FIA GT CHAMPIONSHIP
DRAMA IN SPA 24 HOUR
The Spa Francorchamps 24 hour race saw plenty drama for Tim Sugden over the last weekend. At the end a creditable 4th place result was much more than the three drivers in the GruppeM Porsche in GT2 could have expected early in the race.
The weekend started fine with the #88 car qualifying on GT2 pole so that as Tim took the first 1 hour 20 minute stint he was able to sit at the head of the pack in amongst the GT1 runners. After the first pit stop and driver change regular French co-driver Emmanuel Collard, winner of the same race in 2004, took over in 2nd place but, as TV viewers on Eurosport saw the #2 GT1 Ferrari spun well in front of Collard but, as he approached up the hill reversed across the track into the path of the Porsche, the resulting heavy contact severely damaging both cars. The Ferrari took no further part in the event
Collard was able to limp to the pits but one radiator, the main chassis legs and the whole chassis and body front was badly damaged although the suspension survived. The GruppeM mechanics then started a marathon rebuild that saw them at one time attach straps to a main structural column at the rear of the pit building from one chassis leg and a 7 tonne truck to the other to pull them straight! After some 2 hours work the value of 24 hour races was realized when Sugden was asked to test the rebuild out on the track. He found the handling satisfactory and continued to run a full stint and took a second run with just a fuel refill before handing over to Stephan Ortelli, former GT2 World Champion who joined the regular drivers in car 88 for this longest round of the FIA series.
Good progress was made, albeit with slight further dramas and some luck as other cars hit the inevitable problems of long distance racing at the limit of a car’s performance. The pit crew had done such a good job that as the drivers became accustomed and confident the car recorded the fastest GT2 lap of the whole race on its way to 4th place. The GT2 win was taken again by #66, the other car in the GruppeM squad so that they continue to lead the Championship with Sugden and Collard in second place and the team well ahead in the team table.