McLaren Grabs Double Podium at 24 Hours of Spa
POLE POSITION AND A DOUBLE FINISH FOR 12C GT3 AT THE GRUELING TOTAL 24 HOURS OF SPA

• 12C GT3 claims pole position for McLaren GT customer team, Von Ryan Racing
• Five 12C GT3s qualify in the top 20 of a competitive group of more than 65 cars
• Von Ryan Racing bring home both cars entered, claiming 4th place in Pro-Am class

The 2012 Total 24 Hours of Spa was another challenging test of endurance and reliability for the McLaren GT customer teams competing at the headline event of the Blancpain Endurance Series over the weekend, 27-29 July. All nine examples of the 12C GT3 performed well around the famous Spa-Francorchamps circuit despite harsh conditions throughout, but the incident-filled race took its toll. The punishing circuit and challenging weather saw an extremely high attrition rate throughout the field, but two 12C GT3s successfully crossed the line to claim P9 and P30.

The #88 12C GT3, run by Von Ryan Racing and driven by Alvaro Parente, Rob Barff, Roger Wills and McLaren Automotive Chief Test Driver, Chris Goodwin, battled hard into an impressive 4th place in the Pro-Am class, and P9 overall. The team’s #60 blue-and-black car piloted by Julian Draper, Matt Draper, Stephen Jelley and Stef Dusseldorp crossed the line P30 after a tough 24 hours.

Each of the nine cars showed strong pace throughout the weekend’s qualifying sessions, with five 12C GT3s in the top 20 for the start of the race. The striking dragon-liveried #88 car was the top-qualifying McLaren, claiming pole position in the highly-competitive Pro-Am class, and 3rd overall.

The opening stint was headlined by the #9 Gulf Racing UK car driven by McLaren ‘works’ driver, Rob Bell. After showing good pace during the weekend’s free practice sessions, a difficult qualifying saw the car line up in P51. However, by the end of his double stint, Bell’s strong pace in the 12C GT3 had moved him up to 7th position. The Belgian Boutsen-Ginion Racing team also put in an impressive performance in front of a home crowd with two cars, and the #5 orange-and-black 12C GT3 was the front-running McLaren as the light faded, leading the Pro-Am class, and in P5 overall.

The 4.352-mile (7.004 km) Spa-Francorchamps circuit, notorious for its own micro-climate, saw extreme changes in weather throughout the 24 hours. The opening laps took place in the dry, but conditions quickly changed, and a heavy downpour over part of the circuit during the first scheduled pit window resulted in some teams requiring an additional stop for wet tyres. Further rain showers throughout the remainder of the race ensured the teams and drivers were challenged until the end of the race.


During the 24 hours, the harsh conditions saw more than half the grid forced to retire. As darkness fell, a bold call to change to slick tyres by the Gulf Racing and Von Ryan Racing teams proved successful as the track dried, and gained both teams an advantage over the rest of the field. However, the track’s slippery conditions off the dry line were unforgiving and caused both Gulf Racing cars to retire after leaving the track.

The Lapidus Racing team showed good race pace after qualifying P12 on the grid, but an early collision saw the team lose time. The team worked hard to get the 12C GT3 back on track, and were making progress before coming together with the fast-charging #5 Boutsen-Ginion Racing car, bringing a premature end to the race for both teams. The ART Grand Prix and ASM teams also ran well in the opening 12 hours of the race posting competitive lap times, but the demanding circuit and treacherous conditions saw both teams forced to retire.

Chris Goodwin, McLaren Automotive Chief Test Driver, and driver of the #88 Von Ryan Racing 12C GT3, explained: “The Spa 24 hour race is unlike any other race on the GT calendar; it is a real event from the minute the teams arrive here, and it was fantastic to see the nine 12C GT3s in the parade through the town’s streets before the race. Then, to see them on track, and having five qualify in the top 20, is a real testament to the performance of the teams, and the developments that have been made throughout this season. This is the ultimate test of endurance and reliability for the cars, the drivers and the teams.”


Goodwin continued: “Doing anything non-stop for 24 hours is difficult, but putting in consistently competitive laps, around one of the most demanding circuits in such changeable conditions, is extremely tough. The fact that more than 30 cars were forced to retire from this event shows just how demanding a race it is. To have two cars finish, one in the top 10, in this, the debut competitive year for the 12C GT3, is a big result.”

Exclusive short films were produced during the Total 24 Hours of Spa, and these can be viewed or embedded at the official McLaren Automotive YouTube channel: McLaren Automotive - YouTube.

Source [McLaren]

 

awesome!

 

Audi winning this, the 'ring, and Le Mans is ****ing awesome. I wish the best for McLaren but Audis year this year is insane.

 

Come on McLaren.

 

Amazing going!!

 

Great result but winning isnt everything.....oh wait! Yes, it is.

Congratulations.

 

Bateman and Bell give new McLaren perfect British GT debut

Bateman and Bell give new McLaren perfect British GT debut

Sunday, August 05 2012

The stunning McLaren MP4-12C of Charles Bateman and Matt Bell were the class of the field as they recorded victory with their new car in its maiden race in the Avon Tyres British GT Championship at Snetterton.

The United Autosports pairing started from fourth on the grid and had to work hard in the early stages of the race, battling with the Trackspeed Porsche of David Ashburn/Richard Westbrook, the Beechdean Aston Martin of Andrew Howard/Jonny Adam and the Motorbase Porsche of Daniele Perfetti and Michael Caine. However, once they found a way into the lead Bateman and Bell produced a faultless drive to take the flag from Perfetti and Caine.

The predicted showers stayed away from the Norfolk circuit and the drivers were welcomed by hot sunny conditions, perfect for producing great racing. Pole sitter Ashburn managed to hold on to his lead as the field burst into Riches for the first time, but he was pushed hard by the Beechdean Aston Martin and Batemen's McLaren. Before the end of the lap the lead changed as Howard dived down the inside at Murrays and the McLaren followed suit, leaving Ashburn in third just ahead of the Motorbase entry of Perfetti. However, Howard's lead was short-lived as Bateman surged past on lap two and he immediately began to build a lead. Elsewhere, the BMW Z4 of Alasdair McCaig and Ollie Millroy shot up to fifth from ninth in just three laps.

Another car on the move was the RJN Nissan GTR of Jann Mardenborough and Alex Buncombe and with Mardenborough at the wheel, he soon latched onto the back of the pack chasing the McLaren. In the GT4 Class Jody Fannin and Warren Hughes built up a comfortable lead after five laps.

With Bateman pulling away at the front, all eyes turned to an intriguing five car battle for second. Howard had been holding the position before a spin at Montreal saw him fall to seventh gifting Ashburn the spot. His Trackspeed Porsche was soon under attack from Perfetti in third but an over exuberant move from the Swiss driver saw him fall behind Mardenborough's Nissan and McCaig's BMW. The Nissan was the next car to challenge Ashburn and unfortunately the pair made contact which saw Ashburn drop to ninth and Mardenborugh fall to sixth. Subsequent mechanical problems for the Nissan saw them come into the pits to retire.

The top five except the leader Bateman soon came into the pits just minutes after the pit window opened along with the Duncan Cameron/Matt Griffin Ferrari. The 458 exited the pits first securing a net second spot with the Motorbase car in third. Two laps later the McLaren came in and a slick stop saw them come out and regain the lead from Griffin in the Ferrari, but this was short-lived after the Mtech squad were handed a stop and go penalty. The pair took the penalty and rejoined the race in fourth.

Despite the best efforts from Newmarket's Caine in the Motorbase car, he was unable to reel in the McLaren, which allowed Bell to guide the car home to the flag by a comfortable 16 second margin, with Jonny Adam recovering the Aston Martin to third. In the GT4 class, problems for early leaders Fannin and Hughes allowed Lee Mowle and George Murrells to grab victory.

The second and final Avon Tyres British GT race at Snetterton will begin at 16:45pm.

Avon Tyres British GT Championship Race 1 Result Top 10

1. Charles Bateman/Matt Bell, United Autosports, McLaren MP4-12C 30 laps
2. Daniele Perfetti/Michael Caine, Motorbase, Porsche 997 RSR +16.276s
3. Andrew Howard/Jonny Adam, Beechdean, Aston Martin Vantage GT3 +16.726s
4. Duncan Cameron/Matt Griffin, Mtech, Ferrari 458 +32.347s
5. Steve Tandy/Joe Osborne, Trackspeed, Porsche 997 RSR, +40.191s
6. David Ashburn/Richard Westbrook, Trackspeed, Porsche 997 RSR. +40.746s
7. Jon Minshaw/Tim Harvey, Trackspeed, Porsche 997 RSR, +43.474s
8. Alasdair McCaig/Ollie Millroy, Ecurie Ecosse, +49.464s
9. Marco Attard/Hari Prozcyk, Rino's Leipert Motorsport, +1 lap
10. John Dhillon/Aaron Scott, Scuderia Vittoria, +1 lap