Fox Motorsport Ginetta driver Jamie Stanley was one of several GT4 drivers we spoke to during the practice and qualifying sessions for the Snetterton round of the British GT championship who was fairly animated regarding alleged driving standards of GT3 drivers. Without prejudice, the speed differentials and code of conduct in traffic has clearly become a topic of some concern around the paddock.
“This will sound like a moan, but it’s getting really frustrating out there for us. This is a small team that has only run a Lotus in a smaller championship previously and is committed to stepping up its operation in a proper series. GT4 offers a great platform to develop our racing and, to be fair, the series needs the GT4 entrants too. Moving up to this is a big deal for this team and it is doing really well, but it’s learning the hard way.
“We have a small window in qualifying to sort and qualify our car and some of the GT3 driving is quite honestly pretty awful. You can get caught out so easily, or you’re trying to get out of someone else’s way, and it can ruin your session through no fault of your own. We’re close to the Academy Ginetta, which we think is not too bad considering where we’ve come from, but we want to be able to push and improve without unnecessary risk. Here, it’s hard enough, but at Brands for example some of the situations we’re finding ourselves in could be very dangerous indeed.
“I was going for an early lap time because we are running the same tyres as we used at Silverstone: we don’t have the budget to be using new rubber every time we qualify. Paul (McNeilly) is improving well, but the closing speeds and lack of discipline of the GT3s, particularly in this short qualifying slot, are not helping – you’re looking in your mirrors the whole time wondering what to do. At the driver briefings we are told to maintain our line and let the GT3s find their way by. They have enough power to get past us comfortably on the straights, but can’t wait in qualifying and go for impossible moves.
“There is so much scope for damage, or worse. For which reason there are a few of us considering approaching the organisers to suggest a separate qualifying session for GT4. It works in WEC, for example, and wouldn’t take up much track time, but would give an honest, fair and frankly safer outcome for the class, which is run on tight budgets where things can be easily ruined.
“Endurance racing needs the class competition – it’s part of the challenge and you have to accept and adapt your race craft to suit. But the qualifying situation is becoming too dangerous.”
ML
