British GT: Spa Francorchamps round up
Updated: Jul 26, 2018
Maiden victory for Graham Davidson / Maxime Martin in GT3 and Dean Macdonald / Jack Mitchell claim GT4 as the British GT makes its annual trip to Spa Francorchamps.
GT3
Starting from pole, the Aston Martin of Flick Haigh lead but trouble was in store for the TF-Sport Aston Martin of Mark Farmer. Farmer was off on the grass on the way to Eau Rouge, damaged his Aston and then catch fire all the while dropping oil onto the circuit. This meant that Andrew Howard in his Aston Martin suffer radiator damage in the ensuring melee. All this resulted in the Safety Car being sent out.
The stewards deemed Remon Vos in his Mercedes was at fault forcing Farmer off the road and in turn was handed a 60-second stop/go penalty. This dropped the Mercedes to the back of the GT3 pack.
Once racing back up and running there was more contact in and amongst the GT3 pack. Firstly there was contact between the Lamborghini's of Sam De Haan and Jon Minshaw which resulted in Minshaw dropping down the order to 12th and De Haan pick up a 10-second stop/go penalty. Also contact between Jordan Witt and Ian Loggie at the front of the pack saw Graham Davidson take advantage and now up into second and Witt serving a 20-second penalty.
This soon became first for Davidson as out in front Haigh went wide at turn 5 and fell behind. Just a bit further back, the Team Abba Mercedes of Richard Neary was now up to fifth after a storming drive from starting back in P14. Fourth was ERC Sport Lee Mowle again after a great drive from 10th.
As the pros took over after pitstops, there was trouble for the Team Abba Mercedes as it catches fire with Adam Christodoulou at the wheel. After a lengthy safety car period, Martin was still enjoying his lead in the Jetstream Aston Martin while Team Parker Racing's Ryan Ratcliffe was second in the Bentley and ERC Sport Mercedes AMG of Yelmer Buurman in third.
This remained the order for the top two as the flag fell, although Ratcliffe had to endure huge pressure from Sorensen, Adam and Buurman who was now done in fifth after trying to overtake the Bentley and losing out. Post-race though, the TF-Sport of Sorensen was given a 30s penalty as a result of making avoidable contact.
GT4
Starting from pole, the McLaren of Michael O'Brien lead at the start ahead of Finlay Hutchinson's McLaren, Ben Tuck's BMW and Lewis Proctor's McLaren. An early GT4 casualty was Mark Murfitt in his Mercedes after suffering contact.
The top four remained close to each other for the opening stint only being separated by a few seconds.
Behind, Graham Johnstone in the Balfe Motorsport McLaren had a coming together with the HHC Motorsport Ginetta of Callum Pointon and resulted in the McLaren retiring and a 60-second stop/go for the HHC driver.
After running so close for the first hour, the top four order was about to change. Firstly the McLaren of Proctor caught fire.
The arrival of a safety car benefited the Century Motorsport BMW of Macdonald and Mitchell by enabling them to be in the lead and the race long leading McLaren with Charlie Fagg at the wheel, was now down to second. Third was now Daniel McKay in his McLaren and the sister Century Motorsport BMW of Ben Tuck in fourth.
This is how it remained at the flag although Fagg tried to overhaul the BMW but Mitchell held on taking the win by a mere 0.387s. Completing the podium was McKay in his Equipe Verschuur's McLaren.
The next round is at Brands Hatch on August 4-5.
Words: Ian Cutting
Pictures: Ian Cutting Photography
