Paul Rivett’s Fun Cup debut didn’t quite end the way he wanted it to – but the four-time Renault UK Clio Cup champion still enjoyed his first appearance in the championship at Croft.
Sharing the RAW Motorsports entry with Alex Macleod, Rivett quickly demonstrated his pace in the unmissable green machine.
Despite barely any laps in the Volkswagen Beetle-based car before qualifying, Rivett laid down a marker and set the fastest time – two tenths of a second quicker than anyone else.
“I had a couple of goes in testing but didn’t want to have too much time in it – I wanted Alex to have most of the time,” Rivett explained. “I jumped in qualifying on Saturday morning and went quickest!”
However, the randomised grid draw that Fun Cup uses left Rivett and Macleod starting the five-hour race down in 13 th .
And things very soon went wrong in the race as just 15 minutes in, the car developed engine problems when Macleod was at the wheel and needed a change in motor.
“I jumped out of my race suit to try and help the guys change it!” said Rivett. “That took about two hours but we were last by a country mile.
“When I came in at the end of the race, we were the quickest car out there.”
As Macleod continues to gain more experience, Rivett is hoping the duo can improve over the course of the season.
“It would be nice to think we can get some good solid top 10 results when it goes our way,”
Rivett said. “A podium would be Alex’s dream.
“It’s exactly what it says on the tin. It was the Fun Cup and we had fun. I’m looking forward to the next one. Trucks are still the main thing we’re doing but it’s nice to have a bit of fun on the side.
“Zandvoort is next and that should be interesting – we’ve got two three-hour races. I’m looking forward to going there.”
Those Zandvoort races take place on June 8-9, before Rivett turns his attention back to the British Truck Racing Championship at Thruxton.