Tuesday 17th May 2005

Aston and TVR power on at Silverstone

GT racing was at its best last weekend

---

LNT TVR's T400 makes fourth	Aston Martin DBR9 at Silverstone this weekend
TVR powers ahead	Pair of Astons battling hard
Stunning images courtesy of Darran Shepherd	More pictures on Darran's Web site

Pedro Lamy and Peter Kox, driving the new Aston Martin DBR9, were declared winners of the Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy at the British round of the FIA GT Championship on Sunday at Silverstone. Lamy and Kox’s car finished 1.9 seconds ahead of the team's second DBR9, driven by David Brabham and Darren Turner, after a breathtaking final stint during which the two cars battled for the lead, all the while being chased down by the Vitaphone Racing Team Maserati MC 12 of Babini and Biagi.

Following in the tyre tracks of many of motor sport’s greats, including Caracciola, Nuvolari, Stirling Moss, Graham Hill,  Denny Hulme, Innes Ireland, Andrea de Adamich and Derek Bell, Lamy and Kox continued Aston Martin’s association with the Tourist Trophy in what proved to be a thrilling race, with Maserati fighting hard right to the last lap to take first place. 

Aston Martin has won the Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy three times since it was launched in 1905.   In 1953, an Aston Martin DB3S was driven by Peter Collins and Pat Griffith to take the title.  And Stirling Moss drove to success at Goodwood in the DBR1 in 1958 and 1959.

In the GT2 class, the third placed team was Team LNT, giving the TVR its first-ever FIA GT podium finish. "It was a good weekend. The boys worked a lot, so it is nice to go home with a trophy" said driver Jonny Kane. "This weekend was quite last-minute and mostly a test session. Third is a very good result for us." said Jonny Kane.

Top eight (GT1)

POS	NO	CL	DRIVERS	NAT	CAR	TIME	LAPS	GAP	KPH	BEST
1	29	GT1	Kox/Lamy	Aston Martin	Aston Martin DBR9	3:00:28.713	134		161.28	1:17.820
2	28	GT1	Brabham/ Turner	Aston Martin	Aston Martin DBR9	3:00:30.650	134	1.937	161.25	1:17.490
3	10	GT1	Babini/Biagi	Vitaphone	Maserati MC12 GT1	3:00:39.791	134	11.078	161.11	1:17.524
4	15	GT1	Bertolini/ Wendlinger	JMB Racing	Maserati MC12 GT1	3:00:30.929	133	1 LAP	160.04	1:18.310
5	9	GT1	Bartels/ Scheider	Vitaphone	Maserati MC12 GT1	3:01:10.001	133	1 LAP	159.47	1:18.294
6	11	GT1	Gardel/Gollin	Larbre Competiton	Ferrari 550 Maranello	3:01:10.401	133	1 LAP	159.46	1:18.209
7	2	GT1	Deletraz/Piccini	GPC Sport	Ferrari 575 Maranello GTC	3:00:56.396	132	2 LAPS	158.46	1:19.264
8	16	GT1	Peter/Buncombe/ Rusinov	JMB Racing	Maserati MC12 GT1	3:01:08.779	132	2 LAPS	158.28	1:18.170

Top eight (GT/GT2)

1	66	GT2	Lieb/Rockenfeller	Gruppe M	Porsche 996 GT3 RSR	3:01:25.835	129	5 LAPS	154.44	1:21.483
2	101	G2	Balfe/Derbyshire	Balfe	Mosler MT900R	3:01:48.668	126	8 LAPS	150.54	1:22.243
3	55	GT2	Collins/ Cunningham	Embassy	Porsche 996 GT3 RSR	3:01:55.098	125	9 LAPS	149.25	1:23.454
4	80	GT2	Tomlinson/Kane	LNT	TVR T400	3:01:30.160	124	10 LAPS	148.40	1:23.258
5	102	G2	Keen/Taylor	Taylor	Mosler MT900R	3:00:30.425	122	12 LAPS	146.81	1:23.300
6	86	GT2	Rosa/Drudi	GPC	Ferrari 360 Modena	3:00:43.701	122	12 LAPS	146.63	1:24.093
7	69	GT2	Ried/Ried	Proton	Porsche 996 GT3 RSR	3:01:37.536	121	13 LAPS	144.71	1:25.148
8	88	GT2	Collard/Sugden	Gruppe M	Porsche 996 GT3 RSR	3:01:47.033	121	13 LAPS	144.59	1:21.787

Tim Keown, Chairman of the Royal Automobile Club said, “The British round of the FIA GT Championship certainly fulfilled all our expectations in providing a perfect setting for the return of the Tourist Trophy in its centenary year.  The Tourist Trophy is now, we believe, firmly back in the modern motor sports calendar and this weekend’s event certainly bodes well for us continuing to be associated with the FIA GT Championship for the Trophy in 2006 and beyond.

[Hansgerd]

I was amazed to see the Astons win their first race at Sebring. The second win at Silverstone is even more surprising because as they said "we didn't expect to win, we only came to make sure the cars work for Le Mans". Prodrive sees to have done an excellent job.
LNT showed a great performance again too. What a shame that the ACO doesn't recognise this. Does anybody know why they only entered one car ?

[_VTEC_]

They beat the Masers! Well done chaps.

[ccharlie6]

i think LNT only entered one car as going to the race was a last minute decision by the team.

[Mr E]

Was a very good race actually.

The vette was stupidly loud, the Lister had a mare and the Astons/Mazer battle was enthralling.

[White_van_Man]

Was a great day good to see both teams doing so well, As long as athe astons are reliable i cant see anyone getting close to them at le mans this year



>> Edited by White_van_Man on Wednesday 18th May 08:01