British GT: RAM Racing Take GT3 Pole, as Ford Mustang Take Honours in GT4 Return

In the British GT Championship, it was a memorable debut pole for the Multimatic Motorsports Ford Mustang in GT4, as RAM Racing dominate the GT3’s, with both lining up to lead away the first race on Monday.

The sun was out for the first time in a handful of years at Oulton Park, with the drivers already beating the lap record in practice. As qualifying roared into gear, it was more of the same for the GT3’s, with RAM Racing’s Ian Loggie and Callum Macleod secured the first GT3 pole position of the year. In GT4, the Canadian Scott Maxwell led in his Ford Mustang, making the cars first appearance since 2011.

For race two the RAM Racing crew will be second behind the experience Phil Keen in the Lamborghini Hurican. GT4 would again see a #15 Ford on pole with Seb Priaulx over a second quicker than anyone else in the pack. Scott Malvern’s TPR Mercedes will line-up alongside.

Qualifying, as per tradition, was split into four sections, with the AM sessions deciding the grid for race one, while the PRO’s for race two.

GT3 Am

Ian Loggie continued his practice pace to set the fastest time in the Am’s for the #6 RAM Racing Mercedes. Loggie would continue until the flag, though the running seemed almost unnneccasary as his nearest rival Ryan Ratcliffe in the Bentley Continental pulled in before the flag.

Three manufacturers filled the top three as Sam De Haan took his Lamborghini Hurican to within a few tenths of a second, though had no answer for the pace of Loggie. Another Bentley occupies the second row as Rick Parfitt Jnr, who after announcing his retirement at the end of last year, is quickly proving that his return was well justified as Century Motorsport’s BMW will line up fifth for race one.

Elsewhere, there was severe issues for the Balfe Motorsport McLaren as it limped back to the pits after setting just one competitive lap.

GT3 Pro

The Pro class proved to be the story of one man, as Phil Keen took pole by almost half a second. The #72 Lamborghini Hurican will be hoping for a repeat of 2018 and with Adam Balon only taking the #72 to sixth in the AM qualifying, success in race two will be vital for the crew.

Best of the rest would be Callum MacLeod ensuring the RAM Racing car will certainly be the favourite to beat this weekend. The #6 Mercedes is thriving in the sunny conditions with its fellow Mercedes of Team ABBA Racing taking third from JRM Racing’s Bentley Continental.

Rounding out the top five was Jonny Cocker in the #69 Lamborghini Hurican.

GT4 Am

Despite 7 years out of the British GT championship, the Ford Mustang was immediately on pace as qualifying got underway with Jade Buford and Scott Maxwell leading the early times. Maxwell kept lowering the benchmark, setting a 1:43.533 in the latter stages. Buford would remain second, only a tenth behind his Multimatic Motorsport’s teammate.

It was a Noah’s Ark in GT4 as the HHC Motorsport duo were third and fourth. Dean Macdonald’s McLaren would be best of the rest, a third of a second behind the polesitter, joined on the second row Tom Jackson in the #58. McLaren would also fill out the top five, as Tolman Motorsport’s Jordan Collard will line-up fifth for race one.

GT4 Pro

It was more of the same for the Mustang’s in the second qualifying. Seb Priaulx set a time 1.1 seconds quicker than the opposition on just his second flying lap, holding the impressive time for the remainder of the session. His 1:42.384 proved untouchable, though the second #19 Multimatic struggled, qualifying eleventh.

Second place would instead go to Scott Malvern in the #66 Team Parker Racing Mercedes-AMG. The 31-year-old had no response to the Ford’s pace, as the Fox Motorsport car driven by Michael Broadhurst secured third for Mercedes. Behind him, Martin Plowman led a tight field in fourth in the Aston Martin, as 1.622 seconds seperated third to twenty-first. #97 TF Sport completed the top five.