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May 16 - Aston Martin
Racing has won with its Prodrive DBR9s the two first places at the
centennial R.A.C. Tourist Trophy. We have to go back to 1963 to see the all
British Aston Martins fighting for victory with the Ferraris and the
Jaguars at the R.A.C. Tourist Trophy. That year David Brown entered two
copies of his Aston Martin DP214, one for Bruce McLaren (NZ) and one for
Innes Ireland (GB). They started from the third and fourth place on the
grid in a 500-kilometre race at Goodwood. At the two first places at the
start we found the legendary Ferraris 250 GTO, entered by John Coombs's
Maranello Concessionaires for res. Graham Hill (GB) and Mike Parkes (GB).
At no moment both racing green Astons could threat the then nearly
unbeatable Ferraris 250 GTO. One of them, Ireland's is brought home as
seventh, the other, McLaren's, is retired after 94 of the 130 laps with an
oil leak. The race is won by Graham Hill, ahead of Parke, two Jaguars and
Piper's Ferrari. We had to wait the Coppa di Monza to see an
Aston Martin DP215 beating the 250 GTOs at their holy home ground. The
hero of the day was Roy Salvadori (GB), normally a Jaguar driver, but now
hired by race director John Wyer to do the impossible. At the end of that
year, however, John Wyer moved to Ford (where he was involved in the
project to build the Ford GT40 prototype). For Aston Martin, having
written great history with its DBR1 and DBR2, its role as a leading sports
car was at once over.
Now 42 years later Aston Martin came back for an
ultimate revenge. Race day dawns
splendid with the
sun high in the Northamptonshire sky
and a sizeable crowd to entertain too.
When at an early 10.15am the flag drops for a three hour race at the
too short international circuit of
Silverstone, we find the two Aston Martins at the two first
places, the #28 with the yellow nose of David Brabham (AU) and Darren
Turner (GB) ahead over the #29 with the red nose of Pedro Lamy (PT) and
Peter Kox (NL). [After the qualifications both Astons switched their
racing numbers.]
Fastest starter is Darren Turner in the car brought by
team mate David Brabham in pole position. On the #29, however Pedro Lamy
is surpri-sed by a reckless changing of position by Fabio Babini (I) in
the #10 Vitaphone Maserati MC12, so that he looses not only his second
place, but drops into fifth. Fabrizio Gollin (I), last year's FIA GT
champion, now at the wheel of the #11 Larbre Compétition Ferrari 550
Maranello, can follow Babini to take the third spot. Anthony Kumpen
(B), who lost a place at the start, can win his fourth place back after
Pedro Lamy got included in the pack. So at the end of the first lap we
find Turner as first, followed by Babini, Gollin, Kumpen and Lamy. Then
follows Chris-tophe Bouchut (F) in the Russian #17 Ferrari, Timo Scheider
(D) in the #9 Vitaphone Maserati, Karl Wendlinger (A) in the #15 JMB
Maserati and Philipp Peter (A) in the #16 JMB Maserati. |
The Lister has a fraught
start, stopping after lap 1 with a puncture, then pitting again with front
end damage and a water leak – Justin Keen spotting mixing it with the
leaders as they try to lap him. He doesn't seem to want to be lapped.
During the second lap Kumpen can pass Gollin ta bring the yellow Belgian
Corvette in third position. At the end of the second lap it is #28 Turner
(Aston Martin), #10 Babini (Maserati) and #6 Kumpen (Corvette) nose to
tail, then a short gap, and eventually #11 Gollin (Ferrari), #29 Lamy
(Aston Marin), #17 Bouchut (Ferrari), followed by the three remaining
Maseratis. Then a new gap and the two JMB Ferraris 575 GTC followed by the
GNM #7 Saleen.
During a nearly complete first hour, until the pit
stops, we find the three cars on the lead pulling away from the train of
six cars behind. In that second group Philipp Peter (#16 JMB Maserati) has
problems to follow the pace. Eventually Pedro Lamy can pass Gollin and is
now the go between with three cars in front and five behind. Splendid is
the gruelling combat between the Ferraris of Gollin and Bouchut. At lap
24, after more than a half hour of racing, Bouchut can pass Gollin to move
in fifth position. The gap between the three leaders and the train of five
is already up to 18 seconds. Timo Scheider (#9 Vitaphone Maserati) has to
wait lap 42 before he can pass Gollin. Bouchut goes very fast but seems
unable to close the gap with Lamy in fourth position.
After 54 minutes
Paolo Ruberti (#7 GNM Saleen), being the last in the lead lap, is the
first to make his pit stop. He changes only his left tyres. Three minutes
later, with 43 laps accomplished, three cars come together into the pits:
those of Gollin (#11 Ferrari), Scheider (#9 Maserati) and Wendlinger (#15
Maserati). As anyone else they change their four tires. Once Bouchut
handles (after 45 laps) the #17 Ferrari over to his Russian team mates,
the car looses its fifth position and will now drop sharply in the
standingds. Lamy stays out until lap 46, Turner until lap 47. The pit
stops of the Astons take some 15 seconds less than those of all other cars.
Anthony Kumpen in the Belgian Corvette stays out until lap 50 and is
leading the race during three laps. When Bert Longin (B) takes over he
resumes the track in third position, now headed by the two Aston Martins.
By his much faster pit stop Peter Kox (NL) in the #29 Aston Martin reduces
the 9 seconds arrears of his car in a 8 seconds lead over the #9
Vitaphone, now driven by Thomas Biagi (I). Up from lap 57, in the fuel
efficient Corvette, Bert Longin is struggling with a broken master
cylinder of the braking system. The yellow car slows now seriously down
and is passed by everybody. Seven laps further the Belgian Corvette is
retired. Meanwhile the #3 Ferrari 575 GTC, having been longtime in
eleventh position, and the Lister Storm GT, now with Liz Halliday (USA)
behind the wheel, are already out.
At mid-race (67 laps) the difference
between the two leading Astons is down to one second. The Babini/Biagi #9
Vitaphone Maserati follows now at 9 seconds. Having pitted 15 seconds
faster than the other Maseratis, the #11 Ferrari of Gollin/Gardel is now
fourth, 32 seconds behind the leaders. The #16 Maserati of Peter/Buncombe/Rusinov
receives a stop and go penalty - for too high speed in the pit lane - and
drops from fifth to eight position. Behind Gardel, Michael Bartels (D),
who took the #9 Vitaphone Maserati over from Scheider, is now fifth, but
he seems in problems to follow the pace set up by Gardel. In the #15 JMB
Maserati Andrea Bertolini - who last no less than 30 seconds during
refuelling - sets more and more pression on Bartels's Maserati, succedding
to pass him at lap 81. Meanwhile Brabham can increase his advance over Kox
in the other Aston Marin. Positions are now: 1. Turner/Brabham (#28 Aston
Martin), 2. at 10 seconds Lamy/Kox (#29 Aston Martin), 3. at 10 seconds
Babini/Biagi (#10 Maserati), 4. at 51 seconds Golin/Gardel (#11 Ferrari),
5. at 52 seconds Wendlinger/Bertolini (#15 Maserati) 6. at 52 seconds
Scheider/ Bartels (#9 Maserati). Three laps futher Bertolini passes Gardel
to go out in fourth place. The #7 Saleen, already more than a full lap
behind, is "brushed" by one of the Maseratis and comes in the pits with a
broken rear rim. Six positions are lost in the standings, and the car is
even passed by the carousel sister car, poorly driven by the third trio of
#8 drivers. Both Saleens are now behind the #66 Gruppe M Porsche of Marc
Lieb and Mike Rockenfeller, leading
GT2 class. Up from lap 89 all cars come in for their last
refuelling and drivers change. In the Aston #29 Pedro Lamy closes now
quickly the gap with Turner's #28. After 100 laps the difference between
the two cars is down to two seconds. Behind Babini seems to close upon the
Astons. |
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When Lamy starts
attacking the sister car out on the lead, Darren Turner receives via the
radio instructions to let pass at lap 121 Lamy in the #28 Aston Martin.
Perhaps those instructions are inspired by the fact that Babini is closing
the gap on both Astons from 20 seconds after 90 laps to 10 seconds after
121 laps. Positions of the top-6 change now no more. Turner (#29 Aston
Martin) follows Lamy (#29 Aston Martin) within one second and Babini (#10
Maserati) can come no closer than 9 seconds behind the leader. Those are
the three cars in the lead lap. The trio with Bertolini/Wendlinger (#15
JMB Maserati), Bartels/Scheider (#9 Vitaphone Maserati) and Gollin/Gardel
(#11 Larbre Compétition Ferrari) follows already one complete lap behind
since in the three cases nearly a full minute was lost from the Astons at
the pit stops. One lap further Jean-Denis Deletraz in the #2 GPC Sport
Ferrari 575 GTC succeeds passing the #16 JMB Maserati of Peter/Buncombe/Rusinov,
taking the seventh place.
In GT2 the red hot favourites for
victory are of course GruppeM, Kenny Chen’s factory backed outfit which
has dominated the season so far. However, the British challengers lining
up for a second shot are closer this time around. Much is expected from
LNT’s sole TVR which after the qualifications was well within striking
distance of the Porsche pair. The Embassy Racing’s Porsche seems in rude
health too and looking to show what the Collins / Cunningham pairing can
deliver, with Jonathan France’s Porsche RSR. The Ferraris 360 Modena of
GPC Sport and Cirtek disap-pointed at the qualifications, so that they are
not expected to beat the Gruppe M Porsches. It's not impossible that
spectators will see a close combat between Kenny Chen's Porsches and the
Shaun Balfe Mosler.
At the start the #66 and #88 follow immediately the
carousel Saleen of GNM, having let the #7 GNM Saleen, which was late out,
behind. This time the Shaun Balfe motor is pretty close behind. The GPC
Modena misses completely its start and is among the back benchers. The
Cirtek Modena spins. Before the end of the first lap Rockenfeller can pass
the poorly driven carousel Saleen. After 14 laps Rockenfeller, having a
small collision with the Corvette putting the #66 at one lap, has a 3"6
lead over the #88 of Sugden. Then, 11 seconds later, comes the Balfe
Mosler (loosing a second per lap), the TVR and the Embassy Porsche.
Expectations that the vailliant TVR can follow the Gruppe M machinery
become untrue. A suspected puncture makes Jonny Kane pit stopping after a
half hour, so that the Embassy Porsche is now third in GT2. Shortly
before mid-race the #66 Porsche can put the Embassy, always third, at one
lap. Bad luck however for the Ben Collins/Neil Cunningham machinery when
they too have to come in with a suspected puncture, so that the LNT TVR is
now third in its class. With 50 minutes to go a water pipe is broken on
the #88 Gruppe M Porsche, loosing eight laps in the pits. Meanwhile the
Embassy Porsche has passed the TVR when a stop and go penalty drops the
car 25 seconds behind the TVR. After a magic sprint Cunningham can undo
his arrears to take the second spot in GT2. The #66 finishes 9th
overall, the Balfe Mosler 11th, the Embassy Porsche 13th (and second in
GT2), the TVR 14th (and third in GT2).
After 3 rounds no
less than 6 racers are leading the drivers standings in GT1:
Scheider, Bartels, Biagi, Babini, Wendlinger and Bertolini have 22 points
all, against 19 for Gardel. In GT2 Lieb and Rockenfeller have 28
points, Sugden and Collard 22. [JPVR] |
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May 14 - Although three
Saleens, one Larbre Compétition Ferrari 550 Maranello and the Reiter
Lamborghini Murcielago R-GT are all absent at the centenial R.A.C. Tourist
Trophy at Silverstone, everyrhing lets expect that it will be a wonderful
race. After the first qualification session we find the two very
British Aston Martins DBR9 of Prodrive, despite a 40-kg weight sanction,
at the two first places. Fastest man was David Brabham (AU) at the wheel
of the #28, clocking a lap in 1'15"792, which is nearly two second
fasters than at free practice. Second fastest was Peter Kox (NL) with the
#29 in 1'16"329.
At the proviosional second row we find the
first Maserati MC12 and the GLPK-Carsport Corvette C5-R. Both improved
their times of the free practice sessions. In the #10 Vitaphone Maserati
MC12 Fabio Babini (I) realised a fastest lap in 1'16"608, whilst
Mike Hezemans (NL) was 2/1000nds of a second slower in the Belgian
Corvette.
At the third row we find two Ferraris F550 Maranello having
both achieved exactly the same time 1'16"650. It are the #11 Larbre
Compétition of Fabrizio Gollin (I, last year's FIA GT champion), who
replaces Pedro Lamy, now at the wheel of one of the Aston Martins, and
Christophe Bouchut (F) in the Russian #17 R.A.R. Maranello. So six cars
are within one second.
At the fourth row we find two other Maseratis.
On the #9 Vitaphone Mase-rati Timo Scheider (D) was good for 1'16"806, the
seventh best time of the morning session. Andrea Bertolini (I), in the
fastest JMB Racing Maserati C12, realised the eighth time in 1'17"102. The
two following places on the grid went to the other JMB Racing of Philipp
Peter (A) and to the #2 G.P.C. Sport Ferrari 575 GTC of Jean-Dénis
Deletraz (CH), nearly two full seconds slower than the pole sitter.
On
ranks 11 to 14 we find the four remaining GT1 cars, among them the
two Saleens of Graham Nash Motorsport, res. 11th and 14th in 1'17"638 and
1'20"548 (the carousel #8). It's obvious that the Saleens are victim of
the new rules which enforced them to use shorter rear wings. The
all-British Lister Storm GT Evo of Justin Keen and Liz Halliday came no
further than the 13th place on the grid in 1'18"465. That car os preceeded
by the #3 G.P.C. Sports Ferrari F550 Maranello of Jaime Melo (BR) and
Jean-Philippe Belloc (F). This car was absent in Magny-Cours. Contrary to
what happened in Monza, the car is no longer in black, but in the same
colours of its sister car in tenth position.
Good news, extremely good
news, is that for the first time this year we risk to have a real race in
GT2, up to now fully dominated by the works Porsches of Gruppe M.
At the first qualification session the #66 of Marc Lieb was fastest in
GT2 in a time of 1'20"572, immediately followed by Shaun
Balfe's G2 Mosler MT900R in 1'21"152 and the Team LNT TVR T400-R
of Lawrence Tomlinson in 1'21"809. It's the first time this year that the
two Gruppe M Porsches are not at the two first places in GT2.
Indeed, the second Gruppe M Porsche, the #88 of Emmanuel Collard and Tim
Sugden was with its 1'21"942 headed by the TVR which caused already a stir
in LMES at Francorchamps. The Embassy Racing Porsche 996 GT3-RSR of Ben
Collins and Neil Cunningham comes next at rank 19, heading the G.P.C.
Sports Ferrari 360 Modena of Gabrio Rosa and Luca Drudi (1'22"404).
Further on the grid we find the Sebah Automotive Porsche 996 GT3-RSR, the
two other G2 Moslers, the Cirtek Motorsport Modena, and the Proton
Porsche. Vonka's Porsche made no time.
During the second qualification session positions change no longer, except
for the #88 Gruppe M Porsche and one of the Moslers, being the only ones having improved their times of the morning
session. |
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THE ENTRY
- Mey 13 - Eye catchers at the 100th Tourist Trophy are
undoubtedly the two very British Aston Martins DBR9 which can score no
points, since they are entered by a works team. It will be interesting to
see what they can do against the R.A.R. Ferrari 550 Maranello, the four
Maseratis MC12 and the GLPK-Carsport Corvette C5R. The Saleens are no
longer serious competitors. Of the five, having been told starting the
season to be regular entrants, no less than three are already out.
Konrad Motorsport has issued a
press release, stating that they are not able to take part in this
weekend's Silverstone round. The Saleen S7 cars have suffered engine
problems in both Monza and Magny-Cours. "After error diagnosis, we have
finally traced the cause of the problem," Franz Konrad said. "The
defective parts must be changed. We have to order the parts from the USA
and unfortunately we have long delivery times." The team plans to make a
long distance test in the coming weeks, and hopes to back for Imola. The
Max Stanco Saleen will not be present. Also the Reiter Engi-neering
Lamborghini Murcielago R-GT is a non-starter at the 100th Tourist Trophy.
Last but not least the #12 Larbre Compétition Ferrari 550 Maranello will
be missed at Silverstone. That implies that of the 17 GT1 cars,
proposed before the start of the season to be regular entrants, only 11
will be have present at the 3 first rounds. Of those 11 car the #8 Graham
Nash Motorsport Saleen SR-7 cannot be token seriously. At each round we
find a new trio of drivers, reducing the #8 to a carousel car. In GT2
we find the two Gruppe M Porsches, the Proton Porsche and Vonka's
Porsche as regular entrants. The others are entered on a race to race
basis. |
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