Aston Martin runners do themselves proud in another eventful race

After the shinanagans of Race 1 earlier today, all four entries from TeamAMR did themselves proud during the second race of the European GT4 Series Northern Cup event at Brands Hatch today.

With the second, "more able" driver starting the second race of the meeting that would see Matt Nichol Jones take the start in his #62 Vantage GT4, the colourfully liveried #007 of Street Art Racing's Denis Dupont starting P12 whilst Quantamatic Racings Mike Hart would start P20.

Despite some determined efforts by some all at least managed to make it around the first lap without spinning or crashing before the 30 car field began to spread out but just before the 20 minute mark the first Safety Car was deployed due to Porsche team mates clashing coming into Clearways. At least for all the Aston Martin entries positive progress was being made up the timing and scoring board.


Having lost ten minutes of racing to that incident the race itself would resumed straight into the opening of the pit window. Will Moore had just taken over the #62 car and had just rejoined the track when it had a major moment with a McLaren going into Hawthorn Bend but at least this time he kept it out of the gravel.

Moments later and with several cars spun off around the circuit the second Safety Car period was set.

Indeed a third further Safety car intervention period would wind things up for 8 minute dash to the line with the #62 soon snatching P3 from the #10 MacLaren, the cart that so nearly put the car into the gravel just after the pit stop. Further more Dave Robinson was also up to the rear wing of the #10 as he chased the sister Academy Motorsport prepared car for the final step on the podium.


Then came a point where you would have to question driving standards of some as the #10 McLaren again made contact with the rear of the #62 causing an instantaneous puncture just after Druids but even before Moore could limp his way back a number of other cars had crashed out around the circuit forcing Race Control to through a red flag with just over 3 minutes still remaining in the clock.

Fortunately for Academy Motorsport,  the count back to the last green flag lap restored their P3 podium position to them with their antagonists in the #11 McLaren behind them in fourth and the #61 Quantamatic car in fifth. Further back the #007 Street Art Racing car would be classified as P7 with the #144 Generation AMR in P10.


Later the #10 McLaren would be awarded a post race time penalty for the avoidable contact with the #62 towards the end of the race. That would as a result elevate the #61 car of Dave Robinson and Mike Hart up to P4 and everyone else behind them up one place.

Again, the European GT4 Series proves itself to be a very competitive series but just maybe driving standards need looking at to prevent further rounds from being blighted with repetitive Safety Cars periods. The next round for the Northern cup is at the Red Bull Ring in Austria in mid June.

Photo credits - European GT4