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Lotus Cup Europe 2010 - Round 4
Brands Hatch GP race report
31 July - 1 August
Introduction
The mid-point of the season coincided with a support slot to the Superleague Formula, where some of the world’s greatest Soccer teams compete on the track. Featuring teams from around Europe, this friendly rivalry between nations would continue with the Lotus races.
The Brands Hatch GP configuration, celebrating its 50th anniversary, was part of the 2009 season, so many of the non-UK drivers would have had experience of the tricky layout, one which rewards the brave. Steve Williams had dominated a recent Elise Trophy round here just two weeks ago, but with Jon Walker absent, would the other UK pacesetter Gavin Kirby resume his form or would Magny-Cours sensation Romain Rautureau star this weekend?
Practice
The South Eastern corner of England was bathed in warm sunshine for much of July and the early morning rain did not look promising. However this had petered out by lunchtime, when the session opened. Even so, before most of the drivers were able to post competitive times, the safety car had been called into service after Michael Corridan’s session came to an abrupt end. One of the few to get up to racing speed, Kirby was able to post a time of one minute fifty-three seconds, some way short of the times recorded by Production-spec cars in that earlier Elise Trophy round.
Action resumed with ten minutes remaining and first to beat the Production times was Rautureau, over three seconds ahead of Scott Cruickshank but not for long as the Scot beat his time by three-tenths. Kirby was getting up to speed when Invitation class runner BJ Chong took another half second off the best time but Cruickshank was having none of this and with another 1.6 seconds chopped away, it looked as though there may still have been some drying damp spots out on the GP loop.
Meanwhile amongst the Exiges, the Rasse brothers held sixth and seventh with Gregory a couple of tenths to the good and Marcus Jewell resumed his place at the head of the Production field by a tenth from newcomer Stuart Plotnek.
As the flag fell the hundred second barrier could not be beaten and Cruickshank led the times from not Kirby but Steve Williams, who very almost pipped everyone in the dying moments after a slow start. In fourth was Christophe Lisandre, followed by Chong, David Jacobs leading the Exige class, Rautureau, Pete Storey and Simon Deacon. Gregory Rasse was the leading Exige in 10th, his brother behind Tom Chatterway, and in Production, Plotnek sat 15th, just beating Jewell.
Qualifying
Several hours later, in warm but overcast conditions, thirty minutes of qualifying ensured that the drivers would be well-prepared for the next day’s racing. Kirby was first past the line on the opening lap, hoping to secure his place at the front with a clear track. Immediately he lapped within a hundred seconds, as did Rautureau, with the rest having to build up speed. Jacobs, in the Exige class, was leading but as with the Production leaders, currently running slower than the earlier session.
Whilst Williams was getting up to speed in his 2-Eleven, Jewell continued to trade times with Plotnek, the Production cars now running a quicker pace, with John LaMaster also amongst this pair. The Invitation class was still being led by Chong, over a second ahead of Peter Entenfellner.
Mid-session it seemed only the leading pair could lap under one minute forty seconds, with Williams at the head of the following group, from Lisandre, Cruickshank, Deacon, Chatterway, Mark Gooday and Philippe Loup. Gregory Rasse now set the bar for the Exiges, whilst Plotnek had reasserted his authority over LaMaster but unable to better Jewell’s times.
With very little movement in the order, an excursion into the gravel by Donald Canard led to a safety car period, focussing everyone’s minds in the final moments. Several drivers took this opportunity to head to the pitlane and when normal conditions returned we had less than six minutes remaining on the clock.
The leading Exiges closed up in the order Rasse G – Jacobs – Rasse J, then Cruickshank bettered Williams’ fastest lap but still not on the leaders’ pace. With the flag about to fall Gregory Rasse found an advantage over his rivals of a second and tenth place overall.
Kirby and Rautureau were on the front row, followed by Cruickshank, Williams, Lisandre, Deacon, Chatterway, Gooday and Storey. Behind tenth-placed Gregory Rasse was Invitation class leader Chong, with Loup and Thierry Verheist’s 2-Elevens heading Jacobs, Entenfellner, John Rasse, Olivier Aggery, then the Production leaders Jewell, Plotnek and LaMaster.
Race One
A chorus of wailing V12 Superleague engines on their warm-up cycles hailed race one, the grid minus Kirby as Rautureau paced the drivers to the start line. He almost stayed there when the lights went out and was ambushed by Williams and Cruickshank, with most of the field making it cleanly round Paddock Hill. Steve Quick, Russell Hill and Nigel Ayres, however did not and with the latter two stuck in the gravel, the safety car was scrambled.
Williams, Rautureau, Lisandre, Cruickshank, Chatterway, Deacon, Storey, Gooday and Loup led, with Gregory Rasse ahead of his brother, Chong leading the Invite class behind them and Jewell ahead of Canard in production. With just one lap at reduced pace, Williams held right back before a sprint to the line but Rautureau went with him and challenged at Paddock Hill, only to run wide, skip across the gravel and just rejoin behind Chong, giving Williams a huge lead on everyone.
Lisandre focussed on the car ahead and cleared space between himself and Cruickshank, with Chatterway backing the pursuers, currently led by Deacon. Rautureau, meanwhile, was already starting to pick up places, with the pack still close together. Back in production, Jewell enjoyed a similar advantage to the race leader, Plotnek having grabbed second in class back from Canard. The Exige class was another private battle between the Rasse brothers, Gregory holding the lead until a move round the outside of Graham Hill bend by John, both leaving third-placed Aggery a couple of cars behind.
With eight minutes remaining, Rautureau was getting ever closer, posting fastest laps and in third place, then second. This was clearly a race for the lead and Williams would need to call on all his years of racing knowledge, including that gained from the earlier incident, to stay in front.
Another series of fast laps had Rautureau on his tail and behind them Deacon was hassling Lisandre for the final podium place. However, the focus was well and truly on the lead as Rautureau got alongside Williams, who was not going to give up that easily and the pair rounded the Grand Prix loop together, which is enough of a challenge solo. It was Rautureau who emerged out of the woods in the lead and despite an immediate attack from Williams, he was able to pull away, the only hope for Williams appearing to be in the approaching traffic. It was enough and he seized the opportunity at Paddock Hill with a lap to run – could he drive the world’s widest Lotus through the long straights?
Rautureau simply repeated his earlier challenge and once again it paid off as he reached the flag first, the pair some way clear of third-placed Deacon, who had made it past Lisandre, with Chatterway and Gooday behind, both having cleared Cruickshank. After Loup, John Rasse headed Storey, Gregory Rasse, Chong, Verheist and Aggery, with Jewell the lead Production car from Plotnek and James Proctor.
Race Two
With Rautureau on pole again for race two and a rolling start, it looked as though Williams would need to do everything he could to get on terms with the earlier winner, bearing in mind he was starting in third place. The first three remained in their starting order round the first few corners, and although Williams found a way past Cruickshank, shortly joined by Deacon, Rautureau was already bolting into the distance.
But then suddenly Rautureau started dropping back and with Williams and Deacon passing him either side at Paddock Hill next time around, it wasn’t long before he was swamped by the pack. By contrast, Lisandre was on the way up, on Deacon’s tail soon enough, as Cruickshank was falling into Gooday’s clutches. Gregory Rasse was leading the Exige class from his brother, the pair again pulling clear of Aggery, who had Invitation class leader Chong behind, whilst Jewell was leading Production again from Plotnek.
Up front Lisandre and Gooday had now cleared Deacon, who was joining Cruickshank on the way down the order. These four plus Williams were clear of the rest and although Lisandre looked to be the only threat to the leader, it was an increasingly distant one. Cruickshank then pulled into the pits at the halfway stage, but quickly rejoined, unlike Rautureau, who finally parked up to retire with gearbox maladies. Unable to score a double, he could only watch Williams posting a series of fast laps, with Lisandre a safe distance from Deacon and Gooday a little further back.
With Chong and Jewell comfortably ahead in their classes, the focus shifted to the Rasses, lapping barely a few tenths apart with Gregory still ahead. As the pair chased Chatterway’s 2-Eleven, John got alongside at Paddock Hill, feinted several moves around the lap and in amongst the traffic they could barely be separated. Balked by Jose Vaslin’s lapped Production Elise around Surtees, it looked as though John would be punished on the following straight and as they emerged into Clearways for the final time it was Gregory who took victory this time.
No such trouble for Williams, trailed by Lisandre, Deacon and Gooday, with Chatterway and the Rasses heading Loup, Storey and Verheist for the top ten. Chong and Jewell won their classes again, with Steve Quick taking second in Production from Plotnek.
Conclusion
It’s clear that Rautureau is a genuine threat for the rest of the season, as proven by his dominance in race one. The overtaking manoeuvre that almost ended in retirement will perhaps offer some consolation, as will the improvement in form from Williams in the 2-Eleven, adding to the pool of potential race winners.
The Rasse brothers continue to entertain in the Exige class, whilst Jewell resumed the pace that has gained him so many wins in the Elise Trophy this season but Plotnek’s performance will give the drivers something to think about.
A second half that offers plenty of intrigue will kick off in Zolder in mid-September but watch out for all the action on Motors TV very soon.
Kevin Ritson
Press Officer LoTRDC
