Britcar British Endurance Championship, Donington Park - Race Report
Ginetta Genius

In a race shortened by around 16 minutes and blighted by short, sharp showers and safety cars, the invitation-entry Team LNT Ginetta G55 of Mike Simpson and marque boss Lawrence Tomlinson exploited the conditions to take the win in what would have been a three-hour race; the works “development” car finishing half a lap ahead of the similar Optimum “production” version of Lee Mowle and George Murrells.

Qualifying

The 45-minute session began with the two Ginettas topping the table, the Optimum car drawing first blood, but then Andy Schulz, in the SB Race Engineering Ferrari 430, dipped into the 1:07s fifteen minutes into the session. The Millard/Heward  Rapier SR2 (which had spun into the gravel on cold tyres at the start of the session) and the Azteca /Strata 21 Mosler were languishing midfield, but Mike Millard punched in a series of serious laps which took the Rapier to the top in the final quarter of an hour. The times were now tumbling, though - Schulz and both Ginettas, would usurp him before the time was up. It was Javier Morcillo, in the Mosler, who set the bar, though; chasing the Sunoco Daytona Challenge prize, anything but pole was not an option and his 1:05.318 was half a second ahead of Schulz’s eventual best lap.

Behind the five Class 1 contenders, the two Topcats Marcos Mantis variants headed Class 2, Neil Huggins, sharing the “orange” car with Owen O’Neill, being 0.791s ahead of Henry Fletcher’s time in the “big green” machine he was sharing with new recruit Marcus Weller.

This was some feat for the team, since an excursion by Weller in Friday testing had necessitated the crew to burn some midnight oil to rebuild the front end.

Next up were the Class 3 pole-men Bullrun, Martin Byford’s time in the Lotus Evora shared with Richard Adams and David Green just a quarter of a second better than the next car in class, the GTS-run BMW GTR of Tom and James Webb. Class 4 was headed by the Intersport BMW M3 of Kevin Clarke and Wayne Gibson.

The Team Tiger Marcos Mantis was withdrawn after some suspicious noises emanated from the engine, but the MacG Racing Ultima would be starting from the back after a fraught couple of days for the team – they were running with an interim clutch case housing after the correct casting was destroyed in testing and had suffered starter motor issues prior to qualifying, where the car expired on Jonny MacGregor’s out-lap.  The field was boosted by two late Class 4 entries, though – Henry Taylor’s  new Motorground team fielded his Ginetta, to be shared by erstwhile Marcos pilot Kyle Tilley and Paul White brought his Porsche 996 along. Co-owned by the Strata 21 boss and historic racer Tom Jones - the ex-Paul Mace GT Cup machine was shared by Jones, Dave Pittard and Adam Sharpe.

Race

All eyes had been skyward, checking the weather, for most of the day and with the start of the race not due until 16:50 many were re-assessing their strategies and starting-driver plans, particularly as a shower had caused minor havoc at the start of the Britcar Production Cup race earlier. Not stressed, though, was Lawrence Tomlinson - in a relaxed and mischievous mood, he was quite happy to take armchair-amateur advice on strategy and decided whether he or Mike Simpson should take the first stint by the toss of a mobile phone.

There was no hint of rain as they lined up, but the cars were stationary on the grid for an inordinately long time, as Jamie Smythe’s MacG Ultima had gone into the wall up towards Schwantz Curve on the out-lap; bizarrely on the opposite side of the track to where it had expired on its qualifying out-lap.  Extensively damaged, the clear-up time was eating into the race-time allowance before the 20:00 curfew and it was around 17:10 when the field eventually got away.

Not all of them did, though – something happened towards the back of the bunch which saw Mark Steward’s Chevron GR8  in the gravel coming out of the chicane and Andy Schulz’s lead in the Ferrari 430 was soon tempered by the deployment of the safety car. Just two laps were all it took to recover the Chevron and send it pitwards for checks and once the green was given again George Murrells, who had been three abreast with Millard and Tomlinson before the yellows were thrown, got the white Ginetta past the Martini-liveried Rapier at Redgate. Millard was having none of it and was back in third place a couple of laps later, in pursuit of the  Mosler and Ferrari ahead; and, eight laps in, the top four were covered by  just over one and a half seconds.

Peter Storey in the Motionsport Ferrari 458, resplendent with its new rear wing, had got the jump on the rest of the Class 2 runners and was threatening Tomlinson’s Ginetta for fifth place. Tom Webb led Class 3 in the family BMW GTR and the experience of Adam Sharpe had placed the late-entry Strata 21 Porsche 996 at the front of the Class 4 runners, whilst behind him Wayne Gibson (Intersport BMW) was shaking off the attention from Ben Gower’s Motionsport Lotus Elise. Fletcher’s Marcos had dropped to the back of the field and would pit a little later for attention, the team disclosing that an off-track excursion had dislocated an oil line.

Morcillo’s Mosler suddenly dropped to the back of the four-car leading group and slowed a little, indicating perhaps a problem, though a few laps it was back on Murrell’s tail again. Team boss Neil Garner reported that the Spaniard had thought he’d picked up a puncture, but there was no further evidence after a couple of laps so he started to push once more.

Millard had by now got in front in the Rapier and pulled out a five second lead, but the Schulz/Murrells/Morcillo group were covered by less than a second. Now, Javier Morcillo is the Ginetta concessionaire for Spain, but in a Britcar race his loyalty lies firmly with his Mosler colleagues, so he had no issue with disposing of Murrells for third, then Schulz, before mounting a pursuit on Millard’s lead, which had now grown to nine seconds.

There was trouble for the Track Torque Chevron GR8 at this point; a pit stop by Tommy Fields to investigate a rear-end vibration was compounded by a 23-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane.

The closing of the first half-hour saw the top four now spread  fairly equally over 17 seconds, with Tomlinson a further quarter of minute adrift, but the Class 2 battle was heating up, with Huggin’s Marcos less than two seconds behind Storey’s Motionsport 458. In Class 3, Mark Smith had hauled Harry Handkammer’s BMW E90 from the back into the class lead, while Class 4 now had Kyle Tilley’s Motorground Ginetta G40 up front.

Spitting rain and patches of very heavy traffic conspired to make an interesting few minutes of action. Millard got the Rapier entangled in the Storey/Huggins conflict, all three coming up to a group of slower cars; Millard was soon clear, but lost time to the pursuing Morcillo and Huggins exploited Millard’s release by seizing the class lead for himself. Morcillo exploited the situation too and four laps later the Mosler was in the lead, taking the Rapier across the start-finish line. 

The rain came to nothing and the sky brightened a little as, with just over 40 minutes of the race run, the first round of pit stops commenced, starting with Richard Bramham in the FF Corse Ferrari 430 (to Phil Andrews) and the Bullrun Evora; David Green handing over to middle-stinter Martin Byford. Then it was Schulz, leaving the black 430 for owner Paul Bailey, Kyle Tilley in the Motorground Ginetta G50, Storey's 458 and Wayne Gibson's Intersport BMW. Scheduled stops, but for two significant runners, unscheduled problems, for coming back in after just a handful of laps were Bailey in the Ferrari - a previously loose splitter now dragging the ground - and Kevin Clarke in the Intersport BMW, investigations under the bonnet indicating an engine issue.

A few more laps, blighted by a pit-stop penalty and that was it for Intersport, but the Ferrari would rejoin after repairs, though ending the race as the last classified finisher, 24 laps down and with a strong sense of déjà vu, having hit problems at the first pit stop last time out at Silverstone. George Murrells had also now been relieved by Lee Mowle in the Optimum Ginetta G55 and revealed that his run hadn't been without concerns; "it's not been easy -  there's a long brake pedal and we've got a small gearbox issue."

Pitting from second place on the brink of the first hour was Millard -  "In the drizzle the car wants to turn around every time you put your foot on the throttle and the only tyres that Dunlop supply for this car are a bit too hard,” -  handing the Rapier to Ian Heward; and, from third overall and the Class 2 lead, Neil Huggins in the Topcats Mantis, for Owen O'Neill to take his stint.

Tomlinson was a little later pitting – around seven minutes into the second hour – and Mike Simpson rejoined in fourth place in the orange Ginetta, while Tom Webb had a few further laps in the bag and pitted from the Class 3 lead and fourth overall, to hand the family BMW to brother James. Still out on track though and still in the lead, was the Mosler and Morcillo stretched his stint to 80 minutes before handing over to Manuel Cintrano, who retained the lead when he rejoined.

Harry Handkammer brought his BMW E90 slowly into the pit lane, but never made it to the box; the GTS team hurrying to push the car down a bit further and into the garage for attention.

Simon Phillips brought the Motionsport Ferrari 458 in for its second stop and Peter Storey jumped aboard for a second stint, but there was drama as the air jacks failed and an inordinate amount of precious time was lost whilst the problem was sorted. Meanwhile, Cintrano’s lead in the Mosler was being decimated by Heard in the Rapier, who in turn now had Simpson’s Ginetta right on his tail. It all culminated in a dramatic moment as the cars exited the chicane to finish lap 73 almost three abreast; Heward passing the Mosler coming up to the start/finish line, but immediately slowing, allowing Cintrano to regain the lead briefly until Simpson blasted through at Redgate.

That wasn’t the end of it, though, as Cintrano span at the exit to Redgate and was stationary, sideways across the track. After what seemed an age, the Mosler was moving again, but the officials had by then called for the Safety Car, which was just as well as Handkammer had now stopped in the recalcitrant BMW at the Old Hairpin and needed recovery. Simpson took the initiative immediately and was the first of a train of cars to take advantage of the caution and take a pit stop. 

It had now begun to rain and a variety of tyre choices were made.  Millard chose cut slicks and replaced Heward in the Rapier, which had by now got back up to speed, whilst Cintrano had made it back to the pits and rejoined with full wets on the Mosler. Steve Guglielmi was enjoying a sensational run in Jeff Mileham’s Elise and made the car’s first pit stop, handing over to former Tuscan Challenge rival Michael Caine. 

Just four laps of caution this time - and co-incidentally four laps of rain too - but it was still treacherous on track once  the green flag was waved, Simpson having a particularly disturbing moment as he came across Cintrano’s Mosler having a tank-slapper coming out of the chicane.

Ben Gower had yet to make a pit stop in the Motionsport Elise, but had now come to rest at the Old Hairpin, causing yet another Safety Car and another flurry of pit stops, with an opportunity to top up with 25 litres of fuel.  Millard took the advantage and the Motionsport Elise was recovered and sent back to the pits for Chris Randall to take his stint, but green-flag racing recommenced for just three laps before the SC boards were displayed once again, this time for the Rapier, which had expired shortly after its pit stop on the grass by Schwantz Curve. The glitch which had slowed it dramatically a while earlier now seemed permanent - the team initially thinking it was an ECU problem which spookily occurred after two hours of racing - but those thoughts were dashed when a crown wheel and pinion failure was confirmed.

Indeed, the second hour had now ticked over and the orange Ginetta led the similar white machine by five seconds through the three-lap caution period. A stop for the Azteca/Strata 21 Mosler saw Paul White climb aboard, keeping the full wets on; “It’s getting colder and they are the only tyres we can get any temperature and grip in,” said lead driver Morcillo. Owen O’Neill pitted the #35 Marcos from the Class 2 lead and Neil Huggins climbed aboard for his closing stint.

The officials now declared that the race would finish at precisely 19:56, around 16 minutes short of the hour that was anticipated as being left to run.  George Murrells had now relieved Mowle in the Optimum Ginetta, but Simpson’s works car was pulling out an ever-extending lead. It was bad news for the Webbs though; they had led Class 3 for most of the race, but now suffered a drive through penalty which let the Bullrun Lotus Evora, enjoying a late charge by a double-stinting Martin Byford, assume class honours.

Murrells made another stop – fuel and slicks this time – and rejoined, but lap 101 saw another shower and another Safety Car.

The FF Corse Ferrari 458 was off at Redgate and, whilst recovery was effected, the canny LNT team pitted Simpson twice under the caution, each time filling the maximum 25 litres of Sunoco and each time getting back out before the Safety Car came around again. This caused no amount of confusion for the Safety Car driver, who had been executing a wave-past to pick up the leader; who, being more than often in the pits, could not be located on the track.

Murrells, just under half a minute adrift, was still on a mission and posted his personal best lap just minutes before the flag dropped, but the works car was comfortable in the lead and  took the win with 119 laps on the board after two and three quarter hours of racing. “I’m very happy. We had the pace and we were helped by weather and the Safety Car.   Four Ginettas started and four finished, including first and second overall, against stiff opposition,” said a delighted Lawrence Tomlinson.

The Azteca/Strata 21 Mosler tip-toed round to finish third - “I think it was the best call in the circumstances,” said Paul White of the team’s strategy - and the Topcats Marcos pairing of Owen O’Neill and Neil Huggins once again sealed Class 2 and came home fourth overall, making them joint championship leaders. They share that honour with the next two overall finishers, the sensational Class 4-winning Lotus Exige of Steve Guglielmi/Michael Caine and the Bullrun Evora of Green/Byford/Adams, which won Class 3. Both teams told their stories after the race to James Broomhead of The Checkered Flag:

“It was changeable conditions when I was in the car and we made good progress leading the class for the first few laps,” said Guglielmi. “Our car I think is slightly softer on cold tyres so I was able to get a bit of a gap, but once everyone else got into their pace I was caught up by the BMW that was on class pole and the other Lotus. We can go longer on fuel; we just needed to decide what to do and play it by ear with the conditions.”
 
“We changed strategy half way through when the rain came,” said Adams. “Other competitors, especially the Webb BMW, were very quick and that forced us to rethink a little bit; so Martin went out and did the second stint and stayed out. The safety cars made it very interesting, particularly under the first two - we lost out quite badly and found ourselves two laps down. The Webbs  had a couple of drive-through penalties, which helped us a little, and then we decided to go for a splash and dash under the third safety car and that put us about eight seconds behind. Then with about ten minutes to go we passed them and ran to the end.”        

The Bullrun campaign is under scrutiny by the works, with Lotus management representative Gavan Kershaw keeping a watchful eye over proceedings at the races; and even Claudio Berro, director of Lotus Racing, made reference to the Britcar result in his post Bahrain GP press release; “A fantastic weekend for Lotus Racing and well done to all the teams involved – the Lotus F1 Team, Lotus GP and Team Bullrun. It’s wonderful to see our Evora GT4 show the rest how it’s done in the Britcar series.”

Untried, untested and purchased only five days earlier, second in Class 2 was a great result for Adam Sharpe, Tom Jones and Dave Pittard in the Strata 21 Porsche 996, and they had briefly held the class lead. After a troubled Silverstone, it was good to see the Gulf-liveried Track Torque Chevron GR8, driven by Chris Hart and Tommy Fields, complete the Class 3 podium; and the Jensen Lunn/Mark Steward Class 4 GR8 recovered from its early excursion to complete the class finishers.

Also recovering from early woes and some running repairs, the #34 Topcats Marcos single-stopped, Marcus Weller bringing the car home third in Class 2. Lawrence Tomlinson had alluded to four Ginettas starting and finishing the race - in Class 3, the "Cup" spec G55 of Matt and Peter Smith ran strongly fourth in class, whilst the same position in Class 4 went to the Henry Taylor/Kyle Tilley G50 from the new Motorground team.

Round 3 of the championship is at Snetterton on May 12th.

Steve Wood