Aston and TVR power on at Silverstone
GT racing was at its best last weekend
Stunning images courtesy of Darran Shepherd |
More pictures on Darran's Web site |
Pedro Lamy and Peter Kox, driving the new Aston Martin DBR9, were declared winners of the Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy at the British round of the FIA GT Championship on Sunday at Silverstone. Lamy and Kox’s car finished 1.9 seconds ahead of the team's second DBR9, driven by David Brabham and Darren Turner, after a breathtaking final stint during which the two cars battled for the lead, all the while being chased down by the Vitaphone Racing Team Maserati MC 12 of Babini and Biagi.
Following in the tyre tracks of many of motor sport’s greats, including Caracciola, Nuvolari, Stirling Moss, Graham Hill, Denny Hulme, Innes Ireland, Andrea de Adamich and Derek Bell, Lamy and Kox continued Aston Martin’s association with the Tourist Trophy in what proved to be a thrilling race, with Maserati fighting hard right to the last lap to take first place.
Aston Martin has won the Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy three times since it was launched in 1905. In 1953, an Aston Martin DB3S was driven by Peter Collins and Pat Griffith to take the title. And Stirling Moss drove to success at Goodwood in the DBR1 in 1958 and 1959.
In the GT2 class, the third placed team was Team LNT, giving the TVR its first-ever FIA GT podium finish. "It was a good weekend. The boys worked a lot, so it is nice to go home with a trophy" said driver Jonny Kane. "This weekend was quite last-minute and mostly a test session. Third is a very good result for us." said Jonny Kane.
Top eight (GT1)
POS | NO | CL | DRIVERS | NAT | CAR | TIME | LAPS | GAP | KPH | BEST |
1 | 29 | GT1 | Kox/Lamy | Aston Martin | Aston Martin DBR9 | 3:00:28.713 | 134 | 161.28 | 1:17.820 | |
2 | 28 | GT1 | Brabham/ Turner |
Aston Martin | Aston Martin DBR9 | 3:00:30.650 | 134 | 1.937 | 161.25 | 1:17.490 |
3 | 10 | GT1 | Babini/Biagi | Vitaphone | Maserati MC12 GT1 | 3:00:39.791 | 134 | 11.078 | 161.11 | 1:17.524 |
4 | 15 | GT1 | Bertolini/ Wendlinger |
JMB Racing | Maserati MC12 GT1 | 3:00:30.929 | 133 | 1 LAP | 160.04 | 1:18.310 |
5 | 9 | GT1 | Bartels/ Scheider |
Vitaphone | Maserati MC12 GT1 | 3:01:10.001 | 133 | 1 LAP | 159.47 | 1:18.294 |
6 | 11 | GT1 | Gardel/Gollin | Larbre Competiton | Ferrari 550 Maranello | 3:01:10.401 | 133 | 1 LAP | 159.46 | 1:18.209 |
7 | 2 | GT1 | Deletraz/Piccini | GPC Sport | Ferrari 575 Maranello GTC | 3:00:56.396 | 132 | 2 LAPS | 158.46 | 1:19.264 |
8 | 16 | GT1 | Peter/Buncombe/ Rusinov |
JMB Racing | Maserati MC12 GT1 | 3:01:08.779 | 132 | 2 LAPS | 158.28 | 1:18.170 |
Top eight (GT/GT2)
1 | 66 | GT2 | Lieb/Rockenfeller | Gruppe M | Porsche 996 GT3 RSR | 3:01:25.835 | 129 | 5 LAPS | 154.44 | 1:21.483 |
2 | 101 | G2 | Balfe/Derbyshire | Balfe | Mosler MT900R | 3:01:48.668 | 126 | 8 LAPS | 150.54 | 1:22.243 |
3 | 55 | GT2 | Collins/ Cunningham |
Embassy | Porsche 996 GT3 RSR | 3:01:55.098 | 125 | 9 LAPS | 149.25 | 1:23.454 |
4 | 80 | GT2 | Tomlinson/Kane | LNT | TVR T400 | 3:01:30.160 | 124 | 10 LAPS | 148.40 | 1:23.258 |
5 | 102 | G2 | Keen/Taylor | Taylor | Mosler MT900R | 3:00:30.425 | 122 | 12 LAPS | 146.81 | 1:23.300 |
6 | 86 | GT2 | Rosa/Drudi | GPC | Ferrari 360 Modena | 3:00:43.701 | 122 | 12 LAPS | 146.63 | 1:24.093 |
7 | 69 | GT2 | Ried/Ried | Proton | Porsche 996 GT3 RSR | 3:01:37.536 | 121 | 13 LAPS | 144.71 | 1:25.148 |
8 | 88 | GT2 | Collard/Sugden | Gruppe M | Porsche 996 GT3 RSR | 3:01:47.033 | 121 | 13 LAPS | 144.59 | 1:21.787 |
Tim Keown, Chairman of the Royal Automobile Club said, “The British round of the FIA GT Championship certainly fulfilled all our expectations in providing a perfect setting for the return of the Tourist Trophy in its centenary year. The Tourist Trophy is now, we believe, firmly back in the modern motor sports calendar and this weekend’s event certainly bodes well for us continuing to be associated with the FIA GT Championship for the Trophy in 2006 and beyond.
LNT showed a great performance again too. What a shame that the ACO doesn't recognise this. Does anybody know why they only entered one car ?
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