Connect with us

BES

Silverstone Pre-Race Notebook

Marcel ten Caat’s pre-race notebook for Silverstone…

Photo: Brecht Decancq Photography

Photo: Brecht Decancq Photography

***The field is reduced to 43 cars, following the No. 41 Sport Garage’s crash in qualifying. The French team cannot fix the car in time for the race and it has been withdrawn. Boutsen Ginion Racing suffered problems in qualifying as well, but the two McLaren MP4-12C GT3 will be on the grid later this afternoon.

***It is the fourth time the Blancpain Endurance Series visit Silverstone but none of the drivers racing here this weekend have taken the overall victory before. Back in 2011 and 2012 Bas Leinders, Markus Palttala and Maxime Martin won for Marc VDS Racing Team and last year Aston Martin Racing drivers Darren Turner, Stefan Mücke and Fred Makowiecki clinched victory in Aston Martin’s home race. The two teams and six drivers are not competing at Silverstone this year.

***Last year’s fastest race lap was a 2:02.901 and the No. 97 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 completed 86 laps. If this year’s pole time is anything to go by we should expect a similar number of laps this year. A wet and cold 2012 race resulted in just 73 laps being completed, with the first ever Blancpain Endurance Series race at Silverstone in 2011 taking 85 laps.

***No Lamborghini GT3 cars are racing at Silverstone this weekend after AF Racing International withdrew their car before the event, but as usual the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo is supporting the Blancpain Endurance Series. Dutchman Jeroen Mul dominated the two races on Saturday and Sunday, finishing well ahead of the rest of the field in his Automobili Lamborghini Racing Team Germany by Leipert Motorsport Lamborghini Gallardo.

***One week before activities in Le Mans get underway a number of drivers paid a visit to Silverstone. Nissan’s Wolfgang Reip, Mark Shultzhitskiy and Jann Mardenborough as well as Porsche works driver Brendon Hartley were in the Silverstone paddock to witness the Blancpain Endurance Series teams in action.

***Watch lights-to-flag coverage of the 3 hours Blancpain Endurance Series race at Silverstone at http://www.blancpain-gt-series.com/live. For North American viewers, catch the race on CBS Sports Network at 5 p.m. ET. Be sure to download the official SRO Spotter Guide, which features all 43 starters in today’s race. Click Here to download.

Marcel ten Caat (@marceltencaat) is a contributor to Sportscar365 and other publications including Autosport.nl.

1 Comment
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

More in BES