Rounds nine and ten of the British GT championships will take place at Norfolk's Snetterton circuit this Bank Holiday Monday, and it looks set to be a real show down as there is a different look for both race grids.
A mid afternoon downpour has caused havoc as the circuit became flooded in places and racing had to be stopped. Although the sun and strong breeze helped to dry the track, after two sessions had taken place prior to the GT qualifying sessions, there were still damp patches and standing water in places to contend with.
With the Ferrari's having dominated free practice in the dry, they seemed to struggle to get to grips with the track conditions in the first 15 minute qualifying session. It was left to the defending champions David and Godfrey Jones in their Ascari KZ1R to set the pace with a time of 1:08.196. A second or two down on free practice times, but a good effort on a circuit that the drivers were still exploring for grip levels.
The Mosler of Martin Short and Gregor Fisken set the second fastest time just five hundredths of a second behind the Ascari. The only Ferrari in the top five was that of Dan Brown and Tom Ferrier. The Chad Racing 430 Scuderia set a time just 0.073 behind the pole time of the Jones's. Porsche Carrera Cup GB start Glynn Geddie along with David Ashburn in the Trackspeed Porsche 997 GT3R were fourth ahead of Paul Whight and Micheal Bentwood in their Aston Martin DBRS9.
Quickest in the GT4 category in the first session was Benjie and Freddie Hetherington in the Century Motorsport Ginetta G50 with a time of 1:13.567. It was another G50 behind them of Jamie Stanley and Christian Dick and third in the class was the Appleby Engineering Aston Martin of James Appleby and Ant Scragg.
It was all change in the second session as drivers had got used to the track conditions and pushed a little harder. Ferrari's took the top three grid places and four of the top five positions. It was the Ford GT of Alex Mortimer and Philip Walker that divided them by taking fourth place.
Burton/Wilcox Ferrari - pole for race two
Pole position was the Ferrari of Adam Wilcox and Phil Burton with a time of 1:06.763. Just 0.128 seconds behind was the Mtech Ferrari driven by Matt Griffin and Duncan Cameron. Rounding out the all-Ferrari top three were Allan Simonsen and Hector Lester. Rounding out the top five was Tom Ferrier and Dan Brown.
Round nine pole sitters Godfrey and David Jones will have to settle for sixth in the second race and mechanical gremlins left Glynn Geddie and David Ashburn with only the 13th fastest time.
It was three Ginetta G50's setting the quickest times in the GT4 class with the Speedworks car of Jamie Stanley and Christian Dick coming out top with a 1:12.823. Behind them were both the Century Motorsport cars with Nathan Freke and Vibe Smed finishing just one thousandth of a second ahead of the two Hetherington's.
So it all looks set to be two great races with two contrasting grids. Weather may well be a factor as it seems the Ferrari's will struggle in wetter conditions. However, if it is dry, then they still have to pick past a whole host of cars in front of them in race one.
