Not exactly according to script for R-Motorsport in Barcelona

For too long have we been without any AMR representation in the 24H Series so far this year so it was great to see one of R-Motorsports beefy V12 Vantage GT3's take to the grid for the twenty four hour slog around the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona at the weekend.

With the distinctly liveried grey and blue liveried car more accustomed to the competitive grid of the Blancpain GT Series, team boss Andreas Baenziger took a more than abled band of drivers with him to Spain for what was to their first experience of the Creventic style of racing.

Starting the race from the second row of the grid, the #620 A6-Am Class car looked to be in good stead for a decent race against more seasoned 24H Series competitors with its driving line up including seasoned VLN/N24 drivers in Markus Lungstrass and Peter Leemhuis joining Blancpain GT driver Jake Dennis. Featuring in the Am class was certainly no indicator to a lesser, inexperienced line up with a very strong and proficient Arden team working on the car to boot.


Early conflict for the car whilst Jake Dennis was at the wheel lead to significant time delay whilst the team replaced the front splitter and under tray but the team soon about trying to reclaim those laps lost to the class competitors and they inputted good steady laps by the time the race entered the night only for Dennis to claim the fastest lap of the race in total darkness!

Watching an interview with Baenziger from the pit lane it was hard for him to remove the smile of enjoyment from his face despite the early issues and when asked about what he thought of the format and style of racing - well we already know that the R-Motorsport team will be back for more with the Series at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas later in the season so that does already tell a tale.


Unfortunately for the team, and involving Dennis again, it appears that the car suffered from a broken exhaust (damage or fatigue it is not yet known) that, for one thing lost them more time in the garage bit more importantly lead to Dennis being admitted to hospital for observation after inhaling an amount of carbon monoxide from the exhaust fault in a kind of similar incident to what George Miedecke experienced at Bathurst a couple of years ago.


After all what happened on track, the #620 car finished a very credible P17 overall (albeit last in class) just 67 laps down to the overall leader so as a learning experience it was job done!

Already at home after his visit to hospital, Dennis is already on the mend looking forward to his return to Barcelona later this month for the finale of the Blancpain GT Series which is good news!

Photo credits - 24H / driver social media