Famous British marque takes overall win and class podiums at home circuitNissan seal brilliant PRO-AM class successAhmad Al Harthy is first Omani to stand on top step of an International GT podium
Darren Turner, Frdric Makowiecki and Stefan Mucke took a conclusive victory in the second round of the Blancpain Endurance Series yesterday for Aston Martin Racing, after an action packed race at Silverstone featuring a massive field of 57 GT3 supercars.
It was a well-judged victory after intense battles throughout the three-hour race where the AMR Aston Martin Vantage GT3 benefitted from slick pit work, excellent fuel consumption and brilliant management in traffic to beat the #1 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT of Stephane Ortelli, Laurens Vanthoor and Rene Rast.
Turner snatched the lead from Lucas Ordonez midway through the first stint of the race with an opportunistic move, after the Spaniard was baulked lapping slower car. Turner, who is the first British driver to win a Blancpain Endurance Series race overall, set up his team mates Frdric Makowiecki and Stefan Mucke for a famous home win for the Banbury based constructor. To top-off the special weekend for Aston Martin they completed the race in a neat James Bond themed 3hrs01:36.007!
It was a successful weekend for the Belgian Audi Club Team WRT squad as they took a healthy points haul away from Silverstone. Stphane Ortelli, Laurens Vanthoor and Rene Rast took a fine runners-up position for the reigning champion team, securing 18-points. Christopher Mies, Frank Stippler and Edward Sandstrm brought the #13 Audi R8 LMS ultra home 3rd despite suffering in the latter stages of their stints with tyre pick-up problems.
In PRO-AM the silverware went to class pole sitters and overall front row starters, Nissan GT Academy Team RJN and their Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 driven by Lucas Ordonez/Peter Pyzera and Alex Buncombe. After leading overall in the early stages of the race, the Nissan eventually finished well ahead of their class rivals and also sealed 10th place overall after a stellar weekend. Peter Pyzera became the GT Academys latest International winner with an impressive stint, after moving in to the #35 entry only this weekend.
Second place in the PRO-AM class was the Barwell Motorsport team with their Aston Martin Vantage. The British GT regulars used local knowledge to the full, sealing a well-earned runners-up position in the ultra-competitive class. Mark Poole, Richard Abra and Joe Osborne each impressed on their home turf, further enhancing both their own reputation and also that of the burgeoning British GT Championship.
Completing the top-three in PRO-AM was the TDS Racing BMW Z4 of Henry Hassid and Ludovic Badey. The all-French team drove a stunning race after an early puncture meant they were forced in to an epic comeback drive. They took 2nd place in the last 10-minutes, overtaking the Grasser Racing Lamborghini LP560 to complete a brilliant recovery and to take the lead in the PRO-AM class points standings.
Victory in the Gentlemens Trophy class went to the ARC Bratislava Porsche 997 GT3 R. An impressive race from Omans only professional racing driver Ahmad Al Harthy, ensured the country has now been firmly put on to the international sporting map. Along with his Slovakian team mate Miro Konopka (who visited a GT podium for the first time in 9 years), Al Harthy completed two impressive stints to take a richly deserved class win, despite a nervous moment when he was forced on to the grass at Woodcote with just 20-minutes left of the race to run.
Runners-up at Silverstone in the Gentlemen Trophy class today were Maurice Ricci, Gabriel Balthazard and Jerome Policand in the #10 SOFREV ASP Ferrari 458 Italia. The experienced all-French trio snatched the position right at the end of the race from the pole-sitting Aston Martin Vantage GT3 of PGF-Kinfaun, driven by Aston Martin Racing Managing Director, John Gaw.
PGF-Kinfauns third place in class ensured that Aston Martin was represented in each of the three classes at Silverstone. It was a fitting end to a fantastic weekend for the marque that celebrates its centenary year in 2013.
57 GT3 cars took part in an unforgettable first race of the new season at Silverstone with nine brands of GT3 supercar taking part in the second Blancpain Endurance Series round of 2013, reflecting the truly global attraction to the GT3 boom.
The next round on the Blancpain Endurance Series schedule is at Paul Ricard in France on the weekend of 29/30 June, where another varied and exciting grid of the worlds most spectacular GT cars will gather to re-engage battles throughout the field.
FRENCH LANGUAGE VERSION HERE
PROVISIONAL RESULTS CLICK HERE
QUOTES
Darren Turner, Aston Martin Racing, Aston Martin Vantage GT3 (PRO)
Today, it was the first time we would do a full stint on a tank so we wanted to make sure it lasted. It was hard to keep up with Lucas (Ordonez) for the first ten laps because he was very fast. Then we started to get through the traffic but sometimes it was in his favour and sometimes in mine. A good job has been done this weekend, especially the people from the workshop back at the factory, and also to everyone who helped to put this race weekend together.
Stphane Ortelli , Belgian Audi Club Team Belgium, Audi R8 LMS ultra (PRO)
For us it was a good race, I was really delighted by the fights we had, especially with our sister car. I have to thank all the team at WRT who all did a very good job again; I am very pleased about the result.
Christopher Mies, Belgian Audi Club Team Belgium, Audi R8 LMS ultra
At the start, I was missing some power so I got stuck a little. By the time I managed to get through, the Nissan was already far away. But it is a good race for WRT because we are both on the podium and the third car is in the top 10 as well, even if I am not 100% happy because we have two other cars are in front of us.
Peter Pyzera, Nissan GT Academy Team RJN, Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 (PRO-AM)
For me, it is always fantastic to drive a race car. I am always thinking about half a year ago when I was sitting on a train station and playing games. When I am in a racing car, competing with the fastest drivers thanks to the GT Academy and Nissan, I am very proud of myself and of my team and I want to continue like this for the next races.
Mark Poole, Barwell Motorsport, Aston Martin Vantage GT3 (PRO-AM)
We were not really sure what to expect as it was our first race in the Blancpain Endurance Series but we had a great car even if we could not really compete with the Nissan at the end of the day. The drivers were quite like pros, so it was very good to compete but we are delighted with the result.
Henry Hassid, TDS Racing, BMW Z4 (PRO-AM)
It is amazing to be on the podium today because we had to change our tyre after 5 laps and we were then in 55th position! But then, I brought the car back to 'Ludo' in 25th position, even if I dont remember overtaking so many cars! So yes, this is beautiful for us and it is a race we will not forget too soon!
Ahmad Al Harthy, ARC Bratislava, Porsche 997 GT3 R (Gentlemen)
What a weekend! It feels so special to be here on the top step of the podium at Silverstone where I have raced so much in my career. I have lots of guests and friends here this weekend so it is extra special. The race was fantastic despite a real scare at Woodcote when I was on the grass and heading for the barrier in the late stages. But we got there and it is a fantastic result for the whole team.
John Gaw, PGF Kinfaun AMR, Aston Martin Vantage GT3 (Gentlemen)
The race was really good. I had a great fight in the end, even if it was tough because of the traffic but I really enjoyed it! Obviously, this is fantastic weekend for Aston Martin as we came here this weekend to try and have a podium in all three classes and finally we are first in PRO, second in PRO AM and third in Gentlemen so it is terrific
Blancpain - Over 275 years of tradition in motion
Founded in 1735 by Jehan-Jacques Blancpain, the watch brand bearing his name is the oldest in the world. Blancpain is currently engaged to the renewal of mechanical watchmaking and to passing on exceptional expertise from one generation to the next through constant investment in human resources, production facilities and research. This approach is its strength and the expression of our long-term vision, even though it goes against the tide of a certain tendency to seek immediate profit.
From the creation of components through to watch design, Blancpain is distinguished by its ability to develop exceptional movements. Over the past eight years, the Manufacture has indeed developed no less than 29 new calibres. Through its various models, Blancpain preserves its heritage of precision and elegance, while also displaying an innovative and occasionally provocative spirit. Its range encompasses the sportive L-evolution line, the legendary Fifty Fathoms divers watch, as well as the classic Villeret collection, the high complication from Le Brassus collection and the Women models.
Pirelli Official Tyre Supplier to the Blancpain Endurance Series
Pirelli is a tyre manufacturer and world leader in the automotive industry. It has an exclusive relationship with over 50 racing series worldwide, including Formula One.
Pirelli has a long and illustrious history in endurance racing, and has also claimed a huge variety of class wins in GT racing all over the world.
The design of the new Pirelli GT tyres meets the needs of the Blancpain Endurance Series while maintaining the performance characteristics that endurance drivers have appreciated in the past.
The slick tyres used for GT racing are branded P Zero: just like the slicks that have become a central feature of Formula One. The name P Zero is used in the highest categories of motorsport such as GT racing.
Catch up with all the action from Silverstone this Tuesday on Eurosport. The highlights of the race will be screened at 23.30cet on Tuesday 18th June.
