LMP3 Cup UK 2018 – Donington Park

Hugely Competitive LMP3 Cup UK return to a revitalised Donington Park for Rounds 1 and 2.

Spring finally arrives in the UK just in time for the LMP3 cup, Sunshine graced the Leicestershire circuit for both Saturday Sunday.
Similar size field to the 2017 season but with some new additions team wise. 360 Racing joins the field with Jason Rishover and Jamie Spence, a competitive field see’s the new comers posting the 2nd quickest time in practice with a 1:02,401 proving the rookies are just as quick as the old dogs from last season.
Ligier still maintained the majority share over the field’s machinery but gracing us this year is the first Norma M30 chassis to join the series from MecTech Racing piloted by Bradley Smith and Duncan Williams. Just like 360 racing, MecTech came out with a bang and posted the quickest Lap Time in practice being the only car to dip into the 1.01 lap times.

The other new addition to the series this year is now that LMP4 cars are homologated to run within the rules, Ligier being the first to run an Official LMP4 car within the series brought their brand new JSP4 chassis to make it’s racing Debut under the United Autosports Banner. It certainly turned a lot of heads with it’s reliability and speed. Not only does the JSP4 look stunning it sounds it too, it was effectively a test session all weekend for the car solely driven by Matt Bell who was having his first hands on experience of the machine.

Race 1 saw Ecurie Ecosse carry on from where they left off last season, Colin Noble and Tony Wells started on pole with the brand new Norma right behind them. final race winner of the 2017 season Jack Butel lined up 3rd in the speed works Machine with the solo LMP3 from United Autosports in 4th in the hands of Charlie Hollings and Andrew Bentley. Ecurie Ecosse had a second car starting 5th with another season rookie Christian Olsen on a solo drive.

Drizzle fell at the start of the race leaving teams in a split decision of what tyres to go for on the opening stint, the start was clean for all drivers with the Olsen coming from 5th to 3rd in the opening stint on a track with mixed conditions. Sportscar Veteran and Red River Sports Owner Johnny Mowlem came from the back of the grid to 2nd place in just two laps, and remained until the pit stops.

Mowlem handed over to compatriot Bon Grimes who is still learning a lot apart the LMP3 cars but showed good strength and pace when the car which is prepared by Ecurie Ecosse was under attack from 360 Racing’s Jamie Spence, Spence had a few attempts at overtaking Grimes but twice was fended off. Both Ecurie ecosse team cars crossed the line in 1st and 2nd with the Red River sport taking 3rd completing a podium lock out for the Ecosse Squad.
Rookie Christian Olsen took a first win in his first race in a LMP3 car and the team carry on where they left off after claiming the inaugural season championship putting their stamp on the 2018 season in round 1.

Round 2 saw the Mectech Norma on pole position on a dry circuit, compared to Saturdays drying track. The was clean by all drivers but the experienced Mowlem in the Red River Sport Ligier stormed into 1st place after starting 7th and began to pull a gap over the field before being slapped with a 10 second penalty for starting out of position which soon explained his miraculous start.

The Norma in the hands of Williams dropped down to third then 4th in the opening stint, but as the pit window opened and Bradley Smith was inserted into the Norma and began setting quick times lap after lap catching 3rd and 2nd thus forcing a slight error from Charlie Hollings at Macleans to take the lead.

Coming noble in the Ecurie Ecosse Ligier and Charlie Hollings in the United Autosports Ligier were battling it out for second for what seemed the entire second half of the race, with no changes it seemed as though it would end how it began but Noble forced a small mistake from Hollings in the dying minutes to take 2nd position and hold until the end of the race.

the chequered flag was waved, it saw the Mectech Norma take its first win in it’s first weekend of racing followed by Ecurie Ecosse’s Colin Noble and United Autosports Charlie Hollings filling out the podium.

Thanks to MSVR and Donington Park and,
Bute Motorsport.

All words and Images by Mike Widdowson
www.mjwmedia.net