in Knockhill GT Confusion

A confused round three of the Avon Tyres British Formula Three Championship at Knockhill in Scotland saw the Team Modena Lamborghini Gallardo classified eighth in the final results, with the team convinced a better result was their due after the one-hour race. The only leading car not to pit during a Safety Car period, Guy Harrington brought the car in from the lead right at the end of the race’s pit stop window, only for Ben de Zille Butler to emerge ninth, and be further hampered by a bizarre incident towards the end of the race.

Fourth on lap one, Guy kept his cool as twice cars ahead went off in the greasy conditions and was running second during a third Safety Car period when the leader pitted. The lead Ferrari had dropped back from the Safety Car as it went into the pits, and mistakenly two cars were released from the pit lane into the gap between Guy and the Safety Car, denying him a clear track to put in some quick laps when racing resumed.

Guy stayed out for another 15 laps heading the field, his pace dented by being delayed by the two backmarkers ahead of him, before handing over to Ben while around 25-seconds in the lead.

Ben was behind a backmarker during a fourth Safety Car period and trying to catch the pack, when they were both brought to a halt at a corner due to a tow rope positioned across the track by marshals retrieving a stranded car. Both cars were waved one at a time across the rope – and both caught on it, Ben having to reverse the Lamborghini to finally get clear.

Eighth at the end, the team felt sure they and gained an advantage during the Safety Car periods – as well as staying out on the track during the third period as apparently instructed in the drivers briefing on Saturday morning.

“The Lamborghini was good in the conditions early in the race,” said Guy, “the first half of the track was dry but the rest was like sheet ice, and cars kept hitting the kerbs and spinning. We gained positions and the call came from the pit wall to stay out and hold position. We feel we did our bit in the race – we were in the lead when we pitted.”

“The rope was across the road, and got caught on the front of the car!” said Ben. “It was unbelievable, I was waved over it, and immediately felt the splitter catch. We were told we couldn’t stop under the Safety Car this morning, but lots of other cars did.”