Total Control Racing enjoyed a mixed bag during the opening weekend of the inaugural Michelin Ginetta GT Supercup at Brands Hatch. Long standing team-mates Carl Breeze and Joachim Ritter both showed great pace during the three races, but also suffered their fair share of bad fortune.
Qualifying saw Ritter come out quickest of the TCR pair with the fifth fastest time, with engine issues for Breeze meaning he could only take eighth on the grid for race one. Ritter enjoyed battles with Jordan Skinner and then Colin White during the race, ending up sixth, while Breeze produced a fantastic drive to work his way through the field and end up fourth.
Between races' one and two, TCR were forced to change the gearbox in Breeze's car and just managed to get him out in time for the race, though he was only able to emerge from the pitlane when the field had already managed half a lap. He eventually managed to work his way up to ninth, while Ritter finished in a great fifth place.
In Sunday's live televised race, Breeze started on the fifth row and a great drive saw him carve his way through the pack, finishing in second place for his second podium of the weekend. Ritter ran strongly in sixth for the first half of the race until a mistake at McLaren saw him spin off into retirement.
Commenting on the weekend, TCR Team Principal Lee Brookes said: “Carl did a mega job in the first race to come through from eighth on the grid to the podium and the boys in the team did a first class job to change his gearbox and get him out just in time for the second race. He had a really tall order in that one but to end up where he did having joined the race so far down really was a fantastic effort.
“Regardless of the problems Carl had to contend with this weekend he did a great job but when you consider all of the issues we had to deal with, his performance was outstanding. He got his head down and made something positive out of a very difficult weekend. To be second in the points with two podiums really is a great result after everything.
“Joachim did a very good job and really did show how much he's come on as a driver. He was very quick, was really happy with the car and raced really well to take a couple of great results. On his pace he showed he should be in the top six in the points so that's given us a lot of confidence with him for the rest of the season.”