- Anglo-American team has made full use of five-week series lay-off
- Cole, Geddie & Dean optimistic of improved BTCC form after vital tests
- Oulton Park marks the one-third stage of 30-race series
After a welcome five-week break in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, United Autosports heads for the latest races at the undulating Oulton Park in Cheshire with renewed confidence.
The Anglo-American team utilised the break after a hectic five-week, nine-race opening to its maiden BTCC campaign to consolidate and test its brace of Toyota Avensis cars.
The track was first developed over 60 years ago – built into the natural contours of the picturesque landscape. The three races take place on the 2.69-mile International Circuit.
#20 Drivecool – Toyota Avensis
James Cole (GB). Age: 25. Born: Southport, England. Lives: Liverpool, England.
“I’m feeling more positive heading to Oulton. The engineers on both cars have done a lot of development work since the last round at Thruxton so I’m feeling positive going into the Oulton Park weekend. I have some good memories of Oulton. It’s where I started racing and won my first championship there in 2007 so it’s a special place for me and I’m looking forward to the weekend.”
#21 – Toyota Avensis
Glynn Geddie (GB). Age: 23. Born & Lives: Aberdeen, Scotland.
“I’m really happy with the testing we have done in the five-week break. We have definitely made progress and I think we have now found the right starting set-up. We won’t know for certain until we get to Oulton in terms of how much pace we have but I’m confident we will be further up the grid. Oulton is a great track and it should be a good weekend with the new set up we have.”
Richard Dean, Team Owner and Managing Director, United Autosports:
“We head to Oulton Park for the next rounds of the BTCC after a productive five-week break. The amount of testing we can do, and where we can do it, is limited by the championship regulations so we chose to go to Rockingham and Anglesey and have worked on trying to iron out some of the issues that affected our competitiveness in the opening rounds. We are hopeful of working our way up the grid and really need to focus on getting good qualifying positions that will automatically then help us in the races. James and Glynn are good at working their way through the field so we are looking forward to seeing what these next three races bring.”
BREEZE & DAVENPORT AIM FOR MICHELIN GINETTA GT 4 SUPERCUP SUCCESS
Carl Breeze and Luke Davenport look to add to their already impressive combined tally of 13 top-10 placings from the opening nine races in the next two Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup races and improve on their fifth and sixth positions in the driver standings. Luke, meanwhile, has the opportunity of earning himself the perfect 21st birthday present (Thursday 29 May) by scoring his and the team’s second Ginetta victory of the season.
#2 Blue Chip – Ginetta G55
Carl Breeze (GB). Age: 34. Born & Lives: King’s Lynn, England.
“Oulton is one of my favourite circuits. Its undulating features really test the skills of a driver. I’ve enjoyed many wins during my career there and hopefully I can continue that trend. I had a very good test last week. We were consistently the fastest throughout the day, which is very promising for next weekend’s races and I know that United Autosports and I are progressing forward with every lap. It is fair to say we have been frustrated with our early season pace but all credit to the team at United Autosports. They have done a fantastic job during the break to sort out the issues we have been suffering with. I believe our season starts now and I now have a car that will play to my strengths as a driver. I can’t wait for Oulton at the weekend”
#23 Duo / Henderson Insurance Brokers – Ginetta G55
Luke Davenport (GB). Age: 21. Born: Cambridge, England. Lives: Little Gransden nr St. Neots & Oxford, England.
“We recently had a really productive test which I’m sure has set me up for a weekend back at the front of the field.Oulton Park is my favourite circuit. It is the place where I took my first pole position and win last year in the Ginetta Challenge. I have always had great respect for the legendary Jim Clark. There is some great footage of him competing in the Gold Cup back in the 1960s and the circuit still seems so similar. To be able to follow in his wheel tracks out of famous corners like Old Hall and down The Avenue is a great experience for me.”
Richard Dean, Team Owner and Managing Director, United Autosports:
“Luke and Carl have been out testing ahead of the Oulton Park rounds after a tough weekend at Thruxton. Both of them have had podiums now and I’m sure Carl’s first win isn’t far away so we are looking at moving them both up the championship table this weekend. Lying fifth and sixth after three rounds isn’t a bad result for our first year but we want to be challenging for the title because we know we have the drivers and the cars to do it.”
UNITED AUTOSPORTS VOWS TO FIGHT ON AFTER MORE BRITISH GT CHAMPIONSHIP MISERY
United Autosports only has one kind of luck currently in this year’s Avon Tyres British GT Championship and that’s bad luck. The Anglo-American team endured a miserable race for the third time but remains adamant its poor fortune must turn around some time soon.
Season regulars Matt Bell and Mark Patterson retired their Audi R8 LMS ultra in the fourth round at Silverstone today after damage to the underfloor, rear diffuser and exhaust after a bizarre pit-lane accident when the Audi was hit up the rear as Patterson entered the pit-lane.
Meanwhile 2011 British GT and reigning Supercar Challenge (Super GT) Champions Jim and Glynn Geddie, making a one-off return to the series, retired after suffering a broken front right upright on their McLaren MP4-12C following an opening lap pit-stop to replace a rear wing that had been damaged due to first lap contact.
The fifth and sixth rounds, both one hour races, are staged at Snetterton on 22 June.
May 31-June 01, Silverstone (one, three-hour race)
Rd 4: Qualifying: 8th #23, 4m 08.259s (combined). 21st #24, 4m 13.015s (combined). Weather: Cloudy/dry.
Race: DNF #23. DNF #24. Weather: Cloudy/dry.
Richard Dean, Team Owner and Managing Director, United Autosports:
“Two DNFs is very disappointing and marks the first retirement for the McLaren in 12 months of racing. As for the Audi, Mark and Matt really can’t do anything right. I don’t think we have had a season since United Autosports began racing when we’ve been so competitive and on the pace but have had such little return in terms of results. We got nothing from the second race at Oulton Park, Rockingham and now here but could quite easily have won all three! But we’ll just keep battling away.”