Hexis AMR: Silverstone race report

HEXIS AMR combined a dual program at Silverstone, with the second round of the FIA World Championship GT1 and the opening of the European season in FIA GT3. But the team was rewarded for its efforts, combining a podium in GT3, a front row start and a win in the qualifying race of "GT1 World, and a first podium for the Aston Martin DB9 No. 9 Thomas Accary and Frédéric Makowiecki.

FIA GT1 World Championship

In the qualifying, the tone is set. Jonathan Hirschi and Fred Makowiecki pass unhindered through "Q1", the first meeting that eliminates the slowest seven cars to keep only six. Then Clivio Piccione Set the fastest time of the "Q2", while the eighth time of Thomas Accary is enough for two cars the team reach the final stage of Q3.

This final session drew the first four rows of the grid for the qualifying race. The team has optimized the set-up of the car after the Q1, and Fred Mako held the best time for much of the session. He is dethroned in the last moments by the Aston Martin AMR Young Driver Darren Turner. As with Abu Dhabi, but under more rewarding, an Aston Martin HEXIS AMR soar in first line late Saturday afternoon! With a different strategy in the management of tires, Jonathan Hirschi hoisted the car to an excellent sixth place on the grid.

Who would have bet on a double podium so early in the season? Stepping in at short notice for Jean-Denis Deletraz, Thomas Accary discovered piloting a GT1 directly at Silverstone, while participating alongside the championship event of FIA European GT3. Yet it retains the second place at the start of the qualifying race, and resists the Maserati which took the FIA GT Champion title last year. He then increased the pace to break away from his pursuer. The penalty imposed on Enge for cutting the white line at the entrance to the pitlane propelled the No. 9, to the head of the race. Fred Makowiecki do let go and take it with 3''5 ahead? the No. 10! Clivio Piccione and Jonathan Hirschi have achieved a perfect score while also returning to complete the first double of HEXIS AMR highest level of world GT racing.

We will therefore, not one but two Aston Martin AMR HEXIS on the front row first of the championship race! Initially, the absence of instructions between the two teams is highlighted by the takeover of Jonathan Hirschi. But at the end of the second round, Fred Mako resumed his lead and escapes. On his last lap Jonathan is suffers a puncture. This drops him from the 2nd to 9th place just before passing the wheel to Clivio who starts again 16th.

Meanwhile, Thomas Accary took over Fred's lead of the race, with a former Formula 1 driver in his mirrors, in second, a little further. But the 24th of 28 laps, Thomas must serve a drive through for having started the engine before the car is resting on the ground during the pitstop. It passes the finish line in second position, before being dragged to an additional penalty of 15 seconds. Due to a radio problem, it has not approved in time order to go through the pits to serve his penalty. Thomas and Fred are therefore left 3rd, before learning the exclusion of the Aston Martin AMR Young Driver of the winners for non-compliance technique. Therefore, they get their 2nd place, subject to call. But one thing seems certain at the time of writing: HEXIS AMR has indeed dropped, from his second attempt, his first podium in the FIA GT1 World Championship! In addition, the points scored in both races allow the team to point to 3rd place in the standings, while Fred and Thomas 2nd in pilots.

FIA GT3 European Championship

This year, the French team is the only representative of Aston Martin in the discipline. The best time established by Mako in the first practice session bodes well for the weekend, but in the first qualifying session, both cars must be content with 14th and 19th time. The first race will be equally difficult, with concerns fuel pressure that confine the No. 2 in 13th position, and a hook that eliminates the entry No. 1.

Fortunately, the race 2 will help raise the fleet GT3 team at the height of his cousins GT1. At the cost of a part of the night, the technicians of the team managed to solve the problem of No. 2. Thomas and Luc Paillard Accary thank them by placing points 7th place. Luke merit kudos especially because, like Thomas in GT1, he quickly took the measure of the Aston Martin GT3 without pre-testing, and showed a fine attacking temperament.

4th Party, Mako fights like a devil in the top 5, before handing over to Manu Rodrigues. The Franco-Portuguese double a Ford GT Stowe (connoisseurs will appreciate), sees a Porsche out, slow down and take a Ferrari head! Manu can not resist the Corvette that had dominated the early running, but he does not waver and crossed the line to a flawless second spot.

Reactions

Clement Mateu: "It can only be satisfied even if we could have a little more of our competitive advantage on this circuit, a few kilometers from the workshops of Aston Martin Racing. We have garnered a lot of points in GT1, and we're still down in GT3, despite a balance of performance clearly more favorable to other manufacturers. "

Philippe Dumas: "The small errors that cost us the Tourist Trophy did not detract from our fantastic week-end. Our small team has done wonders. We have not encountered problems in GT1, I am pleased with all our pilots and crew who did a great job. "