After the heartbreak of losing the biggest prize in Irish motor racing due to a mechanical failure last year, there could be no more deserving winner of the 2024 Leinster Trophy than Dunloy’s Ronan Doherty.

Dating back to the early 1930's, the ‘Who's Who’ of Irish drivers to have won the trophy over the years includes John Watson, John Pollock, Tommy Reid, Patsy McGarrity, Vivian Daly and Eddie Jordan.

And, the list of international drivers to have lifted the trophy includes the greats such as Mike Hawthorn, Mauricio Gugelmin, J.J Lehto, Mika Hakkinen, and the most famous of them all, Ayrton Senna.

For Dunloy’s Doherty to add his name to that roll call is a great honor and he did it in style! With only one race meeting in the championship this season and a couple of test days, he was missed in this year’s championship.

Ronan Doherty holds the Leinster Trophy after winning the Formula Vee race, Mondello Park, Donore, Co.Kildare. Picture: Barry Cregg.

placeholder image — Ronan Doherty holds the Leinster Trophy after winning the Formula Vee race, Mondello Park, Donore, Co.Kildare. Picture: Barry Cregg.

Come the test day on Friday, Ronan’s times left everyone in the championship battle glad he chose not to do a full season. He was just one tenth off the lap record on the new Toyo tyres brought into the class a couple of years ago.

The rain came Sunday morning for qualifying and race one ahead of the bigger Leinster Trophy race later in the day. Would Doherty be as quick in the wet as the dry? He answered by taking pole by nearly a second and backing it up with a win by 1.3 seconds.

Starting from pole position once again but this time it was dry and Doherty knew he had the pace over the rest. Dan Polley, also making a return to the series this year, joined him on the front row. Polley immediately moved Doherty to the right and over the white line of pitlane exit to try and gain an advantage to take the lead.

Doherty held firm and was not about to give way and held the inside line into turn one to lead the field. From there he got his head down and began to build a lead. By the end of lap one he was five car lengths ahead of Polley who was falling into the clutches of Gavin Buckley and Colm Blackburn.

Ronan Doherty, Sheane, on his way to winning the Formula Vee race for the Leinster Trophy, Mondello Park, Donore, Co.Kildare. Picture: Barry Cregg.

Lap on lap, Doherty increased his lead leaving those behind in his wake and, barring any repeats of the year before, he was not going to be caught. Blackburn retired with a mechanical problem and both Polley and Buckley scrapped it out for second and third, leaving Doherty to break away even more.

He reeled off the laps and crossed to take victory by a massive 20 seconds – a margin unheard of in Formula Vee but such was his early pace and those behind battling with each other it was a done deal very early on.

Ronan said: It was a perfect weekend with pole positions and two wins. What happened last year was the main motivation to come back again this year and to try and win it.

"We had the pace from the first practice session in all conditions so big thanks to my dad and all the team for making the car so good for me and all their work. I am quite relieved to have done it and also delighted at the same time."