Darren Kell dominated the opening day of action at Silverstone, securing back-to-back victories in the GT Cup Championship’s two sprint races ahead of Sunday’s eagerly awaited 100-minute endurance contest.
Topcats Racing made a triumphant return to form in the GTC class, with Charlotte Gilbert taking victory in race one, followed by teammate Jarrod Waberski clinching the win in the second sprint at the wheel of the sister Lamborghini Super Trofeo.
In the GTH category, it was a clean sweep for Ginetta machinery. Sim racing sensation Luke Bennett translated his virtual success to the track with a commanding win for Innovation Racing in race one, while Owen Hizzey led SVG Motorsport to glory in race two. SVG further celebrated with a double triumph in GTA, while Paul Bailey and Richard Chamberlain each claimed honours in GTO.
Saturday Qualifying
With unsettled weather forecast for later in the weekend, teams were relieved to begin the weekend under dry and blustery conditions at the home of British motorsport.
Darren Kell continued to extract performance from the Track Focused McLaren 720S, initially topping the timesheets before his first lap was disallowed for exceeding track limits. This briefly handed provisional pole to Peter Erceg in the Team PB Performance Audi R8, but Kell responded with a blistering 2:00.610 lap to secure his third pole of the season.
GTC qualifying was tightly contested, with Topcats Racing teammates Jarrod Waberski and Fraser Fenwick trading fastest times. Waberski ultimately edged out Fenwick by just 0.087s.
In GTH, reigning World Esports Champion Luke Bennett impressed on his GT Cup debut, securing class pole in the Innovation Racing Ginetta G56. Neil Wallace (GTA) and Paul Bailey (GTO) also claimed their respective category pole positions.
Sprint Race 1
Kell demonstrated not only raw pace but also growing racecraft in the first sprint, maintaining composure under pressure from Erceg through the opening corners. A safety car intervention temporarily neutralised the race, but on the restart, Kell once again pulled away to take a comfortable GT3 and overall victory. Erceg finished second, with David Shaw completing the podium for G-Cat Racing.
In GTC, Charlotte Gilbert marked her return in style. Starting behind pole-sitter Mark Havers, she executed a clean overtake at Stowe on the opening lap and resisted late pressure from Dominic Paul to secure a well-earned win in her title-winning Topcats Lamborghini.
Bennett converted his pole into a dominant GTH victory for Innovation Racing, while Paul Bailey powered the Brabham BT62 to GTO honours. Neil Wallace led every lap in GTA to take class victory ahead of Brent Millage.
Sprint Race 2
The second sprint race mirrored the first, with Darren Kell again controlling proceedings from pole. Making a clean start and forcing Erceg to the outside line at Turn 1, Kell built a commanding lead, crossing the finish line nearly 12 seconds clear to complete a dominant double.
GTC delivered a gripping battle as Fraser Fenwick led early on but became stuck behind the GT3 Porsche of David Shaw. A failed overtaking attempt allowed Jarrod Waberski to seize the initiative and dive into the lead at Club Corner, claiming his own GTC win ahead of Fenwick and Dominic Paul.
Owen Hizzey earned SVG Motorsport a GTH win, while a late twist saw Archie Clark reclaim second place from Simon Griffiths after a last-lap incident. In GTA, SVG completed a sweep of the sprints with Ian Astley emulating co-driver Neil Wallace’s earlier success. Richard Chamberlain rounded out the day with a GTO class win in his distinctive Porsche.
Day 2
After heartbreakingly missing out on a first GT Cup 100 win by just 0.024 seconds back in March, James and Darren Kell finally tasted victory at Silverstone on 3 August. A breathtaking move by James—sweeping around the outside at Copse—sealed the win in a dramatic second 100-minute race of the season.
Elsewhere on the grid, Charlotte Gilbert marked her GT Cup return in style, teaming up with Fraser Fenwick to lead a dominant Topcats Racing 1-2-3 finish in GTC. SVG Motorsport continued their strong campaign with double wins in GTH and GTA, while Paul Bailey and David Brabham brought the stunning Brabham BT62 back to the top step in GTO, having earlier claimed pole.
Sunday Qualifying
Despite forecasts suggesting rain, Sunday’s final qualifying session remained dry—setting the stage for a competitive shootout.
In Group GT3, Darren Kell picked up where he left off the previous day, showing blistering pace in the Track Focused McLaren. However, Peter Erceg’s form continues to grow, and he powered his PB Racing with JMH Audi R8 to both group and overall pole with a superb 2:00.977.
GTC saw Dominic Paul—Saturday’s Driver of the Day—continue his strong form. Driving the Triple M Motorsport Lamborghini Super Trofeo, he broke the Topcats Racing stranglehold at Silverstone to secure a second-row start.
Luke Bennett took another GTH pole for Innovation Racing, though it didn’t come easy. Feathers Motorsport’s Archie Clark set the early pace in the Aston Martin, but Bennett responded decisively to claim his second class pole of the weekend.
Paul Bailey topped GTO in the Brabham BT62, while SVG Motorsport completed a strong showing with pole in GTA courtesy of their BMW M4.
Silverstone 100: Race Report
After a weekend dominated by weather speculation, the rain finally arrived just ahead of the second 100-minute endurance race. Despite the damp conditions, warm temperatures dried the track quickly, with all teams opting for slicks at the start.
Darren Kell wasted no time, launching from the outside of the front row to seize the lead into Maggotts with a daring move around the outside at Copse. But the early advantage was short-lived. Paul Bailey, starting third, charged forward—dispatching Erceg at Copse before using the brute force of the Brabham to take the lead at Stowe.
With Dominic Paul surging into second in GTC, Bailey built a short lead before the rain returned. Choosing caution, he allowed Kell and Erceg to slip back through before diving into the pits to hand over to co-driver David Brabham. The leaders—now James Kell, Marcus Clutton, and G-Cat’s Greg Caton—resumed their battle as conditions worsened.
A heavy downpour led to the race’s only safety car, called to recover Brabham’s stricken BT62 after a wheel issue. On the restart, James Kell executed a perfectly judged braking maneuver into Copse, slicing past Clutton and Caton to reclaim the lead—this time for good. It was a fitting redemption after Donington Park’s near miss.
Clutton and Erceg secured second, while late-race penalties elevated AF Corse’s Marcos Vivian and Francesco Castellacci to third overall and in GT3.
GTC looked to be heading Paul’s way before mechanical issues ended his hopes. That opened the door for Topcats Racing, with Charlotte Gilbert handing over a class lead to Fraser Fenwick, whose pace proved untouchable. Teammates Jack Gadd and Daniel Brown secured second, followed by Mark Havers and Jarrod Waberski in third.
In GTH, it came down to who could best manage the slippery conditions on slick tyres. Owen Hizzey, taking over from SVG teammate Marc Elman, emerged victorious after a strong pit sequence, fending off Tom Canning in the Feathers Motorsport Aston Martin. Luke Bennett rounded off a sensational debut weekend for Innovation Racing, sharing third with Simon Griffiths.
Finally, consistency and a trouble-free run earned Neil Wallace and Ian Astley the win in GTA. Despite a late-race stoppage, Bailey and Brabham completed enough laps to be classified and take the GTO victory.
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By Matt Hancock
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