Tricky conditions played their part in a hugely entertaining Avon Tyres British GT race at Silverstone, where Jake Hill finished ninth.
It was another valuable weekend of track time for Hill and his partner Graham Coomes in the AMD Essex Porsche 997. They pair qualified strongly for the 17 car grid, three hour race and went into Sunday full of confidence.
Shortly before the start a heavy shower meant that Coomes – along with the rest of the grid would start on wet-weather tyres, and over the opening frantic 35 minutes several drivers had contact and spins, meaning by the time the Safety Car was deployed to allow the marshals to deal with an incident involving the GT3 FF Corse Ferrari 458 and TF Sport’s Aston Martin, the track had dried sufficiently for AmD to pit Coomes and send Hill out on slick tyres.
Re-joining the race in fifth place, the 21 year-old BRDC Rising Star started a charging drive, working his way forward, and in an incredibly close fight with Stefan Hodgetts in the unique Toyota GT86 and 2014 Champion Jake Giddings in the JWB Aston Martin Vantage, the three cars lapped no more than three seconds apart in still slippery conditions.
As the conditions gradually improved, the trio began setting the fastest laps of the race at that point, and when Hodgetts pitted the fight between Giddings and Hill – who had raced against each other in Ginetta Juniors back in 2010 – became more intense, with Hill eventually pulling off a superb move to take the lead, and lead a British GT race for the first time!
Under huge pressure Hill calmly edged away and at the end of an impressive stint handed the car over to Coomes with a four second lead in class, the AmD team then refuelling and changing to new slick tyres and sending him back into the fray with just over half the race remaining.
Speaking after the weekend, Jake said: “The team did a great job pitting me and putting me on slicks when they did. It was still really, really slippery at the start of the stint, but by the end we were lapping close to a good dry time. Shaun (Hollamby).
“Russ and the lads gave me a good car, and I really enjoyed the fight with Stefan and Jake – it was mega leading my first British GT race – I just hope we can maintain a strong position to the end.”
Coomes immediately began putting in some very strong laps, regularly lapping as fast as in qualifying, and over his 50 minute stint maintained an excellent fourth position as he brought the car in for Hill to complete the final 25 minutes.
Frustratingly the Safety Car had caught the train of cars at a point where the AmD Tuning car lost a lap, meaning that despite a highly competitive pace being set by Hill to the end, the lost lap restricted the team to a 9th place finish.
Giving his thoughts team boss Hollamby, said: “Hindsight’s a wonderful thing but taking the new tyres and a couple of other twists of fate with the Safety Car meant we were hugely unlucky. Both Graham and Jake did a fantastic job in very tough conditions, Jake taking the lead on merit was a real highlight, so we are really encouraged by the job done today.”
Hill was particularly pleased to have put on a strong showing for his guests from Sportif Motor Group, Fujifilm and new sponsors Borderland Fencing, who were all cheering him on from the BRDC Clubhouse overlooking the Brooklands complex at the end of the lap.
He added: “It just worked out that I managed to get the lead in view of all my guests! I love Silverstone, and am hugely proud to be part of the BRDC Rising Stars programme, so to show well here means a lot, and hopefully reminds everyone what I can do.”
The series takes a short break now until 11th July when the teams head to the spectacular Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, whilst highlights of the Silverstone race can be seen on both MotorsTV and Channel 4.
Images courtesy of www.pspimages.co.uk