Donington Park played host to a sensational, action-packed finale to the 2012 British GT Championship, where it was United Autosports Zak Brown and Alvaro Parente that took the race win, but Motorbases Michael Caine and Daniele Perfetti that scooped the 2012 drivers title.
For the second year in a row, a team with no race wins to their name was victorious in the championship race, but the dramatic climax that led to this occuring was like nothing the series had seen before.
Polesitter, Nico Pronk led the field onto the opening straight, but by Redgate the Dutchman had succumbed to the straight-line power of Browns McLaren MP4-12c. A flurry of overtakes followed throughout the twenty-six strong field and RJN Motorsports Alex Buncombe made the most of being the only Pro starting, carving past his rivals to fifth from a lowly fourteenth grid slot. While Brown continued to lead, he was soon joined by 2010 Champion, David Ashburn (Trackspeed Porsche) , and the fast starting Andrew Howard in his Beechdean prepared, Aston Martin V12 Vantage.
Within the space of the next lap, Brown conceded the lead to Howard, before Buncombe, continuing his march through the order, got past both of them and left his rivals in his wake. Perfetti was now on a fight back after losing some places on the opening laps and having therace of his life, seizing every opportunity ahead.
As the first half of the race developed, positions settled and Charles Bateman, Browns team-mate in the second United Autosports McLaren emerged as the man most likely to challenge Buncombe, who by lap seventeen had a lead of over nine seconds. David Jones in the Preci-Spark Mercedes AMG SLS was making short work of the cars ahead and with his tyres up to optimum temperature made chase for the lead pair.
Elsewhere, Lawrence Tomlinson pushed the Team LNT Ginetta G55 hard, and was mixing it with a train of cars than included the Ferrari of Hector Lester (Rosso Verde), the BMW of Alasdair McCaig (Ecurie Ecosse), and the Porsche of Ashburn.
Beechdean boss, Howard had lost his earlier pace due to a suspension issue on the 007 Aston and was limping around the circuit in thirteenth place. Eventually the team retired the car on safety grounds, despite Jonny Adams attempts at wrestling the car up the order. Worse news was around the corner for the other Aston Martin though. Cyber Racing AMRs Phil Dryburgh had a big off at Coppice on lap nine and retired beached in the gravel.
Once the pit stops had been completed, RJN Motorsports Nissan was still ahead on the track, gifted a bigger lead by the combination of a spin on one of Batemans last laps before handing over to Matt Bell, and the success time adjustment of 28 seconds for winning the previous race at Silverstone.
However, on his second lap out of the pits, the first of several moments that would dictate the title occurred. Race leader, Mardenborough felt a problem in the suspension of his Nissan GT-R heading down the Craner Curves and the driver slowed to prevent a puncture, crawling back to the pits; Godfrey Jones now in the Preci-Spark Mercedes took over the race lead.
Motorbases Michael Caine was now second and United Autosports duo Matt Bell and Alvaro Parente lie third and fourth respectively. Parente would become more of a feature in the race as he blitzed the lap times of those ahead of him; a time of 1:29.679 on lap 41 the fastest of the race overall, and half a second quicker than 2011s pole position time in similar conditions.
Championship conundrums were frantically being calculated down the pit lane, except at RJN where Mardenborough sat patiently in the RJN car, still in the pits. Joe Osborne, now in for Steve Tandy pitted to take a one second stop-go penalty for a too short pit stop by his Trackspeed team.
Next, another race changing event occured. Speedworks Piers Johnson, languishing outside the top twelve in the Corvette Z06r, had a brake failure at McLeans and was fired backwards into the gravel; a short safety car period was the result and it bunched the field up tightly,allowing Parente to not just get past Bell, but Caine and Jones too, a position the Portuguese driver wouldnt relinquish until the flag. At this stage, the Championship looked like it was heading the way of MTECHs Matt Griffin and Duncan Cameron by just half a point.
Hoever, the next turning point all but ensured the championship would head the way of Dave Bartrums men. On the exit of the Melbourne Hairpin, Ecurie Ecosse driver Olly Bryant fired the EcurieEcosse BMW up in the inside of Jones Mercedes and won the position under braking for final corner Goddards; in the process though, Bryant tapped Griffins Ferrari into a spin that would drop the MTECH driver down to tenth and out of the title race.
Bryant continued in fifth, but was swiftly handed a one minute stop-go penalty by the race director that would halt the title challenge of driving partner McCaig, now just a bystander on the pit wall. Bryant duly took his penalty and rejoined eleventh, where he would remain.
Up front Peter Kox, now in the red ReiterLamborghini was up to third, a truly storming recovery drive from the fifteenth place, lap down place his team-mate Pronk had handed him the car in. Unable to match Koxs speed, Bell eventually dropped to third, but in doing so would complete a very successful day for his Anglo American team.
With the cars of Parente and Kox ineligible to score points this weekend as the were only racing this weekend, points for a race win fell to Bell and Bateman, lifting them to third in the championship, just behind Ashburn. The Trackspeed drivers team-mate Phil Keen had a strong race to fifth behind Caines Motorbase Porsche, but ahead of the Jones Mercedes.
Stephen Jelleys Motorbase Porsche was a solid seventh, a strong finish following a tough opening stint for team-mate Steve Parish. Double winners Joe Osborne and Steve Tandy finished eighth after a struggle with tyre wear, and Mike Simpson brought the Team LNT Ginetta home in ninth place after a hard fought race. Griffin and Camerons Ferrari rounded out the top-ten, leaving them fourth in the points.
With GT4 honours sorted at Silverstone, bragging rights were down to claiming the race victory this weekend. Having a meticulous weekend, even by their standards were Team WFRs Jody Fanning and Warren Hughes. A quick start by Fannin ensured the #55 Ginetta was in the lead, and the pair soon had a record eighth GT4 victory handed to them.
Jota Sports Mark Ticehurst and Owen Mildenhall failed to complete the first half of the race, pitting on several occasions with mechanical issues striking the new for 2012, MX-5 GT4. Century Motorsports Ginetta faired slightly better, Zoe Wenham completed the driver changeover, but team-mate Dom Evans soon pitted with the rear of his G50 onfire, a driveshaft issues a suspected but unconfirmed fault.
This left Fannin and Hughes to cruise to victory, just a lap down on the Ferrari GTC entry from FF Corse. The Silverstone-based squads Gary Eastwood and Ryan Hooker saw off the competition in the GTC class from David Witt and Ray Grimes and took the class title aswell as the Donington race win.
Quotes:Daniele Perfetti, Motorbase Porsche (Championship winners):It feels great. I wouldnt have thought wed be here halfway through the season. We started with high hopes, had a few moments and we never won a race. Its important to finish and collect the points, everyone always says that, but its true. Its a pity to not have won the race, but it is fantastic, stressful and really enjoyable. The team have done a great job and that starts with David. Its great to have someone fantastic on top.
Michael Caine, Motorbase Porsche (Championship winners):Its great for the team, its great for the car. Weve had an indifferent year really, but its great to win. I had problems hearing the team, didnt know where I was in the championship and I let Kox past as I knew he wasnt in the points, but the two McLarens hit me and knocked my steering out, so I was relieved to finish. I only knew wed won when I crossed the line and the guys were leaning over the pit wall. Motorbase put so much effort in and I owe them a championship for all the effort Dave has put into my racing. Its great that theyll have it on the side of the truck now!
David Bartrum, Motorbase:Tim Harvey was in the pit lane at Brands pre-season and I said I think Ive got the pairing, I think Ive got the pairing weve got the pairing! It means an awful lot, it was a big decision for me as a business to give up Carrera Cup and say, were going to do British GT. We arrived here and were immediately made to feel very, very welcome. Theyve got a great group of people working on the series and a great set of competitors. To arrive here and see so much quality, Aston Martin, Mercedes, BMW, Ferrari, McLaren, and to race against them and win thats not a bad first year for the team. Im over the moon for my guys whove worked very hard all year, as have our drivers. I might have a few touring cars for sale actually this is a great place to be.
Full race positions are available here: http://bit.ly/SLG5TL
Final 2012 championship points:GT31. Daniele Perfetti/Michael Caine Motorbase 130.5pts2. David Ashburn Trackspeed 127pts3. Charles Bateman/Matt Bell United Autosports 121pts4. Duncan Cameron/Matt Griffin MTECH 119pts5. Alasdair McCaig Ecurie Ecosse 115.5pts6. Jann Mardenborough/Alex Buncombe RJN Motorsport 108.5pts7. Steve Tandy/Joe Osborne Trackspeed 93.5pts
GT41. Jody Fannin/Warren Hughes Team WFR 243.25pts - CHAMPIONS2. Zoe Wenham Century Motorsport 159pts3. Dominic Evans Century Motorsport 132pts4. James May/Alex Osborne APO Sport 104.5pts
GTC1. Gary Eastwood/Ryan Hooker FF Corse 62.5- CHAMPIONS2. David Witt/Ray Grimes Jordan Racing 38.5pts
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