British Teams ready to fight for honour at Silverstone
With the FIA World Endurance Championship Super Season kicking back into life next month at Silverstone, there are plenty of British teams up and down the grid gearing up for their home race at the historic Northamptonshire track.
CEFC TRSM Racing may compete under the Chinese flag but the team is based out of Manor’s base at Silverstone while partner Ginetta is situated in Leeds, some 140 miles to the north.
The team’s pair of Mecachrome-powered G60-LT-P1s endured a tough race debut in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, but the higher downforce requirements of Silverstone should suit the car better and allow it to mount a more credible challenge within the LMP1 category. A driver line-up made up largely of Brits will also be hoping to impress their home crowd.
In the LMP2 division, there is likewise a Chinese-entered team run out of the UK: Jackie Chan DC Racing, operated by JOTA Sport. Its season couldn’t have started better in Spa, as Ho-Pin Tung, Gabriel Aubry and Stephane Richelmi garnered maximum class points, but a Le Mans to forget means they have ground to recover at Silverstone to catch up with the class leaders from Signatech Alpine.
Of the five LMGTE Pro class manufacturers, two can call Silverstone their home race: Ford Chip Ganassi Racing and Aston Martin Racing.
Ford is based a stone’s throw away in Greatworth, and even boasts an all-British line-up in one its cars. After a crash at Spa and a post-race penalty at Le Mans, Harry Tincknell and Andy Priaulx will be looking to replicate their Silverstone victory of 2017 to get back in the GTE Pro title fight.
Aston Martin continues to get to grips with its new-for-2018 Vantage GTE and they will be hoping to challenge at the front of the class on home turf.
The Prodrive-run Aston Martin outfit also has a presence in the GTE Am category, courtesy of its 2017-spec Vantage that won the class at Spa, while Surrey-based outfit TF Sport – which came very close indeed to a fairy tale maiden victory in Belgium – will also be hoping its form in the curtain-raiser wasn’t a one-off.
Gulf Racing is another team that won’t have too far to travel come August, being based in Milton Keynes. The Porsche squad has shown flashes of potential so far but had its campaign so far disrupted by incidents, compromising its place in the standings – so a clean run for home drivers Michael Wainwright and Ben Barker at Silverstone will be essential.
The 6 Hours of Silverstone takes place on Sunday 19th August, beginning at 12 noon.
