British GT Victory for Scuderia Ecosse as
Team LNT Penalised
14 August 2006
After a titanic battle over the final few laps in Round 11 of the Avon
Tyres British GT Championship, Luke Hines (Team LNT Panoz Esperante
GTLM) took the chequered flag at Rockingham, just 0.3 seconds ahead
of Chris Niarchos (Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari). But Hines received a penalty
for overtaking a backmarker before the green flag after a short safety
car period on lap 33. Hines was given a 1 second penalty, promoting
Niarchos and Mullen to the top step of the podium.
Gavan Kershaw and Barrie Whight (Lotus Sport Exige) took a dominant
victory in GT3 and third overall in a change of fortunes from Race 1.
Leo Machitski and Jonathan Cocker were second in GT3, enabling Machitski
to move closer to the top of the championship table.
In GTC Bradley Ellis and Alex Mortimer (RPM Porsche 996) took their
second win of the season after coming through the field after dropping
back on the opening few laps. Phil Keen took his second podium in his
debut weekend for Trackspeed alongside Ryan Hooker and the Team Aero
Morgan of Keith Ahlers and Oliver Bryant stepped onto the final podium
step after a superb last lap by Bryant took him from 5th to 3rd.
After over night rain and a wet warm up session in the morning the teams
were relieved when the Rockingham circuit dried out enough for the use
of slicks in the second race of the weekend on Sunday afternoon.
Tim Mullen on pole position led the 20 car grid towards the start finish
line for the rolling start but as the lights flashed to green it was
Tom Kimber-Smith on the outside in the Team LNT Panoz who got the better
start and shot into the lead as the pack headed round Turn 1 and down
to the left hander at Deene for the first time. Behind the lead pair
Barrie Whight in the Lotus Exige moved ahead of third placed Jonathan
Cocker in the Tech 9 Porsche 997, who then started to come under pressure
from Adam Wilcox in the GTC class JHM Ferrari. However Cocker held the
place and then started to move away from Wilcox and he tracked the little
Lotus ahead of him.
At the front Mullen was glued to the rear of the very wide Panoz of
Kimber-Smith, but the LNT driver was taking the racing line and not
presenting the Irish driver with any opprotunity to pass.
In GT3 Whight was able to maintain a one to two second gap to the flying
Jonathan Cocker and for lap after lap these two cars circulated at the
head of GT3 and 3rd and 4th on the road respectively.
In GTC Adam Wilcox was being caught by Phil Keen in the Trackspeed Porsche
996 and Alex Mortimer in the similar RPM car. Race 1 winner and race
2 GTC pole sitter Matt Allison was dropping back, struggling with the
'H' pattern gearbox that was fitted overnight after a crack was discovered
in the cars sequential 'box. By lap 4 he had fallen back to 4th in class
and losing ground to Mortimer.
Kimber-Smith was still using every inch of his immense racing skill
to keep the Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari at bay but on lap 6 he left a gap
at Gracelands and Mullen pounced, taking the lead in a great move. Once
ahead Mullen set about opening up a gap to the Panoz and was over 10
seconds ahead when he handed over to Niarchos.
In GTC the ding-dong battle continued with Wilcox maintaining his lead
as Hooker and Mortimer fought for 2nd place. As the two Porsches crossed
the line for the 12th time they were side-by-side, Mortimer desperate
to get past the Trackspeed car before he handed over to Ellis. Through
Deane, Yentwood and Chapman the two cars were nose to tail and as they
came to the hairpin Mortimer attacked again, diving to the inside. However
Ryan Hooker held on to maintain his position but allowing Wilcox to
open up a gap at the head of the class. A lap later Mortimer tried again
and this time he got past and set off in pursuit of the Ferrari.
The pit window opened 23 minutes into the race but lead cars stayed
out on track for as long as they could. On lap 25 both Mullen and Kimber-Smith
pitted, handing over to Chris Niarchos and Luke Hines respectively.
Mullen handed Niarchos a 10 second advantage but disaster nearly struck
as the Ferrari crawled away from its pit box, seemingly in trouble.
Niarchos got going but only just in front of Hines and the two front
runners exited the pitlane nose to tail. It looked like a battle for
the lead was going to develop but Niarchos pushed on and pulled away
from Hines at a second a lap.
In the GTC Class, Phil Burton was now in charge of the JHM Ferrari and
Bradley Ellis was behind the wheel of the RPM Porsche and reeling in
the lead car. He caught the Ferrari and passed on the inside at Chapman
on Lap 28 to take the class lead. In GT3 Gavan Kershaw was now in the
cockpit of the Lotus Exige and pulling out a very comfortable 40 second
gap to Leo Machitski in the Tech 9 Porsche.
Niarchos was stilling pulling away when fate throug a curve ball in
the form of a safety car, which was deployed so the parked Porsche of
Graeme Mundy could be recovered from the exit of the Tarzan Hairpin.
This didn't take long but this had allowed Hines to close up to the
Ferrari but the little Richmond Racing Ginetta of Richard Hollebon sandwiched
between the two lead cars. As the safety car pulled off and the cars
approached the start line Hollebon attempted to get out of the way but
Hines passed the Ginetta before he had reached the line.
Niarchos had Hines all over the back of his Ferrari as they approached
Deene corner. Hines lunged for the inside, determined to take the lead.
There was contact between the two cars, forcing the Ferrari wide and
allowing Hines to take the lead. Niarchos was able to get back on terms
with the Panoz as the Ferrari was visibly quicker on the infield. Niarchos
attacked at Tarzan, getting right up behind Hines and then again he
got a good run through the Bike Link back onto the Oval. Hines tried
to defend his line, but further contact was made between the two cars,
forcing Niarchos down towards the grass.
Hines maintained his lead but Niarchos was not going to give up and
spent the next 7 laps trying to find a way around the very wide Panoz.
The Rockingham crowd was loving the spectacle of the two cars battling
for the lead but Niarchos was unable to find a way past safely. At the
line it was Hines who took the win on the road, 0.3 seconds ahead of
Chris Niarchos, who was deeply unhappy about the contact between the
two cars during the race.
Scuderia Ecosse filed a protest with the stewards regarding the overtaking
of the Richmond Racing Ginetta under safety car conditions by Luke Hines
and after much deliberation a 1 second penalty was handed down for infringement
of article 3.14.13 of the 2006 British GT regulations. The promoted
the Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari to first place, dropping Hines and Kimber-Smith
to second.
Gavan Kershaw brought the little Lotus Exige home in 3rd overall and
first in GT3, the only other car on the lead lap. Leo Machitski and
Jonathan Cocker were second but happy they had finished ahead of GT3
championship leaders George MacKintosh and Sam Blogg to close the gap.
Bradley Ellis and Alex Mortimer were over the moon with a win in GTC
after the incident in the first race which had robbed them of a podium
finish and further championship points. They finished ahead of Ryan
Hooker and Phil Keen, with third place going to Keith Ahlers and Oliver
Bryant after Bryant drove brilliantly to pass both Jonny Lang and Phil
Burton on the final lap to take the final podium position. One notable
drive was by Phiroze Bilimoria, on his British GT debut, and Nigel Redwood,
who had started in their RPM Porsche 996 in last place after engine
problems in qualifying. They came though to finish 10th overall and
6th in class, just 1 lap behind the lead car.
It is all level now at the top of the GT2 championship table with Mullen,
Niarchos, Kimber-Smith and Hines tied on 45 points with 5 races remaining
in the 2006 GT2 Championship.
In GT3 Sam Blogg and George MacKintosh on 35 points have had their lead
cut to just 4 points with Leo Machitski on 31 points with 3 races remaining.
In GTC Matt Allison and Jonny Lang continue to lead, with Ryan Hooker
6 points behind in 3rd. Another podium has pushed Keith Ahlers and Oliver
Bryant up the table to 4th, 20 points behind the leaders.
The next two rounds are at Brands Hatch on the full Grand Prix circuit
on 25/26 August 2006.
MotionWorks / SRO
See 2006 series calendar for British
GT Championship
Related Story 14.08.2006 - Scuderia
Ecosse Celebrate Sixth British GT Win of 2006 at Rockingham
