Armed Forces eMotorsports championship: RAF closes in on victory

The Royal Air Force is a step closer to winning the Armed Forces eMotorsport Championships after a double win in round seven at Brands Hatch. 

The biggest winner of the day was Chris Pawley of the RAF, who took second place in the first race behind championship leader, Ryan Martin, before seeing off his competition in a closely contested race two to beat his teammate Darren Berris. 

The Army's Craig Durrant put on a great performance to finish third in both races in what will be seen as a successful day for the Army.

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Race one started off in chaotic fashion after RAF driver Matty Chambers got a good start from the second grid slot at the race start to get the jump on his RAF teammate Ryan Martin. 

But a mistake at Graham Hill bend saw Chambers go wide onto the grass, which sent him spinning off and tumbling down the pecking order, with Martin re-taking the lead. 

With Martin and Pawley taking command of the first and second places, the battle for third place was between Durrant and the Royal Navy's Tom Stevens.

The two drag-raced to the chequered flag on the pit straight and Durrant pipped Stevens to the final podium place. 

The second race began in a more orderly fashion and without incident, with Pawley working his way up from 10th place towards the front. 

Pawley took the lead from Berris on the eighth lap to then take the win +0.387 seconds ahead of Berris.

Speaking after the race, Martin said: "I got off to a really good start.

"You can kind of gauge yourself against Ryan Martin really, he often makes his way through the pack. 

"I managed to get a few places ahead of him on the first lap, and then you can see first place in front of you and I thought: 'You know what? As long as I can keep out of trouble, there's a chance at a win', and just lap by lap I just started picking people off. 

"It's great to get my first rave win of the season as well."

The RAF's Ryan Martin is leading the championship as the series moves to Oulton Park Island next week for round eight.