British GT Oulton Park round-up
Victories for Ram Racing and WPI Motorsport in GT3 while in GT4 Newbridge Motorsport and Century Motorsport claim GT4 victories. Barwell Motorsport are GT3 Teams' Champions while Century Motorsport wrap up GT4 Drivers' and Teams' Championship.
Race 1
GT3
Kelvin Fletcher in his Paddock Motorsport Bentley initially maintained the lead from pole with Kevin Tse, Morgan Tillbrook and Michael Igoe all giving chase. Tse was hassling the Bentley and was able to seize the moment when battling GT4 cars forced the Bentley out at Old Hall.
Tillbrook in his Enduro Motorsport McLaren spun out at Cascades and Igoe had to take avoiding action which allowed Richard Neary in his newly refurbished stealth Team Abba Racing Mercedes to move up to P3. This became P2 when Neary made his move on the Bentley just before the pit window opened.
Tom Onslow-Cole and Sam Neary both emerged together after their stops and while Neary filled the Ram Racing Mercedes mirrors initially, he soon had his mirrors full of Dennis Lind's Barwell Motorsport Lamborghini. Onlsow-Cole was able to get a gap over Neary and finished 5s ahead of the Abba Racing Mercedes.
Lind had benefitted from the pitstop success after emerging into P4. Martin Plowman's error at Hislop in his Bentley meant that the Barwell driver was soon all over the back of it and soon into P3 after Neary.
Neary though was none of it when Lind caught up with the Abba driver and held on firmly to claim P2 by 0.7s.
GT4
Second placed Will Burns got the better start and passed pole sitter Matt Topham as they entered Cascades. Topham thought about challenging the BMW round the twisty Cheshire track, but, as he had the pace of the BMW he decided just to follow knowing he would have the advantage at the pitstops as the Silver pairing BMW would have to serve longer.
When the Century Motorsport BMW pitted from the lead, Topham carried on for a few more laps before handing over to Darren Turner. When Turner rejoined the action he was 10s ahead of the rest of the field.
Gus Burton had taken over from Burns and running in P2 now with the Drivers' Championship within their grasp as the sister BMW suffered troubles.
Andrew Gordon-Colebrook was trying make a move on Jack Brown's McLaren at Lodge. The BMW and McLaren made contact and both cars were out of the running and the BMW retiring in the pits with damage.
Claiming the final podium spot was the Stellar Motorsport Audi of Richard Williams and Sennan Fielding. Williams had a very strong opening stint and Fielding built on that to complete the podium.
Race 2
GT3
Scott Malvern in his Team Parker Racing Porsche led the field in a wet second race of the day. Malvern held off Sandy Mitchell and Lind in their Barwell Motorsport Lamborghinis until the pitstop window opened. Just as the pitstop window opened the Safety Car was sent out due to the stricken Mercedes-AMG of Onslow-Cole.
The 5s that covered the top 6 disappeared due to the appearance of the Safety car and everyone pitted. Success penalties for Team Parker and Barwell Motorsport should have meant that the sister Barwell of Adam Balon gained the advantage. However a slow exit for Balon meant RAM Racing Mercedes of Ian Loggie was ahead of Michael Igoe and Nick Jones.
Loggie was enjoying the lead and a good advantage over title rival Machitski but a drive through penalty for pit exit infringement meant he was now behind Machitski. This meant Igoe was out front and into a lead to the flag.
After his slow pitstop exit, Balon was up to P2 after getting passed Jones quickly after the stops. Despite a late spin for the Barwell driver he was able to hold onto P2 over the rest of the GT3 field. Loggie completed the podium despite his drive through penalty resulting in rejoining down in P5.
In the Drivers' Championship Machitski and Lind now enjoy a lead of 13.5 points over Loggie and Buurman with just one round to go.
GT4
Pole sitter and race 1 winner Turner lead lasted all but the start line as a rapid Jamie Caroline's Toyota Gazoo Racing UK Supra past the Aston Martin at Old Hall and off into the distance. In the wet conditions the Stellar Motorsport Audi of Fielding was up to P2 and keeping the Toyota honest.
The safety car to clear the GT3 Mercedes fell nicely for the GT4 field to pit under the caution. That was all except Caroline and Turner who continued, but with various success penalties and Silver Cup pitstop times the order once all the stops were completed was an interesting one.
Once all the stops had shaken out it was the Assetto Motorsport Ginetta of Mark Sansom who lead the field from John Ferguson's Supra. Behind these top 2 lined up a gaggle of Silver drivers.
The conditions around the track both Ams out front unfortunately didn't stand much chance with the Silver drivers behind them and wasn't long before James Kell and Michael Benyahia made their move for the top 2 positions. Burns in his BMW soon followed them through.
Benyahia wanted to go one better and made his move at Knickerbrook. Both McLarens clashed and while Benyahia backed off to avoid sending his team mate off the track, Burns seized the opportunity to make his move and into P2.
With the bit between his teeth Burns caught Kell and finally passed the McLaren at Old Hall and into the lead. A lead which meant the GT4 Drivers' title was theirs along with the race win. The first time the Driver's title had been sealed with a race to go since 2015.
Kell held on to P2 while Will Moore and Matt Cowley claimed the last spot with move on Benyahia at Lodge.
The 2021 season concludes at Donington for the #DoningtonDecider on 16th/17th October where the GT3 Driver's champion will decided.
