Rob and Ricky Collard won the first British GT race of the day, and the season, at Oulton Park with a dominant display in wet conditions this morning.
The #63 Barwell Motorsport Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo2 started the race on pole and held the position until the chequered flag. Ian Loggie and Phil Keen finished second in the #6 2 Seas Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo with the #78 Barwell Motorsport of Alex Martin and Sandy Mitchell in third position.
Jamie Day and Mikey Porter won the GT4 class for Forsetti Motorsport in the #7 Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 Evo ahead of the #31 Team Parker Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 of Seb Morris and Charles Dawson.
Rob Collard held onto the lead at the start and kept it through his entire stint, despite strong pressure from Loggie behind. The pitstop window fell during a Full Course Yellow period after an incident for the #62 Academy Motorsport Ford Mustang GT4 2024 at the hands of Will Moore at Shell Oils Corner. Ricky Collard came out in the lead ahead of Keen and Mitchell meaning the same order continued.
The FCY was then promoted to a full Safety Car after another crash at Shell Oils, this time for Kavi Jundu in the #44 Toyota GR Supra GT4 Evo.
At the restart, Ricky Collard launched ahead, using GT4 traffic to his advantage and started the lap over five seconds ahead of Keen. Collard had backed the pack up very early on allowing him to pull an advantage in the final sector of the lap at near full race speed.
Initially this wasn’t looked favourably on by the stewards who awarded the #63 car a 30-second penalty, essentially granting the win to Loggie and Keen. But, with moments left of the race, the penalty was rescinded and Ricky Collard took the chequered flag to take victory, along with his Dad, Rob.
Loggie and Keen were second with Martin and Mitchell rounding out the podium. Fourth place went to the #27 Optimum Motorsport duo of Mark Radcliffe and Tom Gamble in the McLaren 720S GT3 Evo who passed Shaun Balfe and Adam Smalley in the #59 Garage 59 McLaren during the pitstops.
Mike Price and Callum MacLeod were sixth in the #3 Greystone GT Mercedes-AMG with Morgan Tillbrook and Marcus Clutton right behind them at the flag driving the #77 Garage 59 McLaren.
Chris and Alex Buncombe in the #2 Team RJN McLaren, Michael Johnston and Dan Harper in the #14 Century Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 and the #87 Blackthorn Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 of Gianluca Petrobelli and Jonny Adam rounded out the top ten.
British GT Championship, Oulton Park, race one result
- Rob Collard/Rick Collard, Barwell Motorsport, Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo2, 27 laps
- Ian Loggie/ Phil Keen, 2 Seas Motorsport, Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, +1.470s
- Alex Martin/Sandy Mitchell, Barwell Motorsport, Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo2, +2.249s
- Mark Radcliffe/Tom Gamble, Optimum Motorsport, McLaren 720S GT3 Evo, +8.762s
- Shaun Balfe/Adam Smalley, Garage 59, McLaren 720S GT3 Evo, +16.665s
- Mike Price/Callum MacLeod, Greystone GT, Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, +22.098s
- Morgan Tillbrook/Marcus Clutton, Garage 59, McLaren 720S GT3 Evo, +22.491s
- Chris Buncombe/Alex Buncombe, Team RJN, McLaren 720S GT3 Evo, +25.669s
- Michael Johnston/Dan Harper, Century Motorsport, BMW M4 GT3, +28.524s
- Gianluca Petrobelli/Jonny Adam, Blackthorn, Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3, +31.969s
For the full race one result, click here.