Whoever write the scripts for the British GT Championship most definitely has a career in Tinseltown awaiting them, as, for the third year running, the title went down to the wire at Donington Park with another dramatic and unpredictable race.
For Marco Attard, an engine change after Warm-Up for the #79 Ecurie Ecosse BMW Z4 was followed by an early retirement (this time gearbox related) and then an agonising wait to see how the race would unfold before discovering whether he would be the champion. Only the #4 Oman Racing Aston Martin of Ahmad al Harthy and Michael Caine could prevent this from happening, and then only if they won the race; and both drivers drove their hearts out in their attempts to achieve this result. They led for more than three-quarters of the two-hour duration before Phil Keen finally overcame Caine’s resistance to take his and Jon Minshaw’s third win of the year in the #63 Trackspeed Porsche; a just reward after fine drives and especially after their Brands Hatch heartache.
Ollie Hancock and Gary Eastwood ran the Demon Tweeks 997 close to finish a strong second in the #18 FF Corse Ferrari, while Matt Bell drove a fabulous stint to take third in the #23 United Autosports Audi; in the process sending off Mark Patterson into retirement with another trophy.
But while it wasn’t how he wanted to achieve it, Marco Attard had done enough in the previous races to ensure that he became the 2014 British GT Champion; a fully deserved accolade after an excellent season.
Nothing less than a win for the TF Sport Aston Martin would wrestle the GT4 Championship from the grasp of the Beechdean crew of Jake Giddings and Ross Wylie going into its two hour final round. But although this concluded in favour of the championship leaders, the fight was not without drama in a thrilling conclusion to a year that has seen British GT4 elevated to a new plateau.
Oz Yusuf stormed into an early lead from pole before a spin and a premature pit call due to a faulty electrical connection spoiled an otherwise purposeful weekend. This left the race open for the main championship contenders, the white #49 TF Sport Aston Martin taking the race by the scruff of the neck and setting the pace to lead and trade times with the Beechdean Aston Martin championship favourite.
As Rick Parfitt Jnr’s Century Ginetta finally found form and took the #42 Ginetta to third before the pitstops, it was team mate Aleksander Schjerpen in the# 43 car that would benefit from the time penalties of the leading Aston Martins to assume a healthy lead after the driver changes. More tough luck befell the #42 car which would have resumed with a strong lead had its pit lane limiter not stuck on, losing a vital advantage. This though would not prove critical.
Morten Dons would later retire the #43 car from its lead, handing the scrap back to the Astons and the charging Tom Oliphant in the faster sister Ginetta. A late splash and dash for the #407 Beechdean Aston would throw a late element of excitement to the race, the car dropping back to fifth in the process, but this was enough to take the GT4 driver’s title. Under pressure, a late spin by Devon Modell undid any remaining slim chance of the title, handing an overdue race win to the Parfitt / Oliphant Ginetta.
A steady, uncomplicated run delivered third for the Team Twisted Parker Ginetta of Bradley Ellis and Adrian Barwick.
Full reports to follow on DSC.
MH/ML
