BRITISH GT DONINGTON: QUALIFYING ANALYSIS
In the highly competitive British GT Championship, the qualifying session for the Donington Park 3-hour race proved to be a thrilling affair, providing valuable insights into the performance of the various teams.
Qualifying for the prestigious Donington Park round of the British GT Championship was a nail-biting affair, with the top contenders showcasing their impressive pace on the challenging circuit. The data analysis from the session offers a deeper understanding of the teams’ and drivers’ performances.
GT3 Class
In the GT3 class, it was the Barwell Motorsport Lamborghinis that dominated the first qualifying session (Q1), with Rob Collard in the #63 car setting the fastest outright lap with a blistering time of 1:26.051. His teammate, Alex Martin in the #78 car, was closely behind, posting a time just 0.195 seconds slower. The Garage 59 McLaren 720S of Morgan Tillbrook rounded out the top three, completing his best lap of 1:26.443 on his final attempt.
Delving deeper into the sector times, the Barwell Motorsport duo showcased their prowess, with Collard setting the fastest times in Sectors 1 and 3, while Martin claimed the fastest time in Sector 2. This display of teamwork and individual brilliance highlighted the strength of the Barwell Motorsport operation.
In the professional drivers’ Q2, the battle at the top was even more intense. Tom Gamble in the #27 Optimum Motorsport McLaren 720S clinched pole position with a time of 1:24.973, just 0.011 seconds ahead of Sandy Mitchell in the #78 Barwell Motorsport Lamborghini. Raffaele Marciello in the #15 RAM Racing Mercedes completed the top three, posting a time of 1:25.029, less than a tenth of a second off the pole position time.
Analyzing the sector times in Q2, Marciello proved to be the fastest in Sectors 1 and 3, but Mitchell’s superior performance in Sector 2 proved to be the decisive factor in his strong second-place finish. Gamble’s pole-winning lap was just 0.032 seconds off his ideal time, showcasing the fine margins at the top of the British GT grid.
GT4 Class
In the GT4 class, the DTO Motorsport Ginetta of Stewart Middleton topped the times in Q1, posting a lap of 1:33.495. However, it was Seb Morris in the #31 Team Parker Racing Mercedes who emerged victorious in Q2, setting a time of 1:33.372, just 0.095 seconds off his ideal lap.
“The qualifying session at Donington Park once again highlighted the incredible depth of talent within the British GT Championship, with the top teams and drivers pushing the limits of their machines to the very edge. As the teams prepare for the race, the data analysis provides valuable insights that could prove pivotal in determining the outcome of this thrilling event.”
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