Secure Racing: Brands Hatch Race Report

Secure Racing, the motorsport team powered by the IT security industry, outperformed all expectations to grab fifth place in its first race at Brands Hatch on June 19th. Amongst a competitive starting grid and against some of the worst weather conditions known to man driver Peter Erceg and Chris Holmes kept the Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT4 nailed to the track to bring home a well deserved fifth place.

Pressure was building from early on Sunday morning as the grandstands began to fill and the Secure Racing pit garage buzzed with more than 60 people, including leading professionals from companies such as PWC, Visa, Legal and General and Reuters, all battling to get their first glimpse of the car and drivers they had come to cheer on. Guests experienced a full day of VIP treatment exploring GT4 racing up close and personal. Tours of the car by Erceg and Holmes, a walkthrough of all the cars on the starting, perfect viewing from the Securing Racing hospitality suite, and the unveiling of a cipher challenge on the back of the Aston all made for a real occasion for Secure Racing’s first competitive drive.

With torrential rain an hour before the start, Erceg knew he was going to have to work hard to keep the 1600kg Aston on the tarmac. And keep it nailed he did – through bright sunshine and yet more downpours Erceg kept position increasing his lap times at every stage of the first hour of racing. His best lap of the day – a 1.38.53 was simply outstanding given the hellish conditions thrown at him on track. And as the sun shone through the clouds Holmes took to the wheel and etched up increasingly faster times as the track dried and the Aston came good. Flying round the track Holmes chipped away at the leading Lotuses and KTMs ending up with a best time of 1.35.56 – matching the race leaders’ times consistently by the time the final lap came around. Holding strongly onto 6th place Holmes remembered the golden rule of endurance racing – to have a chance of finishing first, first you have to finish. Something race leader Phil Glew in the Lotus Evora clearly forgot as he speared off at the final corner pushing Secure Racing into 5th place as the chequered flag fell.

“It was difficult conditions out there for sure,” said Erceg after the race. “But we kept the car on the island and that’s the main thing. A good finish in our first GT4 race of the season in our first competitive drive is fantastic so we’re all pretty pleased.”

Holmes saw the first success as simply the start. “The aim of the weekend was to finish the race but by the closing stages we were right on the front runners and that is extremely promising. I know we can get faster and we have to look forward to the next round and see how we can get that pace going from lap one.”

Secure Racing