Recovery drive from Quinn ends and a recovery battle for Bailey begins after opening race weekend in Australia (UPDATED)
Sunday, March 14, 2021
One of those missing from today’s timetable was the #38 Red Bull liveried V12 Aston Martin Racing Vantage GT3 of Michael Bailey after his heavy off into the tyre wall in the opening race laps of yesterday. Despite the chassis remaining true and in line, damage to various panels on the car forced him to retire the car overnight and begin the hunt for replacement parts in time for the next round of the series at Mount Panorama.
That left Tony Quinn aboard his new specification AMR factory coloured AMR Vantage GT3 in which he Qualified his car P8 overall and on pole in his Am Class amongst the fifteen other runners.
After the torrential rains of yesterday, Sunday’s race was left to run under clear blue skies and sunshine around the coastal circuit with this race being a performance managed hour-long affair with additional time success penalties being applied to the top three cars in each class at the mandatory pit window.
The #51 Lamborghini was again Quinn’s main contender in class and a good battle ensued up to the first Safety Car period for a gravel trap stranded Audi but as the field approached the pit stop window, Quinn was running as high as P9 overall and P2 in class.
Running as a solo driver again, Quinn still had to serve his 96 second plus 15 second success penalty at his stop and because of this came out towards the rear of the remaining field in P11 overall. Picking up a few places, his hard work was soon unravelled with a Drive Through Penalty for exceeding pit lane speed limit at his stop.
With another few wild minutes in the final laps of the race and with a few more Audi’s finding the gravel, Quinn would eventually catch and indeed pass the #51 Lambo for position to claim P10 overall and P2 in Am.
The series now moves onto Bathurst and Mount Panorama in just two week’s time.
UPDATE
Great news received from the team earlier today as they confirm the sourcing of replacement body panels to replace those destroyed in Saturdays accident at Phillip Island. Apparently, V12 AMR Vantage collector Alex Lienau again comes up trumps and will supply the team what is needed in time for the second round of the Series at Bathurst in less than two weeks time
Photo credits – GTWCA / Teams
Photo credits – GTWCA / Teams