The SV-led Horsepower Racing team overcame impossible conditions to cap off its 2013 season with a sensational race win in Donington Park’s title-deciding night race, but was denied the overall Britcar MSA British Endurance Championship crown by a single point (2 November).
Heavy rain started falling in the East Midlands as the grid formed for the final round on the shortened 2013 Britcar calendar, but Paul Bailey bravely ventured out into the darkness on dry-weather tyres.
He maintained a good pace in fluctuating conditions, although an unfortunate collision with the wall at Mcleans damaged the Horsepower Racing Aston Martin’s geometry and led to an unscheduled pit stop for a fresh set of wet tyres.
Javier Morcillo took the Azteca Mosler into the lead at the start of the two-hour race, building a four-lap cushion over Bailey’s Aston Martin before handing the reins over to Manuel Cintrano with 45 minutes on the clock.
A driver change for HPR had already taken place and it was up to Andy Schulz to wrestle the ill-handling Aston Martin to the finish around the Donington Park National circuit.
Initially on grooved rubber, the SV-led HPR team made the call to pit Schulz for slicks, which preceded a sensational recovery that brought the London-based outfit back into contention for the win.
Schulz lapped the 1.94mile circuit significantly quicker than his chief Class 1 rivals, but the victory was ultimately sealed when Cintrano clashed with a back-marker on the penultimate lap.
However, as Ian Loggie and Chris Jones took their Porsche 997 to top honours in Class 2, Team Parker Racing clinched the overall 2013 Britcar MSA British Endurance Championship title by one point over Horsepower Racing.
“I’m delighted with the race result, but very frustrated and infuriated about the championship situation, because the only real reasons we didn’t win the title was because there was a lack of competition in Class 2 and we lost the final round,” said Bailey. “Conditions were exceptionally changeable throughout the day and there were times when it was virtually impossible to drive. But we took maximum points for the win and fastest lap and couldn’t have done any more. I don’t think we could have driven any better and the SV team couldn’t have done a better job.”
Schulz added: “I honestly thought it was looking quite bad when I got in the car, but the Aston Martin was sensationally quick when we switched to slicks. With it being a night race in changeable conditions it was always going to be tough, but this was especially difficult. I think Paul’s collision with the wall sent the geometry awry and the Aston Martin was a real handful on the wet tyres.
“Generally speaking, I’m very happy with the result. It’s frustrating to miss out on the title by a single point and we were a bit scuppered by the last round being dropped. From the team’s perspective, the SV guys did a sterling job and the Aston was in great shape throughout the weekend.”
SV Team Manager, Tom Ferrier, said: “It was a very challenging day for a multitude of reasons and there were a lot of hurdles to overcome, not least the changeable weather conditions. Both Paul (Bailey) and Andy (Schulz) drove remarkably well – there was a definite improvement in Paul’s overall pace – and the team did a brilliant job. We really did do everything possible to give ourselves a good shot at the title and to miss out by one point is frustrating. But that’s racing.”
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