Reaching the halfway point of the 2014 season the British GT Championship took itself to the 2.99mile former wartime airbase circuit at Snetterton in Norfolk for what would be Rounds 5 and 6 and the second double-header meeting of the season.

Coming away from the previous round at Silverstone with five Vantage GT3's in the top ten all the aston martin Customer teams were hopeful of similar results from an equally fast circuit. Fingers were  being crossed however as to avoid the torrential rainfall that blighted the meeting twelve months ago.

Coming into qualifying 1 on the Saturday only the MP Motorsport car threatened the top three but they were still over a second behind the pole sitting BMW Z4. Qualifying 2 however was a slightly different story with Beechdean claiming pole with a half second advantage over the chasing pack.

Prior to Race 1 the GT racing family would pay tribute to their fallen competitor with a minute's silence representing the one year anniversary to the day of the tragic loss of Allan Simonsen at Le Mans.

Like many say - "Gone but never forgotten".

Come the race all the Aston Martin GT3's again struggled for pace and weren't able to improve too much on their starting positions. Come the compulsory stops Beechdean was P6, MP Motorsport P7 and both Motorbase cars in P9 & 10 respectively were the pick of the bunch. Back in GT4 the Beechdean duo of Wylie and Giddings were fairing a little better in 5th.

Contact between the Eastwood's Ferrari 458, the MP Motorsport's Vantage and the 888 BMW Z4 would prove controversial at the end. At the chequered flag Mark Poole was to finish in 5th position on track but was to have his result excluded for 'conduct unbecoming' in that collision with the Ferrari together with 4 penalty points added to his race licence. Beyond that John Gaw was the highest placed Aston Martin GT3 finisher in 4th with the Beechdean GT3 close behind in 5th. Better luck was to be had for Aston Martin in GT4 with the #407 Beechdean of Ross Wylie and Jake Giddings finishing again on the podium in P2.



Race 2 was to be equally eventful as the first.

Firstly, whilst MP Motorsports were desperately dealing with a brake issue they missed to the pit lane closing and they would be forced to start from the pit lane and not their qualification position. Following the warm up lap and the green flag chaos was to ensue at Riches with 3 cars being punted off the circuit and heavily into the barriers - red flag.

Cars involved were the #888 BMW of Luke Hines, the #28 Horsepower Racing Vantage of Andy Schulz and the #6 of PGF-Kinfaun and John Gaw all with serious damage but thankfully no injuries being reported to the drivers. Many suggestions state that the cause was an poorly judged move by the Kinfaun car. Also seriously damaged was the armco and tyre wall and that would take the best part of an hour to repair to a satisfactory degree to allow a restart. The misfortune for some was also fortunate for others in allowing MP Motorsport to move back into their original starting position of P9 when the restart finally came about less than an hour before the circuits curfew time. As a result of this the final Ginetta GT5 race would be scrubbed from the timetable such was the delay.

On the restart Jonny Adam was soon able to stretch out a decent lead over the chasing pack of over 14 seconds. Michael Caine wasn't being so fortunate with black and white warning flags being shown to him for exceeding track limits with the now infamous MSV electronic sensors! With Adam being almost the last car to pit Andrew Howard jumped in at the change over to inherit a 14second lead with Paul White in his Strata21 in P3 and Mark Poole back in P7. Back in GT4 things were heating up just as well with Wylie chasing down the leading Ginetta of Adrian Barwick for P1 whilst TF Sport's Andrew Jarman was in P4.

Then things started to get a little 'nervous'. The Beechdean car was initially loosing time hand over fist to Gary Eastwood's Ferrari before Andrew Howard was able to stabilise the gap whilst in GT4 Ross Wylie in the #407 Beechdean received a stop and go penalty for a too short a pit stop - that would destroy their race. Then, having hauled himself up to P2 Andrew Jarman had some sort of incident that left him stranded on circuit without power and tumbling down the order before he was able to set off again.

Moments later Andrew Howard was able to bring the Beechdean GT3 home in first position a comfortable 13seconds ahead of Eastwood in his Ferrari as it turned out but who in turn was only 10 seconds ahead of the #21 Strata 21 pairing of Paul White and Tom Onslow Cole for their first British GT podium finish. Seeing that the #21 wasn't their normal stead I'm just wondering if they would prefer to keep this one whilst theirs is having a well earned rest??



Beechdean now take an 11.5 point lead in GT3 away with them ready for the next round at the Spa Francorchamps circuit in three weeks time. Back in GT4 the Beechdean sister car also takes a 7 point lead over the chasing TF-Sport Vantage of Andrew Jarman and Devon Modell for the third and final double header of the season.

Photo Credits - British GT / Jacob Ebrey

Returning to La Sarthe in 2014 was always going to be a 'challenge' for both Aston Martin Racing and the Young Driver AMR teams. The tragic loss of their team mate Allan Simonsen twelve months ago was still being felt by all and a few would need to face up to their 'demons'.

With the team being adjusted again for 2014 the drivers for the 24Hr were confirmed as Kristian Poulsen,  David Heinemeier-Hannson and Le Mans newcomer Nicki Thiim - the same for the case as for the WEC.

David Heinemeier-Hannson Nicki and Thiim completed the qualifying over the Wednesday and Thursday evenings securing a combined time of 3:55.94 over the 8.5 mile track which was enough for them to secure third in class just one place back (in class) from their sister #98 Am car of Dalla-Lana, Nygaard and Lamy. The drivers did comment afterwards that second had been a possibility had it not been for a softening tyre and subsequent traffic but they were pleased with their position and performance so far that weekend.



Come the end of all the pomp and ceremony that identifies the Le Mans 24Hr as a classic it would be Nicki Thiim who would open the Young Driver's 2014 account.

First lap completed , then the second lap ………..

On third lap the calm, articulate voice of Jonny Palmer broadcasting on the Radio Le Mans audio feed reminded us all that it was at this point in time that Allan Simonsen had his dreadful accident exiting Tetre Rouge suffering injuries from which he would never recover. A great talent was gone but he wasn't about to be forgotten.

Over the course of the first driver stint Thiim was able to climb the running order, chasing down the class leading AF Corse Ferrari before the race's first Safety Car sessions came about due to the rain and carnage ensuing along the Mulsanne Straight.





After a few hours and numerous full service pits stops the race had calmed itself down with leading cars swapping positions after their respective stops. By the 6hour mark the Young Driver car was now second to its sister #98 car but both in comfortable positions respective to their opponents. An AMR 1-2 maybe but still a long way to go.

 Just after midnight the Young Driver car took the class lead.





All seemed to be going well for the team for the next few hours from darkness into light, over the top of midday and into the final hour of the twenty-four. With Kristian Poulsen at the wheel the #95 AMR took a little 'cough' - lost power which required a full electronic reset by the driver on track and a precautionary visit to its garage using up precious amounts of its three lap advantage. Many wondered if fate would deal the #95 another bad hand.

On the stroke of 3pm local and with lumps in our throats, with some 334 laps and 24 hours later Kristian Poulsen took the #95 Aston Martin across the finish line to claim an emotional Amateur class victory at the 2014 24Hours of Le Mans.



"It’s hard to find any words for this and it’s almost impossible to describe our emotion" said Team Principal Jan Struve after the race. "Everybody know’s what we have been through in the past 12 months, how we went through every emotion one can think of. This win is for Allan. Today, he was racing with us and kept his watchful eye on us. A big thank you to the team and our drivers, who made this all happen.“

Photo Credits - Richard Leach / Aston Martin Racing

The all-Danish crewed #95 Young Driver AMR V8 Vantage GTE raced to victory in the GTE Am class at the 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Gulf-liveried car finished two laps ahead of its nearest rival in what was the largest class of the famous endurance race with 15 competitive GT cars.

In contrast to the joy of the Am class victory, the team's race-long challenge with the #97 GTE Pro car finished with bitter disappointment as a power steering leak cost them five laps on track and left them in sixth place.

Aston Martin Racing works drivers Nicki Thiim, Kristian Poulsen and David Heinemeier Hansson will return to Denmark as 24 Hours of Le Mans champions after leading the world’s most famous endurance event for the majority of the race, finishing two laps ahead of their nearest rival.

The GTE Am race win has captured the hearts of millions of fans watching the race around the world as they reflect on the tragic loss of the team’s Danish driver Allan Simonsen here at Le Mans last year.

We have achieved what we were aiming for last year but didn't succeed,” comments Young Driver Team Owner Jan Struve. “We have now fulfilled it and we know that Allan has been cheering for us and smiling down on us and, of course, he has been in our thoughts. This win is extremely important to us and I'm proud of all of the team and drivers. They are all Le Mans winners.”

The #97 GTE and its drivers Darren Turner (GB), Stefan Mücke (DE) and Bruno Senna (BR) showcased a fine display of GT racing, battling it out with the works Ferraris, Porsches and Corvettes in 18-hours of wheel-to-wheel action before a power steering pipe came loose.

“We led the class on and off for the majority of the race,” commented twice-Le Mans GT class-winner and long-standing Aston Martin Racing works driver Darren Turner. “Early on in the race, Corvette showed their pace but the plan was to stay close but out of trouble and to use a triple stint strategy to jump them in the pits. However, the rain came and interrupted our plans and we were left with a new plan – to pick them off one-by-one and take the race lead.

“The Corvettes had troubles and the Porsches dropped back leaving us and the #51 Ferrari swapping places at the front numerous times. We were leading and Bruno was on a charge when the power steering issue brought us into the pits.”

Despite the #97 car’s misfortune, the team didn’t miss out on a Champagne celebration this weekend. The pit crew has won an award for the best technical assistance team and presentation.

“We’ve seen both sides of motor racing this weekend,” comments Team Principal John Gaw. “The #95 team has long deserved this win and there is a real sense of poetic justice. On the other hand, with cars #97 and #99, we have seen how a very small issue can end the race for the teams that have shown they have everything required to win this race, it just didn’t happen on the day.

“The #99 car drivers have tasted the cruelest side but have dealt with it well and have shown real sporting spirit throughout the weekend.

“Now we move on and focus on the second half of the World Endurance Championship and look to take as many points from each round as we can.”

The next FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) round takes place on 20 September 2014 at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

DRIVER QUOTES:

David Heinemeier Hansson - #95
“The key to this race is reliability.  We've not pushed very hard but had a decent pace and made sure nothing bad happened. We had a two-lap lead because we've not been in the pits and that's how you win Le Mans.

“To win is magical. It's my third time here. The first time I tasted leading, the second time I finished second and finally I've stood on the top of the podium.”

Nicki Thiim - #95
“I came here and I didn't know what to expect.  Now I’m sitting here as a Le Mans winner and it is an amazing feeling. It's been a fantastic week… everything has built up gradually to a huge climax.

“It’s the biggest endurance race in the world and the pinnacle of my sport. To be here winning with Aston Martin with such a big history at Le Mans is perfect.”

Darren Turner - #97
“It was an up and down sort of race. At the start, the showers made it difficult to predict what tyres to be on. It’s a shame we had a technical failure that cost us any chance of a podium spot.

“But, Le Mans isn’t supposed to be easy. We’ll come back stronger next year.”

Bruno Senna - #97
“We had great race, which included a very close battle with the Ferrari and Corvette and I'm sure we would have been shooting for the win without the issue. But, that's racing and that's Le Mans.”

Pedro Lamy – #98
“It was not a good race for us in terms of the result but we all drove very well and, other than the small issue, the car was perfect. We go home disheartened but pleased for our friends in the number #95 car. Allan is always with us.”

Craft-Bamboo Racing will make its 24 Hours of Le Mans debut this weekend (14-15 June) as it partners with Aston Martin Racing to run the Interush-liveried #99 V8 Vantage GTE in the highly-competitive GTE Pro class.

The team – a merger between experienced GT racing team Craft Asia and Bamboo Racing, well known for it’s World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) success – made it’s first foray into the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) at the start of this season. The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the centre-piece of the WEC calendar and counts for double points in the championship race.

Darryl O’Young (HK), who first raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans last year, will be joined in the #99 Vantage GTE by Le Mans rookies Fernando Rees (BR) and Alex MacDowell (GB), and the trio is looking to be consistent and reliable in a bid to grab a place on the podium.

Experienced GT racer Darryl O’Young, who finished in second place in the GTE Am class last year commented: “We have a very good crew and I have two great team-mates but we have to realistic that this is a learning year for us as a team. At Le Mans, success is about keeping the car out of the garage and recording consistent lap times so that’s what we are aiming to do.”

Rees, who has raced in the WEC for two years, will make his competitive debut at Le Mans this weekend. Both he and British driver MacDowall completed the ten mandatory rookie testing laps two weeks ago at the official 24 Hours of Le Mans test session.

“Testing went well,” commented MacDowall. “We struggled to match the top speed of some of our competitors because of changes to our balance of performance earlier in the year but the team worked hard to made the necessary adjustments and we’re going into this race with a car we are very happy with.”

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the word’s most famous endurance race and more than 250,000 fans travel to watch the 54 sportscars pound around the 13.6km long Circuit de la Sarthe.

“Racing at Le Mans is the pinnicle of sportscar racing,” commented Rees. “To be racing here is a dream come true and to be doing it in an Aston Martin with such a great team is incredible. I just can’t wait for the start of the race!”

The 24 Hours of Le Mans starts at 1500hrs on Saturday 14 June. Ahead of the race, there is a four-hour practice session on Wednesday at 1600hrs before the first of three qualifying sessions at 2200hrs. Qualifying sessions two and three take place at 1900hrs and 2200hrs on Thursday. Fans can watch the build-up and race on lemans-tv.com and via the Le Mans 24 Hours app (’24 Heures du Mans 2014’).

With all their new drivers having successfully achieved their required 10 lap minimum experience of the Le Sarthe circuit at the Official Test just over a week ago, and now with all the cars having passed scrutineering this afternoon emphasis for Aston Martin Racing now shifts to preparing the cars (and drivers and crew) for the intense track schedule that starts on Wednesday and leads up to the 24Hr race itself that starts in just 5 days time.

This afternoon it was the turn of the AMR to attend the mandatory Pesage or scrutineering located this year within the boiling hot cauldron (from a climatical point of view) that was the Place de la Republique in the old part of Le Mans town.

Unlike many series where this activity is undertaken away from the prying public this very 'public affair' has very much become part of the Le Mans week with crowds many deep awaiting the arrival of their favourites.



Whilst the cars are undergoing their examination to ensure regulatory compliance the drivers themselves were also experiencing a similar process with their own 'paperwork' and equipment coming under the careful scrutiny of the FIA.

Following on from this were the first of many official team/driver/car photo sessions within the town square and in the studio together with interviews galore. Darren Turner and Fernando Rees both share some of their thoughts.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1yyc5a_interview-with-fernando-rees_auto

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1yy8wm_interview-with-darren-turner_auto





With the exception of more corporate/PR activity and some public pit walks in between there is no more official track activity until the first practice session on Wednesday were we should begin to see whether or not the performance break of just 5 extra litres of fuel is sufficient for Aston Martin Racing to take the fight for the Le Mans 24Hr to the Ferrari's and Porsche's.


Photo Credits - WEC/Aston Martin Racing/Craft Bamboo Racing

Craft-Bamboo Racing claimed a podium finish in the GT Asia Series held at the Autopolis International Circuit today. The pairing of Richard Lyons (GBR) and Frank Yu (HKG) in the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 #97, crossed the finish line second during the action filled race which was marred by three formation laps, a Safety Car period and a few incidents.

The team’s car #99, driven by first time GT driver, Tanart Sathienthirakul (THA) and his driver coach, Carlo Van Dam (NED), crossed the finish line a strong fourth.

It is the second podium after the third place finish in Korea and the team is happy with the results of the two cars. “It has been a great start to the season so far with the team finishing on the podium on two separate weekends and we are just getting stronger. The crew have worked well and together the team deserves this strong finish today.

“We have had ups and downs today but the fact that we managed to overcome all the obstacles during the fast paced race, shows how strong we are and it also helps that we had some help from Lady Luck today” said Russell Eeles, Team Manager.

The race started with three formation laps as the cars in the back of the grid could not line up in form before crossing the start finish line. At the third try, the lights went green but Lyons, who started the race from pole, lost two places at the start.

“There were some problems at the start as the cars in the rear couldn’t keep up, so I just maintained a normal pace and when we did start, I did so cautiously so that I don’t get penalised and because of it I lost a couple of positions.”

Lyons dropped to third but was able to maintain his pace to keep up with the race leaders who were battling for the lead whilst behind him, there was a battle for fourth. “It was hard to pass and the Ferrari’s were also fast in the straight line. On lap ten I was faster but we had a miss shift and I couldn’t get the gearbox going again and by then we lost a few more places.”

By the time the Briton got the car going, he was already down to ninth but luck was on his side as the Safety Car was called to clear a stalled Aston Martin that was parked dangerously on the track. This also delayed the pit-stop window and at the restart, as cars pulled in for their stop, Lyons stayed out to gain as much positions as he could before the driver switch. When he stopped to give the car over to Yu, the duo were in fifth.

Meanwhile a little behind Lyons was the car of Van Dam, who was pacing consistently after a great start that saw him claim two places as the lights turned green. The Dutch driver then pushed hard to try and claim fourth but as he got near, the Safety Car was called. “We had a good start, I took Sawa and then kept pursuing the guys ahead to stay with the leaders. There was still a little bit of an understeer but I managed to keep a consistent pace, maintain a gap and consistent laps.

“The Safety Car period was unfortunate for us as we had an eight second added to our pit-stop for new drivers” but at the restart, Van Dam was able to gain one more position before handing the car over to Sathienthirakul.

“Overall I was happy with my stint and when Tanart went out he was in P2 but when I came in at the end of my stint I was P4.”

Yu who took over from Lyons kept on pushing ahead, claiming one position, before two of the lead cars then dropped out of the race, placing the team in second. “We changed tyres at the pit-stop as we knew we had to gain back position. Richard did a good job in his stint. When I came out, I had a bit of a battle with Hiroshi and it was a good race. Overall we had one bad luck and we had two good lucks, so second is a good finish.”

Tomorrow the duo will start the race from seventh with Yu starting the race. “Richard and I have raced together in the past a few times so we know what to do for each other. Tomorrow we have to try hard as I could not get a clear lap in my qualifying and we have to start in seventh” ended Yu.

Sathienthirakul who took over from Van Dam drove a strong and consistent pace throughout his stint. He dropped down two spots but the retirement of the two front running cars pushed him back up to fourth at the end of the race.

It was an impressive outing for him as it is the first GT race for the 21 year old and Van Dam said of the youngster, “Tanart was consistent and managed well to stay in P4, which was not bad. I am quite pleased. I would have liked to be on the podium but fourth was a good start. Tomorrow we will try to find more pace and try to get on the podium.”

After the race, Sathienthirakul was happy with the results, “I think we did quite a good job, I’m new to pit-stops and I think I wasted a little bit of time there when they released me from the pit. As I went out, I was stuck behind two cars and that time wasted at the pits made a difference as I think I would have been able to fight for third after the car ahead spun in front of me, but there was nothing I can do as I was struggling for grip by then.

“Tomorrow we are starting on new tyres and I feel okay with the rolling start, its just like karting” he ended.

Craft-Bamboo Racing will return to the circuit for round four of the GT Asia Series on Sunday, 1st June at 10:30 JST.