British GT Snetterton round-up
Race wins for #10 2 Seas Motorsport and #72 Barwell in GT3 while #97 TF-Sport Aston Martin and #58 HHC Motorsport claim GT4 honours.
Race 1
Due to the very damp conditions around the Norfolk circuit, the race was started behind the safety car which meant #69 RAM Racing Mercedes AMG was unchallenged. Once the safety car was brought in it was the #10 2 Seas Motorsport McLaren of Jordan Witt who was man on a mission splashing his way firstly past Rob Collard in the #78 Barwell Lamborghini, then the following lap race leader Sam De Hann.
While trying to fight back against Witt, De Haan lost out to Lewis Proctor in the Optimum Motorsport. With no spray to contend with Witt edged out a lead of 3s over Proctor before the pitstop window opened.
Once the stops had been completed Jack Mitchell emerged still in the lead in the #10 and slowly built up a lead of just under 8s as the chequered flag fell.
Second spot looked like it would go the way of Ollie Wilkinson and Optimum Motorsport, but Sandy Mitchell, who had taken over from Rob Collard, had other ideas. Mitchell soon began carving into the 20s gap to Wilkinson. As they both started the last lap, Mitchell was right on the McLaren's bumper. A drag race out of the last corner went the way of Mitchell to the tune of 0.081s ahead of Wilkinson.
Jordan Collard started from pole in his #58 HHC Motorsport McLaren GT4 and was keen to disappear into the distance as the team had to serve an extra 10s success penalty courtesy of the win last time out. With the safety car start it meant Collard had to wait before trying to build a lead. When the window opened, Collard had managed to build a 4s lead before handing driving duties to Patrik Matthiesen.
Dan Vaughan in the #97 TF-Sport Aston Martin started in P3 and was casually keep an eye of the McLarens in front of him. As soon as the pitstop window opened, both TF-Sport Astons made their stops as soon as they could.
Once all the stops had been completed with Collard and Gus Bowers, #57 HHC Motorsport, being the last, it was Jamie Caroline in the #97 Aston who emerged as race leader. Matthiesen was now onboard the #58 HHC Motorsport McLaren with Chris Wesemael in the sister #57 McLaren and Patrick Kibble in the #95 TF-Aston Martin.
Caroline stayed out in front to claim the season's first win for #97 Aston Martin.
The win was made easier as behind the #97 there was a scrap for second going on between both HHC Motorsport McLarens and the sister Aston Martin. Kibble was pressuring Wesemael and that pressure paid off as the McLaren went in too deep into Agostini and Kibble was through.
Now in P3 Kibble wanted more and tried to all he could to pass the #57 McLaren as for the last minute of the race was glued to the rear bumper.
Race 2
A front row lock-out for the Barwell Lamborghini went the way of Sandy Mitchell just ahead of Phil Keen. As they went into Riches Keen made his move round the outside of Mitchell and into the lead. Both Lamborghinis soon pulled away from the chasing pack with RAM Racing of Yelmer Buurman leading the charge.
By the time the pitstop window opened Keen was 8s down the road from the sister Barwell Lamborghini who in turn was far enough ahead of Buurman to serve his pitstop along with the success penalty. However a seat belt problem meant the #78 Lamborghini pit stop was a lot longer than planned and cost them three positions and emerged P5
This meant that Adam Balon enjoyed an unchallenged victory and crossed the line some 30s ahead of those behind.
Ian Loggie had taken over the RAM Racing Mercedes from Buurman was running P2 but fighting off the advances of the WPI Lamborghini of Michael Igoe. However, Loggie ran wide and lost 2 places to Igoe and Sam De Haan. Loggie now tried to do all he could to help keep Collard behind him and help team mate in the Championship by doing so. Trying all he could, Collard couldn't get past the Mercedes AMG.
The championship standings as they go into the finale at Silverstone mean that Sam De Haan / Patrick Kujala are only 6 points ahead of Sandy Mitchell / Rob Collard with Adam Balon / Phil Keen 5.5 points back.
A stunning start from #97 Aston Martin of Jamie Caroline from P5 enabled him to take the lead from pole sitter Matt Cowley Mustang at Palmer. The sister #95 Aston Martin of Patrick Kibble soon too made its way past Cowley and into P2.
Cowley was struggling in the greasy conditions and lost out Euan Hankey in his Pro / Am McLaren and Patrick Matthiesen.
Caroline was keen to build up a lead as he would have to serve an extra 10s success penalty. When the window opened, both Astons pitted and so did Hankey to hand driving duties to Mia Flewitt. As the Balfe Motorsport McLaren didn't have serve any success penalties or any Silver Cup handicap they emerged out in front. Dan Vaughan was running second courtesy of the work of Caroline early on. Connor O'Brien was behind the sister Aston having taken over from Kibble.
Vaughan soon got past Flewitt and into the lead. Behind though Jordan Collard was on a flier. Matthiesen pitted in P4 but now Collard on board the McLaren soon dispatched O'Brien and Flewitt and set off in pursuit of Vaughan.
Collard thought about a move round the outside of Vaughan at Coram but decided against it, but made his move at Murrays and set off into the distance. Vaughan crossed the line P2 with the sister Aston of O'Brien completing the top 3 after passing Flewitt.
Vaughan / Caroline still lead the championship just 2.5 points ahead of Collard / Matthiesen with Kibble / O'Brien 13 points behind.
The Silverstone Showdown is November 7/8.
