FIA GT Championship - Silverstone - GT4 Race One – Very Quick Report

An Interesting Debut

The GT4s may not be the fastest cars at the FIA meeting, but the first race revealed that the category has its own distinct flavour; and the small field managed to serve up an entertaining race that defied expectations.

At the end of a hard fought 40 minutes, Aston Martin claimed a 1-2 for its brace of N24s, with Jac Nellerman crossing the line to win by just four hundredths of a second from Christopher Porritt. Guino Kenis finished third in his BMW Z4, leaving Mustang driver Gunnar Jeannette with some interesting things to say about European driving standards.

It’s fair to say that excitement levels were not high at the start of this race, particularly because the qualifying times from first to twelfth were spread over 13 seconds. To be fair though, four seconds covered the top 11 and only Christian Lepreux’s woeful pace exaggerated the spread.

Nelleman started from pole and the former F1 driver (he tried unsuccessfully to qualify for the 1976 Swedish Grand Prix in a RAM – source: G Goodwin’s Incredibly Obscure Facts for Anoraks) immediately imposed his authority on the race and began to pull out a gap.

Porritt in the second N24 had designs on second place and took the place from Kenis at Abbey. But this was not going to be an AM walkover and, in a taste of what was to follow, Kenis had the place back on the run down to Priory. Behind Porritt, Eric de Doncker and Gunnar Jeanette were closing in two of the three Mustang FR500Cs.

On lap four, Porritt squeezed through into second once more, and the Porsche Cayman of Ruben Maes joined in the fun by taking fifth from Jeanette. The American retook the place on the next lap, and the race began to settle down.

Behind the top six scrap, things were beginning to spread out. The two Maseratis, the Lotus Exige and the Nissan were all somewhat off the pace of the leaders, but nowhere near as far off it as Lepreux, who was already a minute behind after four laps; this in a category where the cars are felt to be relatively equal.

The next few laps were quiet ones and there was a fear that it would peter out. But suddenly, and for no apparent reason, it burst back into life with 15 minutes to go; de Doncker diving down the inside of Kenis at Copse and taking third.

On the same lap, Porritt arrived at Stowe as the leader having deposed Nelleman on the charge down the Hangar Straight.

De Doncker’s charge came to a premature halt a few moments later after the Mustang driver got Vale and Club completely wrong and spun round; and Nelleman lost second to Kenis at the end of the lap.

With eleven minutes remaining the lead changed yet again as Kenis took the BMW ahead of Porritt; but again the N24 responded and the lead swapped back at Abbey.

Any further place changes were now put on hold as Francois Kicq dropped his Mustang and left it in a place of danger, necessitating a safety car period. The field bunched up and followed patiently; including Lepreux, who rather amusingly was weaving from side to side in an apparent attempt to get heat into his tyres.

When the safety car pitted, there would be enough time left for three laps of the Grand prix Circuit and the order was Aston Martin, BMW, Aston Martin, Mustang, Porsche, Mustang.

Eric de Doncker wasted no time in taking fifth from Maes, while up ahead Jeanette made his move on Kenis at the complex. Kenis immediately latched on to the Mustang and the cars were nose to tail across the line; followed shortly afterwards by an almighty slap as the Mustang found a BMW Z4 alongside it as it turned into Copse.

Jeanette had no option but to run wide at the corner and dropped several lengths back from Kenis.

The Astons started the last lap with three seconds remaining on the clock; but any suspicions that this would be a formation finish for the marque were dispelled when Porritt abruptly chopped off Nelleman when the latter tried for the lead at Stowe.

This just wound up Nelleman more and there was nothing between the Astons at Bridge. Porritt appeared to run wide at Priory and Nelleman dived in. It looked as though he would outbrake himself, but he hung on and turned into the complex first.

Porritt came back and took a wider line at Woodcote in his efforts to carry as much speed as possible through the last corner. It seemed unlikely, but he was definitely closing. As the line and flag approached, he got nearer and nearer but fell short by the smallest of margins; 41 thousandths of a second.

Kenis took third in the Z4 four seconds further back, just ahead of Jeanette and de Doncker; while Alistair Mackinnon claimed sixth in the Lotus Exige.

Jeanette later summed up his thoughts; “I was comprehensively hit by Kenis, and it was obvious to me that this wasn’t racing at the level I’m used to – it seems to be more amateur with huge amounts of blocking taking place. That wouldn’t be tolerated in the States; and it seems that over here there is less politeness and more stupidity in the racing.”

The small field had certainly put on a show for the spectators, and the lack of wings had made for some very unusual and entertaining lines through the various corners. There is no doubt that a larger field would be good fun; and reminiscent of British Touring Cars in the early 90s, before wings ruined that series. But on this evidence, the wisdom of running GT4 in a mixed field with even GT3 is something that needs serious thought.

Mark Howson

Race One Result
1 9 Jac NELLEMAN GBR Aston Martin N24 42:02.371 19 139.75
2 8 Christopher PORRITT GBR Aston Martin N24 42:02.412 19 0.041 139.75
3 6 Guino KENIS BEL BMW Z4 42:06.274 19 3.903 139.54
4 22 Gunnar JEANNETTE USA Mustang FR500C 42:07.583 19 5.212 139.46
5 98 Eric de DONCKER BEL Mustang FR500C 42:07.940 19 5.569 139.44
6 24 Alistair MACKINNON GBR Lotus Exige 42:14.790 19 12.419 139.07
7 3 Gianni GIUDICI ITA Maserati 42:16.145 19 13.774 138.99
8 14 Joe TUCKEY GBR Nissan 42:22.831 19 20.460 138.63
9 20 Ruben MAES BEL Porsche Cayman 42:33.143 19 30.772 138.07
10 18 Christian LEPREUX FRA Porsche Cayman 42:45.427 17 2 LAPS 122.98
Not Classified
99 Francois KICQ BEL Mustang FR500C 26:32.025 12 D.N.F. 140.05
4 Bruno BARBARO ITA Maserati 21:32.765 10 D.N.F. 143.84
Fastest Lap
9 Jac NELLEMAN Aston Martin N24 2:05.114 10 91.91mph 147.92