Monday 5th April 2004

British GTs

Sunday's Race

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An hour long race was decided in dramatic style on Sunday when the lead was snatched from the RSR TVR by a flying Ferrari.

Earlier in the race the Porsches had dominated until disaster struck. Kox and Khan misinterpreted the pit stop changeover rules and incurred a forth second penalty which snatched the lead away from them. Mike Jordan's spell at the front was curtailed by a puncture thrusting the RSR TVR into the lead.

Kinch was flying though and when the rain started to fall towards the end of the race he took full advantage when Lawrence Tomlinson drifted wide on the last lap.

The Cup class once again saw Porsche at the front with Hindley and Rowland bringing their car home first followed by the DRM Ferrari of Wilcox/Amorim. The Morgan came home third.

Pictures courtesy of Traxtion-Control

[DustyC]

Great race to kick off the season.
Why werent they using all of the track though? Is this normal for the Brit GTs?
(I think I must have only watched the FIA GTs and ELMS at Donnington before and they used the whole track).

Thanks for inviting us over for tea and biscuits Ted.
Had to walk through a hurricane to get to the paddock tent though. Ali was soaked and uncomfortable due to having her wrist all bandaged up. The new V8 foot heater soon cheered her up again though

[murcielago]

DustyC said:

Great race to kick off the season. Why werent they using all of the track though? Is this normal for the Brit GTs?

Yup, they didn't use it last year either

And also when is it going to be shown on TV, I can't wait

[mutley]

Saturday 17th April
07:30 Channel Four - GT from Donington

Can't wait, been there, spent the weekend working so will now sit and watch the race happen.

[murcielago]

Excellent

And I couldn't see the TVR of Piers Johnson, are they not there Or more likely is the new livery the baby blue front???

[mutley]

Piers was in the Eclipse TVR, the light blue and orange one.

Thankfully it should be back to the deeper blue by Mondello.

[Racefan_uk]

The Eclipse TVR is now Blue and Orange not just bright orange.

They wre definately there, just not quite on the ultimate pace.

[murcielago]

Racefan_uk said:

The Eclipse TVR is now Blue and Orange not just bright orange. They wre definately there, just not quite on the ultimate pace.

I know, ninth in race one!

Deffinetly not where a TVR should be.

[The DJ 27]

I think Scuderia Ecosse, GruppeM Tech 9 and JWR have raised the level of competition a bit from last year. Hence the Moslers and TVR's being a bit further down the grid than last year. Cracking race on both days though

[Ahonen]

Yes, the 360s and the new RSR Porsche do have rather enormous budgets and very fast drivers, but there was more to it than that.

Our testing with the rebuilt TVR had been terrible before this weekend. We were really on the back foot heading into Saturday morning, with a host of new settings that I wasn't sure would work, but it couldn't be much worse! By the end of qualifying (2 x 4ths) we were happier with the car, but still knew there was lots to come and that a top five would be pleasing after such a hectic day.

The first race was a disaster. It was a joint decision to be brave and go for slicks just before the sighting lap, but Steve was reporting bad things on the lap, so we thought we'd change on the grid - but the grid was chaotic as no marshals seemed to know where the cars should be and we were caught at the back of a huge queue. By the time Steve reached his grid slot the 30 second board had been raised and we were done for. We could've started from the pit lane, but decided against. Wrong, very wrong!

Both drivers had pirouettes. Steve went all the way off at Redgate and bounced around the edge of the track before regaining the black stuff further on. He was on the radio while speedboating through the gravel, saying: "I think this could be the greatest save of all time!" Top man.

Race two was better. Piers passed Mark Sumpter (Saturday's winner), then caught BV-R in time for the stops. Steve passed Richard just after leaving the pits and was catching the Ferrari that eventually won - before the propshaft failed in a massive way just before Coppice and took out the oil lines and the floor...

The car wasn't perfect, but we know exactly what to work on and where we need to find the speed. We're encouraged. None of last year's top three had a good event for a variety of reasons: Rollcentre's heavily revised car only turned a wheel for the first time on Friday, Balfe had a variety of little (and large) problems, while we'd barely had any testing and had a massive imbalance to sort out. We will all get better, I can assure you!

This year will be bloody hard. There are some top cars out there with top drivers, run by great teams with big budgets, so for relative minnows like us it's a struggle to stay on terms. We've just got to wring everything out of what we've got.

Steve @ Eclipse.

[The DJ 27]

Ahonen said:

Yes, the 360s and the new RSR Porsche do have rather enormous budgets and very fast drivers, but there was more to it than that. Our testing with the rebuilt TVR had been terrible before this weekend. We were really on the back foot heading into Saturday morning, with a host of new settings that I wasn't sure would work, but it couldn't be much worse! By the end of qualifying (2 x 4ths) we were happier with the car, but still knew there was lots to come and that a top five would be pleasing after such a hectic day. The first race was a disaster. It was a joint decision to be brave and go for slicks just before the sighting lap, but Steve was reporting bad things on the lap, so we thought we'd change on the grid - but the grid was chaotic as no marshals seemed to know where the cars should be and we were caught at the back of a huge queue. By the time Steve reached his grid slot the 30 second board had been raised and we were done for. We could've started from the pit lane, but decided against. Wrong, very wrong! Both drivers had pirouettes. Steve went all the way off at Redgate and bounced around the edge of the track before regaining the black stuff further on. He was on the radio while speedboating through the gravel, saying: "I think this could be the greatest save of all time!" Top man. Race two was better. Piers passed Mark Sumpter (Saturday's winner), then caught BV-R in time for the stops. Steve passed Richard just after leaving the pits and was catching the Ferrari that eventually won - before the propshaft failed in a massive way just before Coppice and took out the oil lines and the floor... The car wasn't perfect, but we know exactly what to work on and where we need to find the speed. We're encouraged. None of last year's top three had a good event for a variety of reasons: Rollcentre's heavily revised car only turned a wheel for the first time on Friday, Balfe had a variety of little (and large) problems, while we'd barely had any testing and had a massive imbalance to sort out. We will all get better, I can assure you! This year will be bloody hard. There are some top cars out there with top drivers, run by great teams with big budgets, so for relative minnows like us it's a struggle to stay on terms. We've just got to wring everything out of what we've got. Steve @ Eclipse.

The new surface seems to be bloody slippy when it's damp. I would have thought slicks were the right decision on Saturday,looking at the track as a spectator, but evidently not. Wasn't aware of all the facts regarding yourselves, Rollcentre and Balfe, so maybe at Mondello things will be different. Would be nice to see some of the smaller teams take it to the big boys. Good luck for this year Steve

[Ahonen]

The DJ 27 said:

The new surface seems to be bloody slippy when it's damp. I would have thought slicks were the right decision on Saturday,looking at the track as a spectator, but evidently not. Wasn't aware of all the facts regarding yourselves, Rollcentre and Balfe, so maybe at Mondello things will be different. Would be nice to see some of the smaller teams take it to the big boys. Good luck for this year Steve

Thanks, we'll need it! You should've dropped in and said hello.

Yup, that new surface is truly awful in wet/dry conditions. It would've been fine if the rain had fallen continuously, but under those conditions - especially in the Saturday race, when there was no sun to assist the drying - it was treacherous.

Steve @ Eclipse.

[top fuel]

murcielago said:

Racefan_uk said: The Eclipse TVR is now Blue and Orange not just bright orange. They wre definately there, just not quite on the ultimate pace. I know, ninth in race one! Deffinetly not where a TVR should be.

Steve Hyde was one of 6 cars to start that race on slicks. They began to improve over the weekend tho, unlucky in the second race. Could've done very well indeed in the second race had the car not broken down.

Great Weekend tho, weather could've been nicer!

[V6GTO]

Steve, Although I was there primarily supporting Noble, and therefor Rollcentre, it was great to see you taking it to the "Dancing Donkey". I just love it when the Brit underdog runs up and bites the balls off the big guns. All the best for the future, and maybe I'll pop in at Mondello & say hello. M (V6GTO)

[Ahonen]

Absolutely, drop by. Anyone making the trip to Ireland deserves a look round the car and a chat! We may not be on brilliant form early on Sunday morning though: Shane's dad is going to be showing us some 'proper' Oirish hospitality... Feck!

Steve.

[RowenaC]

Ahonen said:

Absolutely, drop by. Anyone making the trip to Ireland deserves a look round the car and a chat! We may not be on brilliant form early on Sunday morning though: Shane's dad is going to be showing us some 'proper' Oirish hospitality... Feck! Steve.

Make sure you pack plenty of alka-seltzer and Red Bull then. You're probably gonna need it!

Good luck to you all for the rest of the season - don't know if I'll make it to any this year or not but hopefully may get to one of the June races. Tell everyone I said hello!!!

Rowena.

[green-blood]

hi lads

long time viewer first time poster.... yee will be all very very welcome over to Dublin (technically Kildare but hey) this weekend... beware its just like the UK at the moment, blustery and showery so come prepared and bringa nice big flask of tea/coffee - not to keep you warm but to get you sober enough to race/watch/repair.

the donnington races were very entertaining, Mondello should keep yee on your toes,a bit of giant killing could be on the cards, its afairly new track surface too and very very slippery in the wet, its tight and twisty so an opportunity for teh smaller N-GT perhaps, at least it wont be easy to oevertake.

We'll be coming down with a gang from an Irish mini ownberes club www.miniresource.com so hope to see yaou all and good luck on the track...

anyone got a free spot in the pits for a looksie