GT Cup: Loggie and Neary Clean Sweep At Silverstone

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6# Team Abba Racing, Richard NEARY / Ian LOGGIE Mercedes AMG GT3 GT Cup, Rounds 15 – 18, Silverstone GP Circuit, UK, 28/07/2024, (Images by and Copyright Matt Hancock),

Saturday 27th July Rounds 15 and 16

A dominant display by Richard Neary and Ian Loggie of Abba Racing began as early as Qualifying in the morning, later backing up pole position with two triumphs for the Group GTO Mercedes-AMG.

The returning Beechdean Motorsport squad was also successful with a pair of victories for Andrew Howard and Darren Turner in the GT3 group, driving the beautiful #97 Aston Martin Vantage.

Another alternative Vantage was victorious on two occasions further back, with Forsetti Motorsport’s two GTH cars sharing the group spoils over the afternoon. Jolt Racing dominated GTA in its McLaren 570s, while Topcats Racing scored two wins for its title-chasing #2 Huracan Super Trofeo to maintain the overall series lead.

 

Qualifying

Under sunny summer skies at the historic British Grand Prix circuit in Northampton, a short and sharp pair of Qualifying sessions set the grid for the first of four GT Cup races across the two days.

At the helm of the field swiftly went the #6 Mercedes-AMG of Abba Racing, as Neary put down a marker of 1m58.044s to take the overall pole position for the Sprint Race by just over two seconds from nearest GTO rival Steve Burgess (Tim Gray Motorsport).

Third went to series returnee Howard in the GT3 Beechdean Motorsport Aston Martin, ahead of Tom Rawlings in the series-leading Topcats Lamborghini – also topping group GTC. The 10 #Forsetti Motorsport Aston Martin topped GTH with Will Orton and newcomer Sam Neser, while Jolt Racing took GTA pole for John Ingram and Rupert Williams.

97# Beechdean Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Andrew HOWARD / Darren TURNER (PRO) (INV) GT Cup, Rounds 15 – 18, Silverstone GP Circuit, UK, 28/07/2024, (Images by and Copyright Matt Hancock),

 

Sprint Race

The first 25-minute Sprint Race of the weekend was a lights-to-flag job by Neary from pole position, making the perfect getaway in the Mercedes-AMG to bolt clear and take a victory of over 33 seconds by the chequered flag to remain firmly in title contention.

The closest competition would be from Howard in the Aston Martin Vantage, which took GT3 honours after climbing to third in the early stages, then disposing the Topcats Lamborghini of Rawlings in the dying stages.

The latter was still able to finish third overall and with it also hang onto the GTC and overall points leads respectively, thanks to the efforts of Rawlings and Charlotte Gilbert. Its sister car followed closely, with Warren Gilbert and Fraser Fenwick behind the wheel of car #3.

After a coolant issue in Qualifying, Mikey Porter’s Forsetti Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage enjoyed a fabulous recovery charge to the front of the group in the Sprint. After dispatching the similar car of Orton, former Ginetta racer Porter took two wheels to the grass as he sliced inside the Paddock Motorsport McLaren Artura of Tom Holland and Michael Orant.

Jolt Racing was victorious from the front in GTA, thanks to Ingram.

370# Jolt Racing Rupert WILLIAMS / John INGRAM (PS) GT Cup, Rounds 15 – 18, Silverstone GP Circuit, UK, 28/07/2024, (Images by and Copyright Matt Hancock),

Endurance Race

A dramatic 50-minute Endurance Race followed later that afternoon. Again it was Abba Racing who led the way up front, with Loggie in the driving seat this time for the opening stint.

Chasing hard into the second stint was the Radical of Tim Gray Motorsport and Burgess, but Neary took over the lead car with a comfortable enough advantage to hang on and begin building that lead once more. Despite a transponder issue making the result initially uncertain, the end result was a strong victory for Neary and Loggie to do the double, keeping them right in overall title contention and extending the gap at the helm of GTO.

Second overall went to the GT3-winning Beechdean Motorsport Aston Martin. Former Le Mans winner Turner took the car over when third after Howard’s stint, pulling clear of group rivals G-Cat Racing and surpassing the GTO Radical to confirm its own success.

97# Beechdean Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Darren TURNER GT Cup, Rounds 15 – 18, Silverstone GP Circuit, UK, 28/07/2024, (Images by and Copyright Matt Hancock),

GTC went to the #2 Topcats crew once again to make it two from two, finishing fifth on the road behind the G-Cat Porsche 911. Kendall Developments rounded out the GTO podium in sixth overall, while the sister Topcats Lamborghini was seventh – second in the GTC group – despite its rear wing making a bid for freedom late on.

Forsetti Motorsport’s two cars battled hard earlier on with Neser rounding Matthew Higgins (sharing with Porter) exiting the Club section during the initial laps. It would be the decisive move for himself and Orton, as the #10 Aston Martin claimed victory in a one-two for the team in group GTH.

SVG Motorsport rounded out the group podium with Liona Theobald and Owen Hizzy in their Ginetta G56. Jolt Racing’s Ingram and Williams added a second win to their tally in GTA.

6# Team Abba Racing, Ian LOGGIE Mercedes AMG GT3 GT Cup, Rounds 15 – 18, Silverstone GP Circuit, UK, 28/07/2024, (Images by and Copyright Matt Hancock),

#6 Ian Loggie

“I think I was 30 seconds up at the pitstop, and if anything, we were under in the pitstop but Rich still put in enough of a gap that if we’d had a drive-through we’d have still won. I think TSL just got confused. We’re running more like a GTO because we wanted to be practicing for other championships so we don’t want to run other BoP but the Silverstone round is over – we’re not at Silverstone again, so why not just run it? I think Brands we’ll be running full as well. The pitstop was good, everything all went well. It’s all about getting the start against that Radical. If I can make the start and after about five laps I can get away – but it’s quick in a straight line. I think in a normal GT3 we’d be struggling going into turn one, but in this it’s no issue.”

#10 Will Orton

“It’s been a good day, a frustrating Sprint race – the start of it – but it was a good race in the end. In the Endurance, Sam did all the hard work and for his first weekend he did a great job and for me it was just to bring it home.”

#370 Rupert Williams

“For me, personal best out there today so I’m really pleased, I’m chuffed. Silverstone is quite an iconic track! The last time I was here was in a little C1 – I did the 24-hour race here last year – which was my launch if you like into motor racing. It’s a very different car but it’s great racing!”

#2 Charlotte Gilbert

“It’s been a really good day. Tom did the Sprint race this morning, I’d like to claim that one but he did a fantastic job this morning and he set a blistering time in the Sprint. That meant I started the Endurance race, Warren was ahead at the start from the lap times and I knew I’d get ahead – he did stay ahead for the first half-a-lap but I managed to catch him going into Village and passed and got clear of him to bring it home in P1. We’re trying to at least maintain, if not grow, the gap to P2 in the championship – the Neary & Loggie car – so we’re trying to build on that as well.”

5# CTR Developments Richard CHAMBERLAIN GT Cup, Rounds 15 – 18, Silverstone GP Circuit, UK, 28/07/2024, (Images by and Copyright Matt Hancock),

Sunday 28th July Rounds 17 and 18

The #6 Mercedes-AMG pairing of Loggie and Neary bagged pole position and two race wins on a scorching Sunday at the British Grand Prix circuit, matching their perfect performance from Snetterton earlier in the season. It meant they kept up the chase on Topcats Racing in the overall championship hunt, Charlotte Gilbert and Tom Rawlings completing their own perfect weekend in GTC.

Andrew Howard was victorious twice again to confirm his own dominant weekend along with Darren Turner for Beechdean Motorsport in GT3, while the Forsetti Motorsport pairing of Mikey Porter and Matthew Higgins did a Sunday sweep themselves in GTH (Aston Martin Vantage). Jolt Racing’s Rupert Williams and John Ingram took two GTA wins for their McLaren 570s.

Qualifying

Scotsman Loggie took the wheel of the Abba Racing Mercedes-AMG entry for the weekend’s second Qualifying session, and repeated the work done by co-driver Neary the previous day by snatching pole position for the Endurance Race later in the afternoon.

Closest to him was the best GT3 crew, as Beechdean Motorsport’s Howard put the #97 Aston Martin Vantage on the front row. GTC honours again went to the title-chasing #2 Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo of Topcats Racing, beating the sister car in a closely-fought tussle between both.

GTH was again a case of team-mates going into combat. The Forsetti Motorsport Aston Martins of Sam Neser and Higgins battled for group pole, which was won by the #10 car of Neser ahead of the #9. Jolt Racing continued their GTA dominance with another group pole.

33# G-Cat Racing Shamus JENNINGS / Greg CATON GT Cup, Rounds 15 – 18, Silverstone GP Circuit, UK, 28/07/2024, (Images by and Copyright Matt Hancock),

Endurance Race

With momentum on their side, the Abba Racing duo started strongly with Neary this time behind the wheel. Leading the way, the Mercedes-AMG gapped its rivals in the early laps to enter the mandatory pit stops with a comfortable lead in hand.

Loggie took over the duties in the second stint, and made it three wins from three at Silverstone by a cushion of just over 30 seconds by the time he reached the chequered flag.

Second place overall continued the stunning weekend of Beechdean Motorsport, Howard and Turner leading the GT3 group from lights-to-flag to also make it three first-place trophies from three in Northampton.

Third overall went to the Tim Gray Motorsport Radical of Steve Burgess (second in GTO), ahead of Shamus Jennings and Greg Caton of G-Cat Racing who charged up into fourth overall – second in the GT3 category. Richard Chamberlain collected the final place on the GTO group podium in his Porsche 935 after coming home a fine fifth for CTR Developments.

The GTH race was again hotly-contested under sunny skies at Silverstone. Neser grabbed the early advantage but he and Will Orton would eventually be overturned by their team-mates Porter and Higgins in the second Forsetti Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage. Third went to SVG Motorsport’s Ginetta G56, Liona Theobald and Owen Hizzey starring with the former passing Paddock Motorsport’s McLaren Artura around the outside at Stowe. Jolt Racing added their third win in GTA.

99# Tim Gray Motorsport Steve BURGESS GT Cup, Rounds 15 – 18, Silverstone GP Circuit, UK, 28/07/2024, (Images by and Copyright Matt Hancock),

 

Sprint Race

After the sterling effort from Qualifying, Loggie was fired up to repeat the feat in the shorter Sprint race later in the afternoon. He achieved the feat with a controlled drive from the head of the field, confirming the clean sweep for he and Neary in the process.

It would also be a quadruple of victories in GT3 for the next car in line, driven by Howard who steered Beechdean Motorsport to another emphatic group win. Behind him, the top four was completed by the GTO podium finishers with Burgess and Chamberlain giving chase.

The Gilberts swept the top two in GTC meanwhile for Topcats Racing. Charlotte Gilbert took the spoils to again keep the edge in the overall title fight, Warren Gilbert less than three seconds adrift.

The GTH group was again all about the #9 Forsetti Motorsport car, with Higgins getting the job done to allow the Aston Martin driver (sharing with Porter) to bag crucial group points and keep the pressure on in the overall battle. Jolt Racing also made it four wins from four in their McLaren 570s.

99# Tim Gray Motorsport Steve BURGESS GT Cup, Rounds 15 – 18, Silverstone GP Circuit, UK, 27/07/2024, (Images by and Copyright Matt Hancock),

#97 Andrew Howard

“It’s been fabulous, it’s been a great atmosphere and it’s a great championship. It would be nice to have more cars, a few more GT3s, if we can get some in. It’s really cool racing, and fairly knackering if I’m honest – I’m used to doing my stint and going home!”

#9 Matthew Higgins

“It’s been a tricky day, still struggling slightly but all come together at the end. Tough weekend, good points, good results and points make prizes. Definitely new experience racing the GT cars, also hard racing on the grid. With mixed ability it’s hard to judge what is going to happen. We’ve had good battles with an equal playing field against our own car.”

#86 Liona Theobald

“It’s been amazing, I mean just racing around the Silverstone GP circuit itself is just an amazing experience. A third and a second, which is my best result, and finishing with driver of the weekend. Mainly, it’s been very hot in there! It’s been super hot in the Ginetta but no the car has been amazing I’ve just been pushing more and more. From Friday afternoon after testing to qualifying this morning I’ve taken five seconds off my time so I’m getting more confidence by the lap.”

#80 James Caley

“I’ve really enjoyed it. We weren’t really sure what to expect and how we’d get on in our first weekend with GT Cup but we thought maybe a Group podium would be nice and we came home with three so really pleased! It’s been a step up for us, it’s our first race in the car and Friday testing was our third day out in it so it’s new to us so we just need some time to build up to it but it’s a step up with learning a bit of aero and the extra bit of speed we’ve got from what we’ve raced in the past is a steep learning curve but I think we’ve been fairly respectable!”

GT Cup, Rounds 15 – 18, Silverstone GP Circuit, UK, 27/07/2024, (Images by and Copyright Matt Hancock),

 

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