FABBY TO MAKE HISTORY AT SILVERSTONE IN MICHELIN CLIO CUP SERIES FINALE AS CATEGORY’S YOUNGEST EVER DRIVER
15th September 2015
British teenager Jack Fabby will make a piece of Michelin Clio Cup Road Series history during the championship finale at Silverstone International Circuit at the weekend, 19th/20th September, when he becomes the youngest ever driver to compete in the category – aged just 16 years and nine days.
Fabby, from Mellor in Cheshire, graduates into the series for race-converted road-going Clio Renaultsport 197 cars with top Leicestershire-based team Jade Developments after two part-seasons in the Junior Saloon Car Championship.
Prior to the move into cars in 2014, Fabby enjoyed great success in national level karting over a four year period from the age of 10 with the works Intrepid Kart UK squad. Notably, his debut in the Michelin Clio Cup Road Series will be backed by the premium kart manufacturer and the Silverstone weekend is set to be the springboard to a full campaign with Jade in the category in 2016.
“I am extremely excited to be finally joining the Michelin Clio Cup Road Series – my 16th birthday couldn’t have come sooner”, said an elated Fabby, “The Clio Renaultsport 197 is an amazing car to drive and I’m looking forward to this next stage in my career. The support from Intrepid Kart UK is a fantastic link from my karting days to my next step in cars.
“I started in an Intrepid kart at 10 years old and I am proud of finishing my karting career on an Intrepid chassis. I am overwhelmed to have their distinctive brand on the car and their valued support now and throughout 2016 will be incredible. I’m also grateful for the continued support from Milltek Sport, Barwell Trailers and Greens Signs.”
As well as his portfolio of commercial sponsors, Fabby is also being backed by ‘the nation’s motorsport station’ Downforce Radio which is making a video documentary about the teenager’s rise through the motorsport ranks – filming begins in the autumn.
Additionally, the Road Series rookie is competing in support of the Babygrow Appeal which was launched by the Countess of Chester Hospital and aims to raise £3 million. Fabby’s baby cousin Jacob Evans was born prematurely in June and subsequently spent 12 weeks in the Neo Natal Unit.
Barwell-based Jade Developments, which is on course to seal the Road Series title with Luke Pinder (Shipley) and has a great chance to lock-out the championship top two with Jake Honour (Devizes), is thrilled to be bringing Fabby through into the Road Series from the JSCC. Moreover, team principal Sean Cassidy is confident the youngster will thrive on his debut in Clios.
“When we first signed Jack to the team at the start of the year, it was always the plan from the beginning to bring him through into the Clio when he was old enough”, said Cassidy, “He’s not fazed at all, if anything he’s really fired-up and we said to him in his last Junior Saloon race if he performed well it would be his last in that championship and we’d move him up into the Clios.
“We’re obviously hoping to win the championship with Luke at the weekend too and hoping to finish one-two with Jake, that’s definitely possible. It’d be a fantastic end to the season if we can as we’ve grown in numbers and had a great year.”
Qualifying for rounds 12 and 13 of the season at Silverstone will get underway at 10.20 on Saturday, 19th September, with the first race of the weekend following at 15.00. On Sunday, 20th September, the final encounter of the year is scheduled to start at 11.15.
Along with headline sponsors Michelin and Protyre, the Clio Cup Series is additionally supported by Ferodo, Safety Devices and ALS Performance.
Track Days / Test Days / MotorsportDays.com
