Silverstone Festival delivers rewards for multiple AMR classes in Masters Series
Aston Martin Racing from across the ages and classes was also well represented at the weekend a literally hundreds of vintage and classic race cars descended upon Silverstone for what is now known as the Silverstone Festival.
Spread over the three days of last weekend, those who either attended the event or watched its live stream would have been blessed with the sights and indeed sounds of cars like the Lola Aston Martin DBR1-2, Vantage GT2, Vantage GT3 and Vantage GT4’s that competed within either the master’s endurance Legends or Master’s GT Trophy rounds.
Historic racer, Christophe D’Asembourg was throwing his Lola Aston martin about again, finishing P5 overall and second in class during race 1 of the Endurance Legends before an improved P3 overall and P1 in class for race 2.
Also within that race was the #12 AMR Vantage GT3 of Guenther Alth as well as the new #19 Blackthorn AMR Vantage GT3 (not quite sure how that qualified as being a ‘legend’ considering the car is next to brand new this year?) for which drivers Claude Bovet and David McDonald won their G2/GT3 class during race 1 on Saturday.
In a weekend otherwise short of AMR success within the more up to date realms of current motorsport, the Paul Whight and Alistair MacKinnon driven AMR Vantage GT2 secured an INV class win in P5 overall at the end of their two-hour race with the #33 Vantage GT4 of Dale Albutt stepping in for his father and powering his way to a class win as well.
Photo credits (where known) - Masters Series
Tuesday, August 29, 2023 |
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Team Brit come out on top again after second round of the British Endurance Championship from Oulton Park
Unlike the opening round of the new for 2022 season at Silverstone, the twists and turns of the MSV circuit were to prove expectedly difficult for the #6 Venture Innovations Aston Martin Vulcan of Gleb Stepanov and Stephen Tomkins. In contrast, the three more nimbler Aston Martin Racing Vantage GT4’s of the Team Brit and T7 Motorsport were to be the favoured cars from the marque by the end of this two-hour race.
Losing time due to an earlier incident within the BEC, it was to be a delayed start to the race with the Vulcan still having Qualified in P2 overall and with the #50 T7 Motorsport AMR Vantage GT4 of Peter Montague and Stuart Hall claiming pole position in their Class D car. The last time class winning Team Brit AMR Vantage GT4 of Luke Pound and Andy Tucker claimed P5 in class just ahead of their team’s sister car, that of Mark and Dale Albutt in their #33 Aston.
At the start, Stepanov lost places hand over fist as he gave those chasing him a wide berth around the opening corners – rightly protecting his multi-million-pound car against the ravishes of panel damage for only slight gains on track.
Luke pound also soon removed the class lead from Montague in his #50 car and set about extending his lead with Albutt Snr doing likewise soon after.
With this time two compulsory pit stop and driver changes required, Montague elected to get one of these over with early swapping over to his ex-AMR factory co-driver to lead the chase during the middle stint of the race.
At the halfway stage, the #6 Vulcan was suffering from technical issues after an earlier off-track excursion for Tomkins and that would put paid to their efforts for the remainder of the race as the orange Vulcan would eventually finish down in P12 overall but still P3 in class.
Unlike the 1-2 of Silverstone for the #68 and #50 Vantage GT4’s, the Team Brit crew would be unable to hang onto their class lead during the final stages of the race to ultimately finish P9 overall and P2 in class. Whilst the #50 car would finish just ahead of the Albutt car in P4 in class, the father/son combo aboard the #33 would this time have a much better race to end their day in P5 in class.
The next round will be at Snetterton in just over five weeks’ time.
Photo credits – Steve Jackman (Eat my Pixels)
Sunday, April 03, 2022 |
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Aston Martin runners looking for some more of the same as the British Endurance Championship resumes at Oulton Park
This Saturday sees the second round of the new for 2022 British Endurance Championship takes place from Oulton Park after a rather success opening round of the season for the Aston Martin runners down at Silverstone three weeks ago.
Last time out around the full Grand Prix circuit of Silverstone, it was a podium success for all but one of the Aston Martin runners as Gleb Stepanov and Stephen Tomkins secured top honours with a second placed finish overall in their #6 Aston Martin Vulcan whilst a post-race time penalty affected the results for two of the three AMR Vantage GT4 runners with Team Brit’s #68 car of Andrew Tucker and Luke Pound stealing the class win from #50 car of Peter Montague and Stuart Hall who had crossed the line ahead of them during the race.
Looking to make amends for their early error at Silverstone however will be the Team Brit prepared AMR Vantage of Dale and Mark Albutt who after taking avoiding action on lap 2, spun and then being stuck on the wet grass along the Wellington Straight which put them laps down by the time that they were able to resume.
Silverstone to Oulton Park – two wholly different circuits of course which will probably hinder the characteristics of the AM Vulcan with Stepanov telling us that his Vulcan had been reduced in weight over the winter and is pretty close to the performance of another GT3 anyway (although it doesn’t run to any true homologation) with it now running on 18” wheels as well but with its V12 engine all powerful along a straight, it was the corner exit speed that would be the determining factor for them at Oulton Park.
Like the handicap system that the Britcar Series work to and from where the BEC originated in form, the last result has the #68 Team Brit placed in P4 overall and Montague/Halls T7 Motorsport AMR Vantage GT4 in P6 going into Saturday’s three-hour race.
Photo credits – Steve Jackman
Thursday, March 31, 2022 |
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Triple Aston Martin podium at opening round of new British endurance Championship
The #6 Venture Innovation Aston Martin Vulcan of Gleb Stepanov and Stephen Tompkins was the highest of the four after Qualifying, finishing P3 overall and P1 in it’s a Class ahead of an early Saturday afternoon start.
The T7 Motorsport Aston Martin Racing V8 Vantage GT4 of Peter Montague and Stuart Hall also fared well during the earlier 30-minute session finishing up P15 overall/P1 in its class with the #33 Infinity Racing with Team Brit AMR of Dale and Mark Albutt not too far behind in P22/P3. GT race debutants Luke Pound and Andy Tucker completed the quartet bringing home their Team Brit Vantage GT4 P23/P4 ahead of the race.
Fortunately avoiding the scattered rain showers that affected their test day at the circuit on Friday, Saturdays opening round would be run on a dry track but with still a stiff breeze blowing across the former wartime airfield circuit.
With Stepanov taking the start within his now brightly coloured AM Vulcan, he would briefly take the lead of the race overall after a calculated move down the inside into Stowe on the opening lap but by the end of that lap, but he would have to settle for P2 overall for the remainder of his stint. Come the chequered flag, Tomkins will have driven a stellar two-hour race to recover back from P8 overall after their first stop to eventually finish P2 overall and in class but a full lap down to the eventual winners.
The #33 AMR of Mark and Dale Albutt would however have a torrid start to the race with Albutt Snr spinning out coming onto the Wellington Straight on only the second lap, bringing out the Safety Car in the process but fortunately being able to continue apparently further unaffected for the remainder of the race. They would finish the race P5 in class albeit six laps down to their stablemates ahead.
The old and new versions of the AMR Vantage GT4 of T7 Motorsport and Team Brit would have a fantastic battle together, jockeying for position relative to one another as the driver stops and mandatory pit stops cycled through.
Despite the age differences between cars as well the physical abilities of the drivers behind the wheel, the Team Brit Aston of Andy Tucker was able to keep former AMR works driver Stuart Hall ‘honest’ and firmly stuck behind him before Hall’s ultimate ability eventually allowed him passed, building a large gap until the chequered flag.
Unfortunately for the #50 T7 Motorsport team however, two pit lane speed limit transgressions gave them a 42 second post-race penalty and with only 39 seconds between the #50 and the #68 Team Brit car behind at the flag – that gave the class win to the #68 car at the first time of asking with the #50 car crew graciously accepting a race defeat with a P2 finish instead.
The next round of the Championship is at Oulton Park on April 2nd.
Photo credits – BEC / Steve Jackman
Sunday, March 13, 2022 |
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The British Endurance Championship kicks off its new season at Silverstone tomorrow
Ran by the same team behind the more familiar named Britcar Championship, the new BEC Championship will host a six-round calendar for their multi-class grid which this weekend comprises of a thirty-two car field spread across six classes and range (as far as we are concerned) from an older, normally aspirated Aston Martin Vantage GT4 to an Aston Martin Vulcan.
Four Aston Martins have been confirmed for the Silverstone round with the Venture Innovations AM Vulcan of Gleb Stepanov and Stephen Tomkins headlining in Class A whilst T7 Motorsport debut their new AMR Vantage GT4 in Class D for drivers Peter Montague and Stuart Hall.
Team Brit return for another year with a redressed GT4 for their new driver pairing of Andrew Tucker and Luke Pond within their #68 car and also with series returnees Mark and Dale Albutt aboard their Team Brit prepared #33 Vantage GT4.
After testing today, the new Championship will have a further Free Practice and Qualifying session tomorrow morning ahead of a three-hour race in the afternoon.
Photo credits – Steve Jackman (Eat my Pixels)
Friday, March 11, 2022 |
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Team Brit AMR sign off their Britcar endurance campaign with another podium
Team Brit finished off their 2021 Britcar Endurance Championship in style at the weekend by claiming one final podium of the year by the end of Saturday’s final race of the season at Donington Park.
Eventually finishing third in race two, that and their P6 in class from race 1 left the #68 crew of Aaron Morgan and Bobby Trundley fourth overall in the Endurance Championship and third in class. They could rightly look back onto a season of ‘what might have been’ for the normally aspirated Aston Martin Racing V8 Vantage GT4 crew after those races where they either finish upon the podium or they didn’t really finish at all as they missed the E4 Class title by just nine points.
They were joined at Donington by both the part time Britcar entry from the Triple M Automotive team and their AMR Vantage GT4 for Dale and Mark Albutt who concluded their season with an improving P8 and P6 in class over the final day of racing.
Gleb Stepanov’s Aston Martin Vulcan was also in attendance with the series again although they were not a quick as we would have thought they would have been as he and co-driver Stephen Tomkins only achieved P7 and P11 finishes around the full Grand Prix circuit to see out the Championship for another year.
Photo credit – Steve Jackman
Monday, October 25, 2021 |
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Three Aston Martin's including a Vulcan at Britcar finale from Donington Park
Like so many other series that we have already spoken about in recent weeks, the Britcar Endurance Championship is just another one coming to its seasonal conclusion this weekend, this time from Donington Park with another multi-class grid including three Aston Martins.
Season long contenders from the Team Brit Team make their final appearance of the year after issues at recent rounds sadly saw out any overall Championship contention possibility that drivers Aaron Morgan / Bobby Trundley may have had with their Vantage GT4. Their P9 overall Championship position is a remarkable achievement in any situation but with two races still outstanding this weekend, there may still be some improvement upon that position as well.
Joining then in their Class 4 grid will be the Dale and Mark Albutt AMR Vantage GT4 from the Triple M Automotive team. Unfortunately for these guys, they haven’t been able to commit to a full season of Britcar racing this season, so we expect them to finish on something of a high after Saturday’s final one hour race.
Also making another guest appearance in the Championship is the Gleb Stepanov and Stephen Tomkins Aston Martin Vulcan. Raced in the series several times before over the years with various teams, the Class 1 Invitational car will be expected to win the race on outright pace but presumably only is the track conditions allow them the throw this high value car around like a race car!!
Photo credits – Britcar / Teams / Stephen Jackman
Thursday, October 21, 2021 |
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No AMR success in Britcar Endurance at this weekends visit to Silverstone
Their second visit of the year to the Northamptonshire circuit after the season opener back in April, Saturday’s round would this time be a two-hour affair for which attracted a four car AMR Vantage entry.
The #68 Team Brit entry for Aaron Morgan and Bobby Trundley had been scoring at least one podium finish per event so far but technical issues for these guys early into the day’s proceedings yesterday clearly had them on the back foot, from which they would not recover.
The top Qualifying AMR car was the #38 Vantage GT4 of Dale Albutt who would start from P22 overall and P6 in Class 4. They would be followed by the #68 car in P24/P8 and then the newer, turbo charged 2019 AMR Vantage GT4 of Chris Murphy just behind. The fourth car came in the form of Mike Coker’s Valour Racing #73 car who would start his first Britcar event from P27 (P1 in class being the only INV class car to run).
Having started upon a dry track it wasn’t long before the rain started to fall, initially only around parts of the circuit but not all of it as many hung on in there with their slick tyres.
We lost the #73 car with steering issues after only nine laps but the other three full season entries continued through rain and sunshine before the weather front eventually passed over.
With the weather having now stabilised to dry with periodic bouts of sunshine, the race was then allowed to flow through to its conclusion.
By the end of the two hours, Murphy was the highest placed AMR car P18 overall/P5 in class with the #7 Triple M Automotive AMR of Dale and Mark Albutt next in P20/P7. The #68 Team Brit car would conclude its day’s proceedings in a disappointing P23/P8
Photo credits - Britcar / Teams
Sunday, July 04, 2021 |
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Britcar at Silverstone for 120min Round four with up to four Aston Martins
Amongst the so far full season entry from the #68 Team Brit car of Aaron Morgan and Bobby Trundley again features the #38 Triple M Automotive entry for Dale and Mark Albutt as well as the #72 Chris Murphy and his new 2019 specification of car. They will also be joined by Mike Coker and his #73 Valour Racing AMR on this week’s provisional entry list for Saturday’s two-hour race.
The #68 Team Brit crew presently sit in fifth place in the Endurance Championship after podium finishes at all the previous rounds so far which is a remarkable achievement considering their own set of personal circumstances that motor racing is helping them (and others with the team’s multi-class racing programme) to overcome.
Qualifying is due to take place just before noon with the start of the 120 minute race being flagged off at 15:55hrs
Photo credits – Team Brit / Eat my Pixels
Wednesday, June 30, 2021 |
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DNF blots copy book for AMR runners in Britcar's visit to Oulton Park
Today saw the third round of the Britcar Endurance Championship take place from Oulton Park with two older generation Aston Martin Racing V8 Vantage GT4’s within its midst.
For #68 Team Brit car of Aaron Morgan and Bobby Trundley, it was a case of trying to continue their string of podium successes following their results from both Silverstone and Snetterton rounds whilst for the #38 Triple M Automotive AMR of Dale and Mark Albutt, it was simply a case of getting ‘back into it’ having skipped the last round at Snetterton.
For the #68 car, Saturday’s event was simply a case of win some – lose some as they secured another class win during the first race but that was unfortunately marred with a DNF after spinning out and into the tyre wall after the hairpin during the meetings second hour long race.
For the #38 car, they would mark their return with a valuable pair of P4 finishes in both races as the Championship moves back to Silverstone in early July.
Photo credits – Team Brit / Britcar / Eat my Pixels
Saturday, June 12, 2021 |
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Britcar moves to Oulton Park for Rd 3
Two rounds down and the Britcar Endurance Series moves onto Oulton Park this weekend for two further one-hour races around the Cheshire circuit.
Amongst the grid of twenty-eight cars spread across six classes lists two older generation Aston Martin Racing V8 Vantage GT4’s – the #38 from Triple M Automotive for both Dale and Mark Albutt as well as the #68 Team Brit car for Bobby Trundley and Aaron Morgan.
The #38 car was absent from the last round at Snetterton in early May, but the #68 car scored two class podium finishes (P2 and P1 respectively) to add to their P2 finish at the second race of the opening meeting at Silverstone in April.
The remarkable thing about these successes for the #68 crew is the personal history behind the two drivers as Trundley uses motor racing to help deal with his autism whilst Morgan suffered a spinal injured whilst competing in motocross and is now confined to a wheelchair.
Championship wise, the #68 car sits first in their E4 class and fourth overall.
A remarkable bunch of individuals earning results that anyone would be proud of.
Photo credits – Team Brit / Eat my Pixels
Tuesday, June 08, 2021 |
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Team Brit secure Britcar double at rain soaked Snetterton
Congratulations go again to the Team Brit Aston Martin Racing crew of Aaron Morgan and Bobby Trundley for going some better than last time out at a rain soaked second round of the Britcar Endurance Championship today at Snetterton.
Despite what the week’s earlier provisional entry list suggested, the #68 normally aspirated AMR Vantage GT4 sadly turned out to be the sole representative from the marque amongst the twenty-nine car grid.
Having Qualified in P10 overall (second in their Group 4 class) behind the EDF Motorsport Seat Cupra again, race 1 started for Trundley in gloomy conditions as heavy rain swept in by strong winds dramatically affected track conditions with a Safety Car being required at the halfway point of the hour-long race to allow for the recovery of a stranded car having ran as high as P4 overall.
Going back to green, Morgan was soon taken for Class position by the EDF car but still had track position to maintain their P2 position in class during the remaining ten minutes to claim their second podium of the season.
Starting the afternoons second and final race of their meeting from the fifth row, Morgan would at least have the chance of starting on a wet to drying track as the light began to fade under the still cloudy sky.
Progressing well, two more stranded cars again called out the Safety Car just ahead of the pitstop window but delays on track and a scary incident in pit lane for three cars lead to further delays in going back to green.
Losing nearly half the race duration to these incidences, Trundley would have only about fifteen minutes to see out the day’s proceedings and from fifth in class at the resumption of racing, Trundley would eventually take the lead of Group four with just three minutes remaining to round off a brilliant weekend for them and this special team
Well done them all!
Photo credits - Team Brit
Saturday, May 08, 2021 |
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Team Brit secure podium finish at opening round of Britcar Endurance
Congratulations to the #68 Team Brit pairing of Aaron Morgan and Bobby Trundley who yesterday secured their first podium finish of their 2021 season at the opening round of the Britcar Endurance Championships around the shorter International circuit variation at Silverstone.
On a tight one day schedule and having had something of an adventurous opening race yesterday where they got spun around whilst competing for third in class, the crew came back from a long Safety Car interrupted second hour long race of the day to finish P2 in class with their specially adapted, dual controlled Aston Martin Racing V8 Vantage GT4.
A speedy young pair and despite that spin in race one, the #68 crew still finished first ahead of the other two AMR Vantage GT4 cars from both Whitebridge Motorsports and Triple M Automotive in both of the day’s races.
The Britcar Endurance Championships moves onto Round 2 at Snetterton on May 8th.
Photo credits – Britcar / Team Brit
Sunday, April 25, 2021 |
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Britcar out on track at Silverstone with three old school Vantages
All the older normally aspirated model of the Vantage GT4, Saturday’s two one-hour races will see entries from Triple M Automotive for Dale Albutt and Mark Albutt aboard their #38 machine, Bobby Trundley and Aaron Morgan aboard their #68 Team Brit car and finally Chris Murphy keeping himself busy along with his GT Cup commitments in his #72 Whitebridge car.
Thanks to Steve Jackman at Eat my Pixels, we have seen these cars on track at Silverstone earlier this month as their took up an early opportunity to circulate at the circuit during their pre-season official test day.
The race meeting itself will be conducted around the International circuit at Silverstone which incorporates the Wing pit lane, around Village, back onto the Hanger Straight through Stowe and finally in and out of Club.
Photo credits – Eat my Pixels / GT Cup
Thursday, April 22, 2021 |
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