Marcus Clutton was the fastest driver in yesterday’s British GT Championship’s Media Day at a dry and sunlit Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit.
He set a lap time of 1:57.972 in the #67 Orange Racing by JMH McLaren GT3 Evo during the third and final test session of the day.
The day saw three hours and 40 minutes of testing to officially commence the 34th annual season of British GT racing.
Despite the track time across the morning, early and late afternoon, there were only two forms of disruption.
First and foremost, in Session 1, Charles Clark’s #44 Century Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 Evo suffered an oil leak, caused by an oil filler cap that wasn’t seated correctly. It returned to track without further issue.
In Session 2, the #78 Barwell Motorsport Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2, with Jarrod Waberski at the wheel, experienced a brake disc issue and was returned via a flatbed pickup truck. The #78 also continued running after quickly resolving the problem.
Barwell claimed the second and third fastest lap times since the #63 Lamborghini of Hugo Cook drove a 1:58.002 in Session 2, and Waberski’s 1:58.278 in Session 3.
Optimum Motorsport’s #77 McLaren was fourth quickest in the combined order, owed to former Woking factory driver Ben Barnicoat’s 1:58.684.
Reigning GT3 Teams’ champion 2 Seas Motorsport took fifth with its #15 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo driver Aaron Walker, who set a 1:58.793 in the final session.
Looking to the GT4 field, MKH Racing’s #21 Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 Evo topped the 11-strong category.
The GT4 Silver entrant, driven by Will Orton, set a 2:10.343, followed by another Aston Martin of GBR Stratton, whose #97 driver and former BTCC driver, Ronan Pearson, completed a 2:10.377 (Session 3).
West Surrey Racing’s #61 BMW M4 GT4 Evo took third after four-time BTCC champion Colin Turkington carried out a 2:10.457 in the final session as well.
Optimum Motorsport’s #59 McLaren Artura GT4 claimed fourth in the GT4 order when reigning GT4 Silver champion Luca Hopkinson put a 2:10.497 lap time on the board.
Grange Racing by FSR closed out the top five in GT4, with Aston Martin factory driver Darren Turner’s 2:10.586 set in the opening session.
Image courtesy of SRO
