- Former champion Breeze earns United Autosports another podium
Carl Breeze and Luke Davenport remain second and sixth respectively in the Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup standings with United Autosports consolidating its Teams Championship lead at the Rockingham Motor Speedway.
Breeze and Davenport qualified fourth and seventh, but Carl started Sunday’s opening race from third on the 14-car grid after another car was handed a penalty post qualifying.
Breeze ran third from green light to chequered flag while Davenport raced sixth until running off the track at the Brook Chicane on the 10th of 18 laps and pitted with a broken radiator.
Another podium looked on the cards for Carl in the second and final race until the final lap, Breeze missing out on third place by just 0.030secs. Davenport, who contested his first ever race at the Northamptonshire circuit three years ago in a Ginetta G20, came through from 13th on the grid to register eighth at the flag.
#2 Blue Chip – Ginetta G55
Carl Breeze (GB)
Age: 35. Born & Lives: King’s Lynn, England.
“Qualifying and both races were disappointing – especially after the highs of Knockhill. A third and a fourth were not the positions we were hoping for – I struggled with the car’s handing. Championship-wise we have much to do in the final races.”
#23 Duo / Henderson Insurance Brokers – Ginetta G55
Luke Davenport (GB)
Age: 21. Born: Cambridge, England. Lives: Little Gransden nr St. Neots & Oxford, England.
“I improved on my time I’d recorded in testing on Friday in qualifying, which left me pleased but also frustrated being so far down the grid. We didn’t seem to have the outright pace here at Rockingham and we suffered from tyre degradation, but I’ve learned a lot from today’s two races that I can put to good use in the future. Frustrating but a number of positives to take home.”
Richard Dean, Team Owner and Managing Director, United Autosports:
“A podium for Carl was a good start to the weekend, but it was a slightly frustrating one for the team. Rockingham is a tough track, it’s difficult to overtake sometimes and can be tough on the tyres. Luke was unlucky to go off in the first race, meaning he started further down the grid than usual, but he worked his way through the field well. Carl struggled with tyres during the final race and just missed out on third. Finding some consistency is the key but we will be back fighting for wins again at Silverstone.”
September 06-07 Rockingham
Rd 21 Qualifying: 4th #2, 1m 22.373s; 7th #23, 1m 22.778s. Weather: Misty/dry.
Race: 3rd #2 +4.830s, DNF #23 -7 laps. Weather: Sunny/dry.
Rd 22 Start: 3rd #2; 13th #23.
Race: 4th #2, +8.879s, 8th #23, +12.782s. Weather: Bright/dry.
Championship standings:
Drivers' Championship: 2nd Breeze, 545pts; 6th Davenport, 373pts;
Teams’ Championship: 1st, 918pts +210pts