FIA GT1 World Championship - Round Five

Sumo Power GT came away from this weekend's fifth round of the FIA GT1 World Championship with mixed emotions after Enrique Bernoldi and Warren Hughes finished fourth in race one and seventh in race two, whilst David Brabham and Jamie Campbell-Walter retired on both occasions.

Even so, there was no doubting that Sumo Power was at Silverstone this weekend, as the company organised a host of PR and promotional activities at its home event, which included a display of its race, rally, drag, drift and fast-road cars - and entertainment - in the paddock behind the recently opened 'Wing' pits complex. Even F1 star Mark Webber turned up to watch the action from the team's pit garage.

With Hughes and Campbell-Walter winners of this event last year, driving together as Sumo Power GT team mates, they were both eager to repeat the process, albeit in different cars this time round. They were aware that it would be no easy feat, even though the Nissan GT-R's speed and handling characteristics suited the long straights and faster sections of Silverstone's 3.66-mile circuit.

Qualifying Race

An excellent qualifying session saw both Sumo Power GT Nissan GT-Rs get through to Q3 for the shoot out for the top-eight grid positions, with Brabham and Campbell-Walter in car 21 securing P6 and Bernoldi and Hughes in car 20 at P7 for the start of race one. And, with the weekend seeing the first ever races from the circuit's new start and finish line position between Club and Abbey, teams could only predict what was likely to happen as the field streamed through the complex of first corners. 

Inevitably, there was contact, with Brabham hitting the back of Darren Turner's Aston Martin as cars rounded the fourth corner. This caused it to spin and saw car 21 emerge with damage to its front-right hand corner. Bernoldi, on the other hand, took advantage of the situation and drove around the revolving machinery to rejoin the track in fourth place.  With his car looking worse for wear, Brabham continued for the remainder of the lap and pulled into the pits, where his engineers discovered a leak in the radiator, which signalled car 21's retirement.

As the first half of the hour-long race progressed, Bernoldi found himself circulating alone in fourth place, with the cars ahead too far away to catch him and those behind not close enough to make an impression. 

Hughes took over at the compulsory mid-race pit stop and, with no time lost during the tyre and driver swap, Hughes was able to continue where his team mate left off, consolidating what ended up as a solid fourth-place finish

Championship Race

With the results of race one dictating the start positions of race two, last year's winners of this event lined up this year in two different Sumo Power GT Nissans: Hughes on P4 and Campbell-Walter on P14.

Then, just before the formation lap began, spots of rain started to fall, which was enough to give drivers concern about the levels of grip around the circuit. 

As it transpired, it was Hughes who found the least amount of traction on the approach to turn one.

Trying to keep away from the now regular panel-beating confrontations that take place at the start of GT1 races, he moved to the outside of the track, only to find himself sliding even wider on the slippery surface and consequently, he was passed by a number of cars before regaining his pace. He was now just ahead of Campbell-Walter, the two Sumo Power GT-Rs ending the first lap in 13th and 14th positions.

The pair of them moved up two places over the next ten laps, until an extraordinary incident that saw an Aston Martin hit one of the JRM Racing Nissans off the track brought out the safety car, just as the mid-race pit window opened. 

Predictably, all teams decided to stop to change drivers and tyres, with both Sumo Power GT Nissans coming in at the same time. A perfectly executed change of wheels by the pit crew for each car meant that both Bernoldi and Brabham, who were now behind the wheel of cars 20 and 21, had elevated them to sixth and seventh respectively. With both GT-Rs running well, suddenly a top-four position was again on the cards.

However, both ended up becoming involved with incidents shortly after the safety car period came to an end: Bernoldi being knocked into a spin by Olivio Piccione in a Aston Martin and Brabham ending up off the track and becoming beached in a gravel trap on the outside of Luffield.

Out of the two, Bernoldi was able to continue and, following a determined drive during the remainder of the race, he fought back to finish seventh and collect valuable points for him and Hughes.

Although not the weekend the Sumo Power GT team was hoping for on the track, the team was delighted with the support and profile it achieved from its one UK-based event of the season. It now looks forward to round six, where its cars and crew head to Navarra in Spain for the next two races on 2nd & 3rd July. 

Team Quotes

Enrique Bernoldi (Car 20)"Our performance in the first race was good and I think that fourth was a respectable result. Although we were further back that we expected in race two, the pit stop almost put us back to where we started. I was then hit off the track I did my best to get back the positions, but I had lost so much time. The pit crew did a great job this weekend and for sure, the potential is there with the team and the car for better results."

Warren Hughes (Car 20)"After our fourth place in race one, I was confident that we could at least do the same again in race two, but as soon as I got on a slippery part of the track at the first corner and so many cars went past, it was up hill from then on. The pace was in the car at Silverstone this weekend and I hope it can be as competitive in Spain."

Jamie Campbell-Walter (Car 21)"It was not a weekend for car 21. To finish first, first you have to finish and with two non-finishes we can't afford to throw away any more opportunities. I really think we could have had a top four or five finish with the car we had - plus the guys did a great job in the pit stop, which would have further helped our chances."

David Brabham (Car 21)"It was a disappointing end to what should have been an excellent couple of races. I can't remember the last time I've had a weekend like this. Perhaps it's been so long I was due for one sooner or later. On the positive side, the car and the team is really strong and the boys are getting quicker and quicker with the pit stops, so everything is there to achieve good results."

Hiroki Furuse (Team Manager)"I never expected an easy weekend - and I was right! The highlight for me was the way the team operated and the speed of the pit stops. If we can bring all of the good elements together and keep out of trouble on the track, then I'm confident we can get back to scoring podium positions."

Andy Barnes (Team Principal)"We've come away with some points this weekend - although not as many as we would have liked of course. The pit crews were awesome, so we were really strong off the track rather than on it this weekend. Our GT-Rs had the pace and it was the incidents that slowed us down or put us out of the race. However, I must congratulate our sister team JRM Racing for its victory in the Championship Race and for ensuring that a Nissan GT-R won the Tourist Trophy for the second year running."