British GT Championship, Thruxton – Sunday Notes

The Field Shrinks

Sunday morning brought with it the news that five cars would be taking no further part in proceedings – the Moore Racing Viper (blown engine), the #2 RPM Viper (crash damage), and all three Lamborghinis (engine – more news later). More happily, the Moore Racing Maserati Trofeo – last seen leaving the circuit on a flatbed on Saturday evening – was back and ready to take part in warm-up after having had the damaged wishbone re-engineered in Milton Keynes.   

Unhappily, however, the car left the track at Club on its first warm-up lap and went straight on into the tyres; Paul Fenton incurring friction burns, but otherwise emerging unhurt. The same could not be said for the Maserati, which suffered major damage to the front left - George Mackintosh blaming brake failure – resulting in the engine being pushed back. Opinion from observers suggested that the car was potentially a write-off.

The ProMotorsport Nissan 350Z did successfully take place in the warm-up session after being fitted with a gearbox donated from a road car, having lost two boxes on Saturday.

Adam Wilcox set the fastest time of the morning, with a 1:16.711 in the VRS Ferrari, with Aaron Scott second fastest in the ABG Viper. The three CR Scuderia 430s all appeared in the top six, along with the Cadena Motorsport Aston Martin. In GT4, the #51 RPM Ginetta was fastest on 1:22.687, with the Rob Austin car second, just a few thousandths slower.

Contrary to expectations, the morning drivers’ briefing brought not a mass reprimand over the previous day’s shenanigans in the pit lane, but the news that the pitlane working-area would be extended for the second race.

So just 18 cars remained to fight for glory on Sunday afternoon, and it was to be hoped that things would pan out in a more satisfactory manner than the previous day.