting all the cars in front of them one lap ahead, they battled through however to finish 3rd and 4th in class.

With a few laps to go the John George and Phil Bennett Civic overhauled the McInerney's Integra to take the 6th place.

ELF Renault Clio Cup - Donnington 29-30 July 2006

Robert Lawson was unlucky to be tipped into a spin on the start straight after the first lap of the Saturday race, preventing him from taking part in the Sunday race. Extensive damage will require a re-shell before Snetterton.

Stephen Colbert made up for his lowly grid positions in both races. On Sunday he capitalised on others misfortunes to run as high as second before having his own moment and dropping back.

ELF Renault Clio Cup - Croft 15-16 July 2006

In the Sunday race at Croft Robert Lawson's fine battle with Paul Rivett was featured heavily on the Motor's TV coverage.

BRITCAR – Brands Hatch 17-18 June 2006

With the McInerney’s Porsche unavailable, awaiting a rebuilt engine, Mardi Gras ran two cars in Production S1 at Brands Hatch.

Phil Bennett was away racing at the Nürburgring 24 hour race, John George raced by himself, in Saturdays one hour race. This was to prove successful as, after qualifying tenth,  John took advantage of an early Pace Car period to see him finish 1^st in class and 2^nd overall. The Mac’s were not so lucky, suffering drive shaft problems which ended their race prematurely.

In Sunday’s two hour race the McInerney’s were well placed before an excursion into the gravel brought out a safety car while their car was removed. The remainder of the race was then used as an extended test session optimising set up. John George did not race on the Sunday

ELF Renault Clio Cup - Knockhill 17-18 June 2006

With a catalogue of safety cars, uncertainty of laps under safety car and torrential rain, the first race was so close to being Stephen Colbert’s first win in Clio’s. Stephen led the penultimate lap and the team on the wall thought that this was the end of the race!

They had however miscalculated laps added under safety car and had to suffer an additional lap. Stephen unfortunately out-braked himself on the last corner letting Tom Onslow-Cole in for the win. Robert Lawson was not so lucky sliding off in the treacherous conditions. Sunday’s race was not so dramatic in damp conditions.

BRITCAR - Spa 3-4 June 2006

John George and Phil Bennett raced in the 4 hour endurance race on the wonderful Spa circuit with Mardi Gras. After Phil Bennett qualified the car just outside the top ten, a good result considering the Britcar and Production S1 raced together at Spa, the JAG Honda Civic went out after an hour of the race.

John George had taken the first stint and was reveling in the physical challenge of the circuit when the race was unfortunately brought to a premature close when the alternator/water pump drive belt failed.

ELF Renault Clio Cup - Thruxton 3-4 June 2006

The highlight of the Thruxton round was Stephen Colbert’s storming drive in the first race to take advantage of the carnage that happened at the front taking a well deserved podium.

BRITCAR - Snetterton 13-14 May 2006

An engine problem in testing on Friday with the McInerney’s Porsche meant that Mardi gras ran two cars in Production S1 at the Snetterton Britcar Meeting.

The team was rewarded with a win in the hour race on Saturday for the John George, Phil Bennett Honda Civic when clever pit stop strategy made the most of the heavy thunderstorm during the race to put the car at the head of the pack. The McInerney’s were unlucky to retire when the heavy rain displaced the wiper blade enabling it to trip the electrical master switch.

On the Sunday both cars were out before half distance in the 3 hour race, the Civic with a blown head gasket and the Integra slid into the tyre barrier from the oil of an Astra that had blown up in front of it. Both cars had taken turns at the front of the field before being forced to retire.

ELF Renault Clio Cup - Oulton Park 13-14 May 2006

The team had mixed fortunes at Oulton with Mark Fell suffering gear box problems in qualifying and the first race, the result of which caused the race to be stopped.

BRITCAR - Oulton Park 8 April 2006

The weather was the main winner at Oulton for the EERC meeting. Mardi Gras had three cars running, one in BRITCAR and two in the PRODUCTION S1 race.




Sean and Michael McInerney qualified 4^th and were lying 10^th in BRITCAR when the race was red flagged because hail made racing impossible.

In the Production S1 race the two cars finished 11^th and 14^th after an eventful race. Sean and Michael led the race after an early pit stop for slicks and the driver change under a safety car. The conditions were tricky, and an off by Michael, with the subsequent pit stop, dropped them to 11^th.

John George and Phil Bennett qualified 10th and were to finish 14^th. John had an early visit to the gravel which brought an early driver change while damage was fixed. Phil Bennett's race through the field, setting fastest laps as the track dried, was spectacular. Unfortunately a broken drive shaft caused an early finish, a few laps from the end

ELF Renault Clio Cup - Brands Hatch 8 - 9 April 2006

Mark Fell was Mardi Gras star in the Sunday race at the first Clio round where he was close to getting a podium.

Robert Lawson had two steady drives improving on his grid position in each race. Stephen Colbert was the loser on Sunday as he was spun round at Paddock on the first lap. He was subsequently black flagged for a trailing bumper which dropped him down the order.

ELF Renault Clio Cup Test - Snetterton 29 March 2006

Mardi Gras three Clio drivers for 2006 were all out at the first official Clio test at Snetterton.
Stephen Colbert was the fastest in 3^rd place, Robert Lawson was 5^th and Mark Fell 13^th.

BRITCAR - Silverstone 25 March 2006

The first meeting of the season saw three cars under the Mardi Gras banner.

In Production S1 Sean and Michael McInerney finished 3^rd in the race and 1^st in class and John George and Phil Bennett finished 4^th and 2^nd in class. John and Phil had qualified 2^nd and would have been placed higher had it not been for a second pit stop to replace a flat spotted tyre.

The Mac's also raced their Porsche 911 GT3 for the first time in the Britcar Race. After qualifying 11^th Sean took it gingerly in the heavy rain but slid into the gravel at Becketts after 11 laps. There was no damage and he continued for a few laps before retiring, unsure of the cars handling.