The three action-packed races in the opening weekend of the Ginetta GT4 SuperCup produced three different winners. Jamie Orton, Tom Wrigley, and Will Burns all took to the top step of the overall podium at Brands Hatch, with Wrigley taking the championship lead after three visits to the podium.
Race One
Orton topped the timing sheet in qualifying and started the first race of the weekend on pole. Whilst Orton pulled away in front on the first lap, Wrigley and Rob Wheldon were duelling wheel to wheel for second place.
Carl Boardley had also made an impressive start, jumping from eighth to fifth off the starting line and getting stuck into a battle with Rob Gaffney and Burns for fourth place.
The action was brought to a brief stop after an off from Ben Green brought out the safety car. Wrigley had managed to stay ahead of Wheldon, with Burns keeping Gaffney and Boardley behind him.
Straight from the restart, the duelling partners had changed and now Orton was having to defend from an attacking Wrigley. Behind them, Wheldon and Burns were side by side for the final step on the podium. Wrigley was closing in on Orton towards the end of the race, but a mistake from the Rob Boston Racing driver gave Orton a little breathing space as he crossed the finish line.
Wheldon successfully managed to keep Burns behind him for third. White took victory in the AM class, finishing eleventh overall.
Race Two
Victory gave Orton pole position for the second race of the weekend, but he couldn’t repeat his spectacular opening drive in the now slightly damp conditions.
Wrigley started alongside him but was up into first place from the start. Burns, Boardley, and Reece Somerfield also had fanstastic starts, with the trio of drivers filling third, fourth, and fifth.
Orton began to close in on Wrigley, but couldn’t manage to get past the Rob Boston racing driver. He had to settle for second, with Burns completing the podium in third.
Again, it was White to take victory for the AM class, this time finishing ninth ahead of Pro drivers Wheldon and Tom Hibbert.
Race Three
Boardley took pole position for the final race of the weekend in a reverse grid, with Burns starting alongside him.
A fast starting Somerfield, who started fifth, moved up to third from the start, ahead of Orton and Mark Davies.
After a brief safety car when Mark Newbold dropped off the circuit, Boardley found himself under renewed pressure from Burns, with Somerfield also getting in on the battle for the top spot.
Behind them, Orton had lost another place to Wrigley, and was having to defend against Davies.
Wrigley soon caught up with the leaders, giving Boardley a little breathing space as those behind him turned to defence rather than attack. Burns also began to pull away from Somerfield.
Boardley had a lead of around two seconds when he span at Druids, putting himself out of the race and promoting Burns to first. Orton also span but managed to keep going, albeit much further down the field.
Burns crossed the finish line in first but, behind him, there was a bit of commotion. Wrigley managed to get past Somerfield into second place, a lap before the red flag was brought out when Fraser Robertson found himself in the wall. The results were put back a lap, and Wrigley was demoted to third.
Once again, it was White on the top step for the AM class podium, the best start possible to his defence of his AM class title.
Results
Race One
1 – Jamie Orton – Pro
2 – Tom Wrigley – Pro
3 – Rob Wheldon – Pro
4 – Will Burns – Pro
5 – Rob Gaffney – Pro
6 – Carl Boardley – Pro
7 – Mark Davies – Pro
8 – Callum Pointon – Pro
9 – Reece Somerfield – Pro
10 – Tom Hibbert – Pro
11 – Colin White – AM
12 – James Guess – AM
13 – Fraser Robertson – AM
14 – Grahame Tilley – AM
15 – Chris Ingram – AM
16 – Mike Newbold – AM
17 – John Wall – AM
18 – Ben Green – AM – DNF
Race Two
1 – Tom Wrigley – Pro
2 – Jamie Orton – Pro
3 – Will Burns – Pro
4 – Carl Boardley – Pro
5 – Reece Somerfield – Pro
6 – Mark Davies – Pro
7 – Rob Gaffney – Pro
8 – Callum Pointon – Pro
9 – Colin White – AM
10 – Rob Wheldon – Pro
11 – Tom Hibbert – Pro
12 – James Guess – AM
13 – Grahame Tilley – AM
14 – Chris Ingram – AM
15 – Mike Newbold – AM
16 – John Wall – AM
17 – Fraser Robertson – AM – NC
18 – Ben Green – AM – DNS
Race Three
1 – Will Burns – Pro
2 – Reece Somerfield – Pro
3 – Tom Wrigley – Pro
4 – Tom Hibbert – Pro
5 – Callum Pointon – Pro
6 – Rob Wheldon – Pro
7 – Mark Davies – Pro
8 – Rob Gaffney – Pro
9 – Colin White – AM
10 – Ben Green – AM
11 – Jamie Orton – Pro
12 – James Guess – AM
13 – Chris Ingram – AM
14 – Grahame Tilley – AM
15 – Fraser Robertson – AM – DNF
16 – John Wall – AM – DNF
17 – Carl Boardley – Pro – DNF
18 – Mike Newbold – AM – DNF
Feature Image Credit: Ginetta
Additional Image Credit: Caroline Rhea
