Lotus 2-11 to enter British GT
Discussion
At a time when the British GT series has been struggling for entries, new team Piranha Motorsport will make its debut at Brands Hatch next month with its sights set on immediate success.
The Bristol-based team will race a Lotus 2-11 Supersports in the GT4 category, the first such car to race in the British GT series, but considers its choice as the ideal car to take the fight to KTM X-Bow and other rivals in the class as it aims prove that the 2-11 is a true successor to the Lotus 11 and Lotus 23.
Set up by Chris Bialan and Simon Mason, Piranha Motorsport's ambitions do not rest solely with the British GT series either, as it will also race in the Elise Trophy and Lotus Euro Cup, and will enter the Dubai 24 hour race in January 2010 with the same car.
Both team owners have solid motorsport experience, with Bialan having raced in all the various Caterham categories and won races in the Roadsports class. More recently, he raced a Juno sports prototype in the SPEED series, taking the 2008 title and winning at Brands Hatch this season with Rob Garofall. Mason, meanwhile, is a leading driver coach, with a very successful client list spanning a variety of championships. A former chief instructor at Rockingham, he is also an accomplished endurance racer in his own right, having been Britcar driver of the year in 2005 and driver/manager at TJH Motorsport between 2005 and 2008.
Piranha also has the ability to engineer and race other cars in other series, and also has a SPEED Series Juno and an ex-BTCC Peugeot 307 S2000 in its stable. It is also evaluating an entry into in to the new Porsche Boxster series for 2010.
A shakedown event for the new team is planned at Cadwell Park on 12 September, when Bialan will debut the 2-11 in the Lotus Elise Trophy a week before its proposed British GT bow.
The Bristol-based team will race a Lotus 2-11 Supersports in the GT4 category, the first such car to race in the British GT series, but considers its choice as the ideal car to take the fight to KTM X-Bow and other rivals in the class as it aims prove that the 2-11 is a true successor to the Lotus 11 and Lotus 23.
Set up by Chris Bialan and Simon Mason, Piranha Motorsport's ambitions do not rest solely with the British GT series either, as it will also race in the Elise Trophy and Lotus Euro Cup, and will enter the Dubai 24 hour race in January 2010 with the same car.
Both team owners have solid motorsport experience, with Bialan having raced in all the various Caterham categories and won races in the Roadsports class. More recently, he raced a Juno sports prototype in the SPEED series, taking the 2008 title and winning at Brands Hatch this season with Rob Garofall. Mason, meanwhile, is a leading driver coach, with a very successful client list spanning a variety of championships. A former chief instructor at Rockingham, he is also an accomplished endurance racer in his own right, having been Britcar driver of the year in 2005 and driver/manager at TJH Motorsport between 2005 and 2008.
Piranha also has the ability to engineer and race other cars in other series, and also has a SPEED Series Juno and an ex-BTCC Peugeot 307 S2000 in its stable. It is also evaluating an entry into in to the new Porsche Boxster series for 2010.
A shakedown event for the new team is planned at Cadwell Park on 12 September, when Bialan will debut the 2-11 in the Lotus Elise Trophy a week before its proposed British GT bow.
I read that. Bit late in the day...
With its sights set on immediate success?
That's gotta be a laugh!
Why didn't one or more enter at the start of the season then?
That's how the 2-Eleven GT4 was announced.
As for the Dubai 24 hour, the 2-Eleven entered the last one and it blew up!
The reason there has been no 2-Elevens in GT4 may have something to do with GT4 total domination by Ginetta G50s methinks (that are half the cost of the Lotus GT4 version).
added
I will confess though that it will be nice to see a 2-Eleven out as the grids should be made more interesting. It is, imo, excellent racing.
With its sights set on immediate success?
That's gotta be a laugh!
Why didn't one or more enter at the start of the season then?
That's how the 2-Eleven GT4 was announced.
As for the Dubai 24 hour, the 2-Eleven entered the last one and it blew up!
The reason there has been no 2-Elevens in GT4 may have something to do with GT4 total domination by Ginetta G50s methinks (that are half the cost of the Lotus GT4 version).
added
I will confess though that it will be nice to see a 2-Eleven out as the grids should be made more interesting. It is, imo, excellent racing.
Edited by dandarez on Thursday 3rd September 20:47
dandarez said:
As for the Dubai 24 hour, the 2-Eleven entered the last one and it blew up!
AFAIK they swapped the gearbox as a precaution and the car finished the race. Not quite blowing up!http://lotusenthusiast.net/2009/01/lotus-2-eleven-...
dandarez said:
I read that. Bit late in the day...
With its sights set on immediate success?
That's gotta be a laugh!
Why didn't one or more enter at the start of the season then?
That's how the 2-Eleven GT4 was announced.
As for the Dubai 24 hour, the 2-Eleven entered the last one and it blew up!
The reason there has been no 2-Elevens in GT4 may have something to do with GT4 total domination by Ginetta G50s methinks (that are half the cost of the Lotus GT4 version).
added
I will confess though that it will be nice to see a 2-Eleven out as the grids should be made more interesting. It is, imo, excellent racing.
God you're unpleasant. On the KTM thread I told you that the X-Bow runs in the Supersport class and isn't a direct G50 competitor. The same thing applies here. This car races in the Supersport class - hence the reference to the X-Bow in the copy. Autosport also refers to the Supersport class.With its sights set on immediate success?
That's gotta be a laugh!
Why didn't one or more enter at the start of the season then?
That's how the 2-Eleven GT4 was announced.
As for the Dubai 24 hour, the 2-Eleven entered the last one and it blew up!
The reason there has been no 2-Elevens in GT4 may have something to do with GT4 total domination by Ginetta G50s methinks (that are half the cost of the Lotus GT4 version).
added
I will confess though that it will be nice to see a 2-Eleven out as the grids should be made more interesting. It is, imo, excellent racing.
Stop being such a Ginetta sycophant.
The works KTM X-Bow was going well today. The factory have made a raft of enhancements including new rear subframe which improves rigidity and lowers the engine by 20mm, very trick new aero package with 30% more downforce, new LSD, new blade type anti roll bars front and rear, revised suspension, new lightweight forged wheels and lot of other detail tweaks.
Almost 6 seconds a lap quicker than the GT4 2-11.
Almost 6 seconds a lap quicker than the GT4 2-11.
t load of ballast. Well I think a "Very Well Done" pat on the back for the boys and girls at Piranha Motorsport for their first British GT meeting in the SUPERSPORT class.
The X-Bow was going well, but the Invitation Class Ginetta G50 won the second race.
With only 18-19 cars on the grid, Stephane needs to get the rules sorted/fixed for next year to encourage more cars into the series.
Wot no Porkers?
The X-Bow was going well, but the Invitation Class Ginetta G50 won the second race.
With only 18-19 cars on the grid, Stephane needs to get the rules sorted/fixed for next year to encourage more cars into the series.
Wot no Porkers?
Ahonen said:
dandarez said:
I read that. Bit late in the day...
With its sights set on immediate success?
That's gotta be a laugh!
Why didn't one or more enter at the start of the season then?
That's how the 2-Eleven GT4 was announced.
As for the Dubai 24 hour, the 2-Eleven entered the last one and it blew up!
The reason there has been no 2-Elevens in GT4 may have something to do with GT4 total domination by Ginetta G50s methinks (that are half the cost of the Lotus GT4 version).
added
I will confess though that it will be nice to see a 2-Eleven out as the grids should be made more interesting. It is, imo, excellent racing.
God you're unpleasant. On the KTM thread I told you that the X-Bow runs in the Supersport class and isn't a direct G50 competitor. The same thing applies here. This car races in the Supersport class - hence the reference to the X-Bow in the copy. Autosport also refers to the Supersport class.With its sights set on immediate success?
That's gotta be a laugh!
Why didn't one or more enter at the start of the season then?
That's how the 2-Eleven GT4 was announced.
As for the Dubai 24 hour, the 2-Eleven entered the last one and it blew up!
The reason there has been no 2-Elevens in GT4 may have something to do with GT4 total domination by Ginetta G50s methinks (that are half the cost of the Lotus GT4 version).
added
I will confess though that it will be nice to see a 2-Eleven out as the grids should be made more interesting. It is, imo, excellent racing.
Stop being such a Ginetta sycophant.
First time I've been called a Ginetta 'sycophant'!
Actually, you're mistaken, I'm not God - and I can be quite a pheasant plucker on the quiet.
Re the Lotus - it really does add to the too 'small' grids of what is super racing - I meant that, as anyone who 'knows' me would back up.
The X-Bow did go well at Brands, but not as well as the Barwell G50Z
.thunderbelmont said:
Well I think a "Very Well Done" pat on the back for the boys and girls at Piranha Motorsport for their first British GT meeting in the SUPERSPORT class.
I think that the Piranha Motorsport guys are cautiously pleased with the performance over their first weekend in British GT.Some technical issues that had required a visit back to Hethel restricted testing and the shakedown event at Cadwell Park last w/e had to be canned. However, the car was ready for the British GT races (with the last minute help of the factory and a major effort by the team themselves), albeit set up was based on guesstimated settings for the 30 minute qualifying session.
Race 1 was very disappointing as another car took them out of the race in a "questionable" manoeuvere but another major overnight effort involving trips to Norfolk for suspension parts ensured that the car was on the grid for race two. The cars set up was again estimated, although a gamble was taken on a different set up route, which ultimately proved to be the wrong direction. Nevertheless the team were delighted to finish race 2. The car proved to be quicker than the X-Bow in a straight line but more set up work is required to improve cornering speed.
A winter development programme is scheduled and the team will be back next year.
xspencex said:
Ahonen said:
dandarez said:
The X-Bow did go well at Brands, but not as well as the Barwell G50Z .
Better than the regular G50s though - by around 3 seconds a lap....It is not a direct G50Z competitor.
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