British GT Final Round Donington

British GT final round took place on Sunday (11th September) and it was crunch time…3 teams have a chance but only one will shine….

Morning warm up is a crucial session within British GT, it’s the only chance on race day the drivers and teams get to make sure the cars are set up right for the race weather conditions. The first session witnessed some fine early September conditions a dramatic change to the previous days weather with temperatures reaching high teens as the drivers took to the circuit for their vital 10 minutes of track time. A change in track conditions did little to change the drivers at the top of the time sheets, with the the top three teams in the championship setting the top three quickest times in this opening session. The Ecurie Ecosse’s Mclaren set 4th quickest and with a position 2 start on the grid for the the potential for a close, intense final race of the season was looking likely.

GT4 however played out like a game of musical chairs, a very mixed pace meant that there could be some dark horses lurking and able to perform when the lights changed later that afternoon for the last two hours of British GT this 2016 season.

12:41pm and the hoards of VIP’s, media and teams descended onto the grid, grid girls lineup, the safety car takes position at the front as the pack take their position on the Donington grid. As the media pounce to get the final few pre-race words from Jonny Adam and Derek Johnston who sit in prime position to claim this years drivers title.

12:50pm and the grid is cleared of the masses and as last minute talks and race strategies are finalised out of ear shot as the tensions begin to build for this the deciding final round….

The cars set off on their one sighting lap to get those all important tyre pressures and brake temps up. Coming out of the Melbourne hairpin the drivers fan out into the 2 by 2 formation as they swing into the Goddards Hairpin then onto the start finish straight – they couldn’t be any more compressed as Derek Johnston bunches them up and waits for the starters lights to be extinguished. The lights go out bang on 1pm and Johnston gets the drop on McCaig in the Mclaren, the rest of the pack bunch up with the 2nd TF Sport Aston driven by Mark Farmer is on the outside of Liam Griffin heading into Redgate, they come together with a few bumps yet remain together heading through Hollywood but then disaster as Mark Farmer’s Aston spins off into the wall and call is put out for an early safety car; Griffins Lamborghini gets away with only a puncture and pits to continue on all be it at the back.

The short safety was called in and racing resumes, pole sitting Johnston still leads ahead of the #79 Mclaren of McCaig and title contenders #33 Lamborghini and #31 Bentley. Within a few laps the pace of these drivers see them pull a gap with their own battle now raging along with a 5th place fight involving 4 cars, Ian Stinton in his Ginetta, Phil Dryburgh in the Motorbase Aston Martin , Andrew Howard in the Beechdean Aston and Richard Neary in the Abba with Rollcentre racing BMW Z4…

11 laps into 2 hour race and we had lost the Motorbase Aston from the battle for 5th due to an oil leak after contact, as well as Ian Stinton’s Ginetta which was delayed after a puncture, putting Andrew Howard’s Beechdean Aston Martin up to 5th not bad having started from the back of the GT3 Grid.

Then a in a moment that ultimately decided the 2016 Championship; Jon Minshaw (#33 Barwell Motorsport Lamborghini) was approaching Macleans corner fast with back markers ahead, this resulted in avoiding action being taken as McCaig’s McLaren was also slowed by GT4 traffic. This action by Minshaw avoided potential chaos but meant the Barwell Motorsport driver sent himself into a spin, then pirouetting across the grass and contacting the wall putting him well out out of the race. This took the pressure off Johnston’s (#17 TF Sport Aston Martin) and a controlled drive by himself and co-driver ensured the car made it home safely.

Towards the end of the first hour and Richard Neary (#88 Abba with Rollcentre BMW) was the first of the GT3 cars to pit, handing the car over to former British GT champion Martin Short. Over the next few laps the rest of the GT3 field followed all swapping over to their pro drivers, as the pit stops came to an end and the order settled, it appeared that now Rob Bell (#79 Mclaren) was leading he race ahead of Jonny Adam after he took over the TF Sport Aston Martin with the Team Parker Bentley, piloted by Seb Morris, now in third place and only 3 seconds behind.

Forty five minutes to go and the recovering Lamborghini of Spa 24 hours winner Alexander Sims had found a way past the Ginetta of Mike Simpson both cars having suffered punctures earlier on and putting them out of the running. Thirty minutes to go however Martin short pitted for a penalty and this closed the gap from near a minute to just 7 seconds ensuring these guys fought hard until the last couple of laps – a real battle until the end enjoyed by the spectators as the other drivers just brought their cars home to the checkered flag. Bell maintained the gap as did Adam to Morris and they all finished in that order one, two, three. Butcher managed fourth for Beechdean, Sims in fifth for Barwell, sixth was Martin Short, Mike Simpson seventh and Davenport eighth.

So the championship was ultimately decided early on and with good fortune and controlled drive throughout the race Johnston and Adam took advantage kept their cool and brought the Aston Martin home to claim the 2016 title. Jonny Adam remains a British GT champion, this year with a different team and with a different team mate and to do that is very special achievement.

Final Results

GT3

Black Bull Ecurie Ecosse – Mclaren 650s GT3/Alasdair McCaig/Rob Bell
TF Sport -Aston Martin Vantage GT3/Derek Johnston/Jonny Adam
Team Parker Racing – Bentley Continental GT3/Rick Parfitt/Seb Morris
Beechdean AMR – Aston Martin Vantage GT3/Andrew Howard/Rory Butcher
Barwell Motorsport – Lamborghini Hurracan GT3/Liam Griffin/Alexander Sims
Team Abba with Rollcentre Racing -BMW Z4 GT3/Richard Neary/Martin Short
Tolman Motorsport – Ginetta G55 GT3/Ian Stinton/Mike Simpson
Tolman Motorsport – Ginetta G55 GT3/David Pattison/Luke Davenport
Black Bull Ecurie Ecosse – Mclaren 570s GT4/Sandy Mitchell/Ciaran Haggerty
Generation AMR Macmillan Racing – Aston Martin Vantage GT4/Matthew Graham/Jack Mitchell
PMW world Expo Racing/Optimum Racin – Ginetta G55 GT4/Graham Johnson/Mike Robinson
Ebor GT Motorsport – Maserati GT MC GT4/Marcus Hoggarth/Abbie Eaton
Century Motorsport – Gonetta G55 GT4/Anna walenska/Nathan Freke
Beechdean AMR – Aston Martin Vantage GT4/Jack Bartholomew/Ross Gunn
RCIB Insurance Racing – Ginetta G55 GT4/Aaron Mason/ Robert Barralbe
Team Parker Racing – Porsche Cayman Clubsport GT4/Nick Jones/Scott Malvern
JW Bird Motorsport – Aston Martin Vantage GT4/Kieran Griffin/Jake Giddings
Century Motorsport – Ginetta G55 GT4/Sean Byrne/Aleksander Schjerpen
Beechdean AMR – Aston Martin Vantage GT4/Paul Hollywood/Jamie Chadwick
Generation AMR Racing – Aston Martin Vantage GT4/James Holder/Matthew George
Fox Motorsport – Ginetta G55 GT4/Sam Webster/Jamie Stanley
Stratton Motorsport – Lotus Evora GT4/Tim Eakin/Gavan Kershaw