British F3,GT Championship provides Bank holiday action at Rockingham
BRITAIN’S Olympian will be among the drivers lining up on the grid at Rockingham over the Bank Holiday weekend (May 4/5) when the Cooper Tires British F3 International Series & Avon Tyres British GT Championship returns to the Northamptonshire circuit.
Joining the ranks of the British GT teams is six times Olympic champion, Sir Chris Hoy, who has made the switch from cycling to motorsport swapping his preferred two-wheels for the four of the Nissan GT Academy Team RJN’s Nissan GT-R.
After making a promising start to his British GT3 career with a top 10 finish in race one and a feisty 13th in race two last month (April) in the opening round at Oulton Park, Hoy and Alex Buncombe will be looking to improve on this at Rockingham.
However setting the early pace is Oman Racing Team pair Amhad Al Harthy and Michael Caine who leads the GT3 championship on 31-points, just one point clear of last season’s champions, Beechdean AMR’s Andrew Howard and Jonny Adam.
While in the GT4 Championship, Rick Parfitt Jnr will be hoping for a better outcome at Rockingham after a force retirement in the opening round meant his title defence didn’t get off to the best of starts with new teammate Tom Oliphant.
It is TF Sport’s Andrew Jarmen and Devon Modell who have set the early pace and are top of the standings on 40-points, closely followed by Beechdean AMR’s Jake Giddings and Ross Wylie on 37-points.
Racing on the International Super Sportscar Long Circuit, the British GT always brings a touch of glamour to the track showcasing some of the world’s exotic supercars from Aston Martin, Porsche, Ferrari 458, BMW, Lotus, Ginetta, and new for this season, Bentley.
With a two-hour race on Bank Holiday Monday, it will all be about staying power and endurance as the high-performance teams will be hoping to get their racing strategies right as they battle it out for supremacy and maximum points.
The race meeting also sees the return of some of the brightest young talent from the world of single-seater racing as Rockingham is back on the British F3 calendar this season, and will host the opening round of the 2014 campaign.
Considered one of the leading UK single-seater race series, the championship often provides a stepping stone into Formula 1 with previous British F3 champions including Jackie Stewart, Ayrton Senna, Mika Hakkinen, Ruben Barrichello, Daniel Ricciardo and Jean Eric Vergne.
Fans can expect three eagerly contested 30-minute races with as the stars of tomorrow look to gain an early advantage in their title charge as they strive to be the latest graduates from the British F3 ranks.
In addition to the British F3/GT Championships, the Aston Martin GT4 Challenge of Great Britain, Volkswagen Racing Cup, Ginetta GT5 and Ginetta Racing Drivers Club which guarantee to deliver some spectacular action.
Advance adult tickets cost just £10 for Sunday, £15 on Bank Holiday Monday, while weekend passes are priced £20. Tickets can be purchased online at www.rockingham.co.uk or via the hotline on 01536 500500 (option1), up until midday this Friday (May 2). Adult tickets will also be available on the day priced at £15 and £20 respectively.
Rockingham prides itself on providing access to all motorsport fans, and those who are registered disabled can apply for a complimentary* admission ticket for their carer, while children aged 16 and under get in FREE.
As always at Rockingham all tickets include access to a grandstand seat offering panoramic views of the entire circuit, the pit garage roof and race paddock, which means there are no hidden costs. Gates open at 07:30 on both days, and the action starts on track at 09:00.
