Farnsfield ace Jon misses out on top three

Farnsfield driver Jon Mortimer in his Chapelle Jewellery sponsored Caterham ended the season by being piped at the podium to a very respectable fourth place in the Avon Tyres Supersport Championship.

It is Jon’s first season where he has been missing from the end of year celebrations after failing to finish on the Championship podium.

Jon started in 2010 in Catherham Academy Championship and this being his fourth year racing Catherham’s, having moved up a class at the completion of each year.

But his track record is outstanding to say the least,

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In 2010, he finished Caterham Academy Championship in second and in 2011 competed in Caterham Roadsport Championship, finishing in third position.

2012 saw the success continue in Caterham Tracksport, finishing in third position of 34 drivers with seven podium positions, including a race win at Donington Park in May and the four fastest laps of the championship.

His motorsport journey for 2013, saw him upgrade from Caterham Tracksport to the Caterham Supersport Championship, where the cars benefit from 140bhp and a limited slip differential. Drivers in this class have usually raced Caterham’s for three to four years and are classed as the most experienced and competitive.

Mortimer’s season opener saw him at Snetterton in April and he made a confident start to the weekend.

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With a grid of 36 cars entered into the race a ‘perfect lap’ on qualifying lap seven, saw him in pole until the very last lap when he was beaten into second place.

On front row for race one and starting well and in with the leading group of five cars, the car started to lose grip, and with traction problems coming out of slow corners and losing places Mortimer eventually finished in seventh

Discussions with the tyre manufacturers Avon revealed some worrying news. There had been a supply issue at Avon Tyres which had resulted in a new tyre being released for this season of Caterham racing with the decision being made to allow both the old tyres and the new tyres to be allowed for the first two race meetings.

The second race of the weekend saw him finish in ninth after a power loss and engine problems, leaving him seventh place out of 36 overall

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After extensive test sessions, a new air filter seemed to resolve the power issue and saw Jon in Anglesey for Rounds Three and Four.

Changeable weather, saw him qualify third on the grid, finishing in third position and first podium of the season.

Race two, with heavy rain and a misting visor, saw Jon finish in sixth and in fifth place overall in the Championship after four of the 14 rounds.

The next two rounds saw a trip to the former Dutch GP circuit of Zandvoort in June for the Caterham Eurofest.

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Claiming pole position in qualifying, he lost third gear, dropping to eighth, fighting back to third position by lap five.

But disaster struck on lap eight, retiring with a burst radiator after minor contact from another car cutting in front of him.

Starting back of the grid of 32 cars for race two is not the ideal place, so Mortimer’s usual determination and serious racing to make up 22 places and finish 10th was a big achievement by the time the chequered flag was waved.

Rounds Seven and Eight of the Championship saw a return to local circuit Donington Park at the beginning of July, and Jon’s most successful weekend to date during the season with extremely high track temperatures due to the very hot weather.

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Finishing third in qualifying and going on to cross the line in third position behind winner Dave Robinson was one of the closest finishes seen for years at Donington Park.

Race two saw spectacular three abreast racing with Jon finishing on podium again in second behind Robinson.

Positioned in sixth place in the Championship, Jon was looking forward to the next two rounds at Brands Hatch for the 40th Caterham Festival in August.

He qualified in fourth position and second row on the grid for race one, missing out on a podium to 4th by 0.093 second.

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Settling for the same grid position, Jon was consistent and the second race turned into a mirror image finish of fourth position again.

Next stop in the season was Oulton Park for Rounds 11 and 12. Having qualified in second position and making a good start, he was first into the first corner and held the lead until lap three until a fuel switch problem dropped him back to fourth.

He got back to third to pass the flag only to find a five second penalty due to a technical infringement for being out of position on the grid. That gave him fourth position and another failed podium.

The second race saw Mortimer in third by lap one and a three-way battle commenced for the rest of the race with Jon taking a comfortable second place and spraying the champagne, one of his best results so far this season.

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The last two rounds in the Championship were at a wet and cold Silverstone Circuit.

A gearbox change after the last round saw problems in qualifying when only completing four qualifying laps.

A bolt snapped bringing his session to an early finish but still getting sixth position due to some fast laps.

Race one started out wet and greasy and by lap two he was in third position and ever changing positions between that and second. A three way battle then ensued, seeing Jon cross the line in third place and a podium again.

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Race two saw a very wet race and Jon starting on grid in third, struggling with rear traction.

By the end of lap one he was down to seventh and after another 25 minutes of racing in heavy rain he eventually crossed the line somewhat disappointed in sixth place.

Jon finished the 2014 Caterham Supersport Championship in fourth position with 241 points, after that frustrating start to the season, which got better towards the end.

David Robinson won the Championship with 291 points.

Jon Mortimer is always looking for sponsorship and in particular for his 2014 Caterham Championship.

Anyone interested in sponsorship is asked to contact Jon Mortimer’s Press Officer Paul Horton by email at [email protected].

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