Triple Eight Race Engineering begin its second year of activity in the world of GT racing this weekend with high hopes for the season ahead. An expanded GT campaign starts over the Easter weekend (19 & 21 April) with the Avon Tyres British GT Championship at Cheshire’s glorious Oulton Park circuit.Following a solid debut season in British GT last year with a pair of BMW Z4 GT3s, the Ian Harrison-led squad arrive at Oulton Park in a stronger position that last season, where the cars were delivered not long before the first race weekend. Entrusted with driving duties for 2014 are Joe Osborne (Bedford) and Lee Mowle in the #8 car (orange details), and new joiners Luke Hines and Derek Johnston in the #888 car (yellow details).BRDC SuperStar Osborne has become a stalwart of the British GT Championship and at the tender age of 25, 2014 marks his seventh season in the top national GT series. The line-up of the #8 BMW remains unchanged from last year, which the capable duo storm to a dominant pole-position at the season closer, before a timing error robbed the team of a maiden GT victory.After a promising debut year in GT3, Mowle is looking to make further progress and combine with Osborne to challenge regularly for podiums and race victories. The off-season has been anything but, with Mowle putting in competitive performances at the Dubai 24 Hours and Gulf 12 Hours in Abu Dhabi in a GT4 spec Ginetta.Luke Hines is a name that doesn’t need much introduction. Over the past two years, Hines, 31, has competed in select rounds of British GT amidst some difficult personal circumstances, namely the loss of his inspirational father and karting star, Martin Hines. Following a brief two round deal with Johnston last year in a Ginetta G55, the pair committed to working together again and 2014 sees a rejuvenated Hines re-join the team that gave him his big break in the BTCC.Most gentlemen drivers could only dream of the success that Derek Johnston has achieved in his racing career. In the space of two years (08-09) Derek won the Radical UK Cup twice and became the Masters Champion in 2009. The 2009 season led to Johnston winning the Sunoco Daytona Prize, which was a fully paid for drive in the 2010 Daytona 24 endurance epic in America. In 2012, Derek (driving a Ferrari 458) clinched the GT Cup championship against a grid of skilled drivers and top machines. QuotesJoe Osborne, Driver #8"I'm really looking forward to going back to Oulton. I like the track and I think based on how much we've learnt since we went there last year, it will be exciting to see where we finish in qualifying. Traffic is always an issue there, but that aside I'd hope a worst case scenario would see us in the top eight, but hopefully we'll be top six. Lee has been improving consistently over the last twelve months and should be top eight in his category in qualifying, perhaps even higher if the situation allows."
Lee Mowle, Driver #8“Last year was all about learning to drive a GT3 car for me, which was a huge step up the racing ladder and I didn’t have any expectation of myself. This year is different. Joe and I were competitive during the second half of last year thanks to the programme the 888 team devised for us and as a result I'm expecting the #8 car to be running at the pointy end this year. If we can be consistent I would very much hope to be in with a shout of the championship come Donington. That said, I know we are going to need to step up again this year as the championship is looking to be its most competitive with any one of half a dozen pairings in with a chance, it's going to be an exciting season I can't wait.”
Luke Hines, Driver #888"It's really good to be back with Triple Eight. Obviously they helped my career massively by giving me a chance with Vauxhall (in the BTCC), so it's brilliant to work with the guys, the same guys as back then, Ian Harrison especially. I've got a better approach for this year, hopefully everything will go well; I definitely think we have a good chance. At the test day we were up in the top four and even on the last lap I was still improving quite a bit. I've got a really good team-mate who works really hard and understands data really well; we're a good pairing. I'm doing this for my Father, and to be honest I just want to go and win this title for him.”
Derek Johnston, Driver #888“I’m really looking forward to the weekend. I’m really happy to be with Triple Eight; I had a lot of choice at the end of last season, lots of teams were interested in having me drive with them, which was great. I met with the team and Ian, and they just get it; every team knows how to prep a race car, but there is something a little different about the way the Triple Eight guys go about it. You can tell from H that he’s been in F1 too; there is a really good team spirit. We’ve done two tests at Oulton now, one wet, one dry, and I’m happy with the car. Oulton is a tight circuit and all the cars are very closely matched. We learnt last year that it is hard to overtake, but I managed to get top five in qualifying, so that is my aim again. I think we’ll have a good year, good fun, and we’ll have to work hard it. Luke is very excited, as am I. We’re both very fired up!”Ian Harrison, Team Principal Triple Eight Race Engineering:“Oulton is a classic circuit, but is possibly the one track we’re visiting this year that doesn’t suit the Z4 GT3 all that well. Our 4 litre engine is up against some big V12s, but we have good data from last year and should be able to put up a good fight. We’ve had a very good winter and we have two competent driver pairings which bodes well for a good year.”Coverage of the first weekend of the Avon Tyres British GT Championship from Oulton Park will be available on Channel 4 on Saturday 26th April at 7am, with further coverage on Motors TV and BT Sport. Please check the official series website for details: http://www.britishgt.com/television.php
Race Weekend InformationAvon Tyres British GT Championship – Oulton ParkOulton Park International Circuit2.69-mile, 17-turn race circuitLittle Budworth, CheshireApril 19 – April 21, 2014
British GT Championship: Round #1 of 7Race Duration(s): 2 x 60 minutesLive Timing: http://bit.ly/P0Z2lt
Schedule (All times GMT+1):Saturday, April 19, 2014:Free Practice 1: 9:35 am - 10:35 amFree Practice 2: 12:05 pm - 1:05 pmQualifying 1: 4:20 pm - 4:35 pmQualifying 2: 4:40pm - 4:55pm
Monday, April 21, 2014:Warm up: 9:00 am - 9:10 am (All Classes)Race 1: 11:15 am - 12:15 pm (1 hour)Race 2: 3:45 pm - 4:45 pm (1 hour)
