May 13, 2011
Published on tags: Superleague
Synergetic's luck of late hasn't been great. While we have seen great battles for the podium positions towards the end of some races, which often star Joe Consiglio, Lee Morris and Jason Muscat, one driver has been missing from that glory: Sam Millar. The team have been working very hard and had shown early potential in the pre-season tests. After a slow start to the season itself though, the team have been improving at an incredible rate.

"It is a combination of things," said Team owner/manager Mal McKee, "It has to be said that we have one of the best packages in the field, to start with. But not only that, we have an excellent development program, great teamwork and fantastic dedication and commitment. Not to mention two fast and talented drivers. As a driver, I envy these guys - they have everything it takes to win this year." But this combination of talent, hard work and mechanical excellence hasn't, so far, brought in the much-needed points that makes for a truly successful season.

"We've had more than a pinch of bad luck thrown into the recipe," continued McKee, "usually in the form of early race incidents. I'm amazed at the drivers though - they are still both so upbeat and almost single-minded, despite huge frustrations with the way their races have ended up."

The team have seen a couple of changes to the line-up. To start with, experienced USA driver Ryan McConkey was added as test/reserve driver. Then, more recently, McKee fired himself as a driver and brought Liam Hatchell back into the Synergetic fold, having started the season with rival team Draig Racing. Hatchell: "I don't really even know why I left the team, but it's great to be back." Liam is currently test/reserve driver and is partnering Mal McKee in the outfit's SuperCup bid, and doing very well, thank you very much! While Liam would surely be even happier racing in the SuperLeague, he's still enjoying himself. "I plan to get Liam more involved in the SuperLeague. He brought solid points for the team last year, and we could definitely use his input and gain from his experience. Ryan is obviously well-known for his experience as well, being amongst the handful of long-term GPVWC drivers, and we're already calling on his vast experience and advice."

"The team now includes a driver from the USA, Germany, as well as drivers from all quadrants of the United Kingdom, apart from Wales!" laughs McKee, who has strong connections with all the regions in question. "I have an admiration for all these guys, but particularly at the minute for our two lead drivers. They've shown so much dedication and a lot of heart - as a team manager I'm actually living my dream this year." But Mal knows that not everything is quite right. He realises there is still work to be done, wrinkles to be smoothed and that the team can't - and won't - drop their work rate.

Millar's performance has been exemplary so far. Two pole positions, two podiums and two fastest laps has only been the least we could have expect from him. Both the team, and Millar himself, know that a race victory is only a matter of time. Christoph Lichtenstein has steadily improved from the start of the season at a vast rate of knots. His amazing potential was clearly demonstrated in Austria yesterday evening, a race which as marred by a controversial incident with Kieran Ryan. "Kieran is a guy I have a lot of respect for," explains Mal, "but everyone knows he's hugely competitive and very aggressive. I'm giving Christoph time to reflect before I ask him for his thoughts on the incident." Lichtenstein had been looking for a way to pass the Woods driver, and had greater speed on the straight, but Kieran squeezed Christoph to the trackside, where the German driver lost control and suffered a terrible impact which essentially ended his race.

Kieran isn't the only aggressive driver however, as Sam also found out when he was caught in a similar event with one of Midnight Motorsport's ace drivers, Nick Rowland. The team are unsure of their feelings over these incidents, and are reluctant to make any comment as yet. "We'll definitely be watching the replays, if only to learn something from them," Mal informs us.

Meanwhile, Sam managed to bring in points in Austria, after a valiant and determined drive from the young Scotsman, which saw him drop back to 11th after an unfortunate incident on lap one as he was battling to regain his lead of the race. "There is absolutely no doubt in my mind whatsoever that Sam would have won this race if it wasn't for the first lap accident. He may have been lighter, but his pace was amazing here all the same." Christoph would also have brought home solid points for the team.

Synergetic aren't a team to dwell too much on what has gone though. Already they're looking forward to France and Monaco, with a large upgrade package due for the next race. Over the first quarter of the season, the team has begun to understand this car very well. "Other than the actual results, everything is basically going to plan!" adds McKee, "at this point things, as the song goes, can only get better."