British GT: Loggie and Buurman close gap in standings after Race Two win

Yelmer Buurman and, driving the second stint, Ian Loggie, teammates in the #6 RAM Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3, won race two of the Intelligent Money British GT Championship. Loggie took the chequered flag 4.615 seconds ahead of Adam Balon in the #1 Barwell Motorsport Lamborghini Huracan GT3 he shared with Sandy Mitchell.

Taking the final podium position was the #18 WPI Motorsport Lamborghini of Michael Igoe and Phil Keen.

Loggie and Buurman’s victory means that the #6 pairing move into joint second place in the GT3 drivers standings, joining Beechdean AMR’s Andrew Howard on 110.5 points, 6.5 points behind Barwell Motorsport’s Leo Machitski and Dennis Lind.

Victory in the GT4 category went to the #61 Academy Motorsport Ford Mustang GT4 paring of Will Moore and Matt Cowley with Century Motorsport’s #9 duo of Chris Salkeld and Andrew Gordon-Colebrooke in second.

Team Rocket RJN’s Alain Valente and Michael Benyahia completed the podium positions in the #3 McLaren 570S GT4.

Will Burns and Gus burton, championship leaders in the GT4 category going into the Snetterton round, finished fifth and now have a 44.5-point advantage in the standings ahead of teammates Chris Salkeld and Andrew Gordon-Colebrooke.

Dennis Lind in the #63 Barwell Motorsport Lamborghini Huracan led from pole at the start, joined on the front row by Yelmer Buurman in the #6 RAM Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3. The conditions were challenging with the 60-minute race being preceded by heavy rain.

Track conditions led to several spins and off-track excursions on the opening lap with Charlie Robertson in the #56 Assetto Motorsport Ginetta 56 GT4 and Jake Giddings in the #25 Car Gods with Ciceley Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT4 both victims.

Darren Turner in the #27 Newbridge Motorsport Aston Martin GT4 suffered a puncture and had to return to pits after having gained the GT4 class lead before the safety car was called after two laps to repair damage to the track-side barriers.  

There was further disappointment for the #66 team Parker Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R which had failed to make the grid for Race One. The car returned to garage after four laps and was pushed into the garage, the throttle sensor problem seemingly continuing to plague the Leicester-based team.

Racing resumed with 47 minutes remaining and almost immediately Dennis Lind fell victim to the wet conditions, dropping back to fourth and promoting Charlie Eastwood, winner of Race One, into second place.

After 20 minutes, Buurman had increased his lead to over nine seconds from Charlie Eastwood with Sandy Mitchell in the #1 Lamborghini in third and harrying Eastwood.

The reigning GT3 champion saw an opportunity to pass on lap 10 and went by Eastwood for second as Greg Caton in the #33 G-Cat Racing Porsche was handed a stop-go penalty for causing a collision.

As the driver changes approached, Lind was pushing Charlie Eastwood for third placed, just as the rain returned with Lind gaining the place as the GT3 leader pitted.

After the driver changes had cycled through, the #6 RAM Racing Mercedes, now with Ian Loggie at the wheel, remained in the lead followed by Adam Balon in the #1 Lamborghini. Michael Igoe was on a charge in the #18 WPI Motorsport entry in the second stint but was unable to make up the gap to Balon.

In the GT4 class, the #56 Assetto Motorsport Ginetta G56 started from pole but succumbed to the opening lap carnage, causing the Safety Car to be deployed.

Jordan Collard took the lead in the #2 Team Rocket RJN McLaren followed by Michael Benyahia in the sister #3 car. Pit stop Success Penalties meant that Will Moore in the #61 Ford Mustang emerged in the lead after the driver changes.

GT4 championship leaders Will Burns and Gus Burton finished fifth after briefly taking the lead but then being served with a penalty for a short pit stop.

The 2021 Intelligent Money British GT Championship now moves to Oulton Park on September 11 – 12 for the penultimate round before the season finale at Donington on October 16 – 17.