A new rising star in touring car racing

By Alfred A. Farrugia

22-year old Bernard Galea has dominated the first race at the beautiful Anglesey Coastal circuit in Wales, with the SW Motorsports Honda Civic EG, in the fourth round of the Civic Cup recently. After registering the best time of 1 minute 19.97 seconds at 69.78 mph in the qualification session – the only driver to cover the 1.55-mile lap under 1 minute 20 seconds, he went on to lead and win the race from pole position to the chequered flag.   

Bernard recorded the fastest lap during the 11-lap race as well, in a time of 1 minute 20.51 seconds, again the only driver among 23, to cover a lap below 1 minute 21 seconds in the prevailing conditions.

As far as it is known, this is the best result obtained so far by a Maltese driver in circuit racing abroad, in a field with so many drivers and in a one-marque touring car race.

Considering that we do not have a racing circuit in Malta – other than an off-road one – all Maltese drivers are distinguishing themselves when they go abroad, but Bernard seems to be learning very fast – this being his very first season in touring car racing!

Anglesey Coastal is a difficult circuit with a couple of hairpins, one of which is called ‘The Banking’; a very popular esses bend called the ‘Corkscrew’; and a very difficult tight corner called the ‘Rocket’ at the end of the fastest part of the circuit. Yet, Bernard succeeded to learn this track after a couple of testing sessions and some guidance.

In the second race of each round in the Civic Cup sponsored by Tegiwa, and promoted by the 750 Motor Club, the order of the first 10 finishers in the first race is reversed. As a result of his win, Bernard had to start from the 10th position in the 5th row of the grid in the second race at Anglesey.

In the circumstances, Bernard took advantage of the system to show his racing skill. He moved to the 8th place by the end of lap 1, moved to 7th place by the end of lap 2, went to 6th place in lap 4, moved to 5th place in lap 6, and proceeded to the 4th place in lap 8, but then lost the position in the 11th and last lap to finish in an excellent 5th position, after a failed braking manoeuvre.

Bernard’s potential could be seen from his very first experience on unknown territory in Donington Park circuit with a new car, when he started in 16th position and finished 10th. In the second race of the opening round he started 15th and finished 9th.

At Brands Hatch circuit he did not have any luck, when he started in a very good 9th position but failed to finish the race as the gear selector broke. The gearbox was fixed in time by SW Motorsports for the second race of the second round, and although Bernard started from the back row of the grid in 19th position, he succeeded to finish15th, learning how to race under wet conditions in the process.

Bernard’s real talent could be seen at Castle Combe circuit when he qualified 2nd, and from the front row of the grid went on to finished third after the safety car went out when he was challenging for the first position. In the second race he started from the 6th position and finished in 5th place.

It is clear that Bernard has real racing talent, which he demonstrated during a test drive at Racalmuto circuit in Sicily, where he won the front wheel drive class and set a lap record in his class. Who knows how many excellent young drivers we have but their talent has not yet been discovered in the absence of a racing circuit in Malta?

Bernard has already been interviewed by British motor sports commentators, and he is featuring in popular British motor racing magazines.  He is the first Maltese driver to step on the podium in first place in a touring car race in the UK, ahead of 22 other drivers racing similar or more powerful cars.

It is a pleasure to see the Maltese flag on the rear window of the Honda Civic. It is hoped that Bernard will continue to be a front-runner this year so that he will be in a position to move a step forward in the British touring car racing scene. His ambition is to race in the British Touring Car Championship when the time comes.

All Maltese motor sport followers wish Bernard the best of luck and success for the fifth round at the famous British Silverstone circuit on 24th August, where he will hopefully collect his second victory.