|
GT4 European Cup – Silverstone Race One 40 minutes around Silverstone for the 14 starters in the opening round of the 2010 GT4 Cup and the omens were good as the sunshine found the tarmac despite dark clouds close by.
From the start Paul Meijer in the polesitting #7 Rhesus Racing Aston Martin got away from Michael Mallock’s similar #32 RS Williams Vantage. The Englishman was, meanwhile, under pressure from Paul van Splunteren’s #12 Porsche 997 and Lucas Ordonnez’s #2 Nissan 350Z. just 0.7 between these three as the leader gets away.
Christian Dick in the #18 Speedworks Ginetta G50 meanwhile was taking advantage of some wide elbows from a BMW/ Aston clash, de Pasquale’s Aston ran wide at Club allowing the Ginetta by but the #8 car grabbed the place back later in the lap. Less welcome Ginetta news was a spin for Hunter Abbott in the #9 IMS Motorsport car, he would rejoin in a lowly 13th place.
Van Splunteren was now the man on the move. Lap 3 and he dragged by Mallock – Ordonez initially following the Porsche through but Mallock toughed it out under braking into Becketts and regained third. Paul Meijer though was taking full advantage of the battles behind – 4.4 seconds clear after 2 laps, 7.7 after 3! Again Ordonez tried for third through Becketts, again though Mallock was able (just) to fend off the Nissan Van Splunteren though has a
moment – he dropped back to fourth and was under pressure instantly from the
second Rhesus Aston of de Pasquale, Christian Dick following the Aston through
into 5th. Mallock’s old brake maladies seem to be back. He straight lined Beckets in dramatic fashion – cloud of dust and drops back to fourth place and into an immediate battle with de Pasquale, he loses that place too and finds himself now defending from the #18 Ginetta – Dick having once more bested the Porsche. Pit window open and the lead was a tenth shy of ten seconds with Ordonez fending off the close attentions of de Pasquale. Mallock pitted from 4th, van Splunteren from 6th after 14 minutes – Dick took fourth, pushing hard to get onto terms with the second place battlers 3 seconds ahead. Dick opted though to pit next time around for his compulsory 75 second stop – 21 minutes remaining. – Mallock retaking the place as the Ginetta emerges from pitlane.
Ordonez and Menna pitted next time round – just the lead two then needing to pit 17 minutes to run – and the leader pitted after 10 laps completed de Pasquale leads Lap 11 but has missed the pit window! A bad mistake for the debuting team – Sanguiolo climbs aboard but a hefty penalty would follow – a 26 second stop go (for 26 seconds late on the window) – would put the #8 Aston out of contention. Ordonnez though was still riding high – his 2010 GT Academy successor though is still learning the trade – Jordan Tresson, running in 11th aboard the RJN Nissan 370Z until Alex Buncombe got aboard.
Mallock was looking for a way by Ordonez – But in doing so he ran a little wide at Club and Dick pounced, the Ginetta slipping up the inside and into 3rd – The G50 was then right with the Nissan in a battle for second. With 10 minutes remaining the lead gap was a very comfortable 13.2 seconds. Mallock though had not given up his podium hopes. He powered by the Ginetta courtesy of a good exit from Becketts. Now it was the Aston’s turn to mix it with Ordonnez. Down Hangar Straight Mallock has too much for the Nissan, a compromised line for Ordonnez into Stowe as the #32 car gets by also sees Dick take advantage. A three car BMW train was by now closing in on the Nissan – 7 minutes remaining. Again through Luffield Dick gets a run up the inside of the Aston for second – by now 16 seconds behind the leader with 4 minutes remaining. Ordonnez though had stabilised the gap to the chasing BMWs and as the closing laps were played out he was actually catching Mallock once again. The Nissan though would slow dramatically on Lap 16 on the Hangar Straight – race over it seems for #2 – It pitted into retirement at the end of the lap – A disastrous one for RJN as the 370Z too was stationary on the circuit courtesy of a lost rear wheel. So the #7 Rhesus Aston, and Paul Meijer won this one at a canter it seems - 13.685 seconds ahead of Dick at the flag with Mallock right behind the Ginetta. Post race though the Ginetta was found to be underweight - The car was excluded from the results. Matt Nicol Jones meanwhile was right on the tail of the #6th place BMW M3 after a great recovery run in the IMS Ginetta. Race 1 Result 1 #7 GT4 Paul Meijer Rhesus
Aston Martin GT4 40:10.584 - 17 laps |
