Last week I wrote for Race Tech, with no little despair, of how race meetings these days seem constantly to be blighted by rain, in particular those at Oulton Park. I can officially confirm that Groundhog Day has arrived. Now I’ve just got to figure out how to break the cycle.
Easter Monday has traditionally featured the opening salvos for the British F3 and GT championships. With a slight programme shuffle, the young aspirants in Formula 3 competed on Saturday, with the GT competitors taking headline billing with two 60 minute bouts on Easter Monday. The weather forecast had been bleakly prophesising rain for Monday and so it transpired, with no precipitative respite all day.
For the second GT encounter the cloudfall was so severe it put me in mind of the GTs’ 2002 visit to Oulton. At that time, the championship still featured a GT1 class which had allowed spectators the opportunity to see McLaren F1 GTRs, 911 GT1s, Lister Storms and Saleen S7Rs competing on the domestic racing scene for a number of seasons. This was never less than spectacular. In 2002, however, the spectacle was rather more dramatic than anyone might have wished. A sudden, but ferocious, cloud burst soaked the track and carnage ensued. Stood as we were at Knickerbrook, we became witness to one of the most infamous racing shunts of recent years – apparently the video below is still used in marshal briefings to this day. As immensely powerful, slick-shod, GT cars hit standing water at speed, the Knickerbrook Chicane quickly became an expensive automotive graveyard as sickening thud followed sickening thud, with mangled bodywork strewn over a wide distance. Graham Nash Motorsport lost its entire fleet of Saleens in the incident. That no marshals were injured, given their proximity, is a miracle.
Ten years on and despite the meteorological similarities, the brace of GT races showcased some stunning wet weather driving – a genuine credit to the level of talent in the British Championship. The first race was an Audi rout, as Matt Bell and Charles Bateman put in a stellar performance in their R8 LMS. Despite the mid-race appearance of the safety car, they had the lead under control as they entered the final lap, just 9 seconds prior to the 60 minute cut-off. However, as they rounded the fearsome Island Bend, it was clear all was not well as the R8 slowed dramatically, its LED lights blinking impotently. The car ground to a halt just after the cambered hairpin at Shell Oils. A dominant performance giving way to last-lap retirement was scant reward for an excellent drive.
So, through for an unexpected victory came the sonorous BMW Z4 run by the phoenix-like Ecurie Ecosse team; reformed for campaigns in GT3 in Britain and the Blancpain Endurance Championship. Behind the BMW, pitched battle had ensued as evocative Mercedes SLS, Porsche 911, Nissan GT-R and Ferrari 458 machinery fought for what became second place. In what must have been the drive of the race, Allan Simonsen performed his usual heroics in Hector Lester’s 458, including a stunning move on the Nissan ofAlex Buncombe into the Britten’s chicane. Although sadly the McLaren MP4-12C of Glyn and Jim Geddie was absent at Oulton, the packed field served to underline the strength of GT racing at the moment, and the British Championship in particular. The presence of drivers of the calibre of Simonsen, Richard Westbrook, Tim Harvey and Nick Tandy helps to raise the profile of the championship further.
If the first race was soggy, the second was biblical. This seemed to give a significant advantage to the rear and mid-engined cars, as well as the pro drivers. Once again, the driving standards were exemplary with Richard Westbrook showing all the skill which has made him one of the most sought-after 911 pilots in the world. Shrewd tactics left his team mate David Ashburn with an unassailable lead which was held to the end, despite the atrocious weather. The final podium position went to Tim Harvey and Jon Minshaw in another 911 GT3 RSR. Minshaw must have felt like he was experiencing Groundhog Day as well, having been sliding his lightweight E-Type Jaguar around Oulton only a couple of weeks previously in damp conditions. New to contemporary GT racing, the Demon Tweeks boss put in an inspired drive, keeping himself in the hunt for a podium throughout his stint.
So, an entertaining pair of encounters with close racing, multi-marque battles and deeply impressive driving; the British GT Championship is on a roll.
