British GT-4 Championship Spa Francorchamps 2018
A tense GT4 race initially swung in the favour of Century Motorsport’s Dean Macdonald and Jack Mitchell during the pitstop window before the #43 BMW held off Tolman Motorsport’s long-time race-leading McLaren over the closing stages to claim victory.
Then, the deployment of the Safety Car changed the race’s complexion once more when Century Macdonald and Mitchell benefitted from its timing to emerge in an unlikely lead, while Fagg, now at the wheel of the formerly race-leading McLaren, was demoted to second.
Daniel McKay, driving the #10 McLaren, emerged in third with Ben Tuck fourth in the second Century Motorsport BMW. As racing resumed, Scott Malvern began making moves and worked his way up to fifth for Team Parker Racing whilst Fagg put Mitchell under huge pressure at the front.
As time ticked down, Fagg, who would win the Sunoco Fastest Lap Award, tried everything he could to get past the BMW, but Mitchell stood firm to take a win, which would have seemed unlikely in the early stages, by just 0.387s. The podium was completed by Equipe Verschuur’s Hutchison and McKay.
DRIVER QUOTES
Jack Mitchell, #43 Century Motorsport BMW M4 GT4: “As we pitted the Safety Car came out and we knew things were playing into our hands. I got onto the back of the Safety Car and found we were a lap in front so we thought it was going to be easy from there, but then race control released the other cars and they were on the back of me.
“We knew the McLaren had more pace and I had Charlie on my tail for the rest of the race so I had to put the car in exactly the right place to stop him getting past. My race craft and defending has become better over the previous years so I knew where to put the car and I knew where we were stronger, so it’s a really good result. It’s two wins in a row for me and I’m really happy for Dean coming in and getting his first win.”
Then, the deployment of the Safety Car changed the race’s complexion once more when Century Macdonald and Mitchell benefitted from its timing to emerge in an unlikely lead, while Fagg, now at the wheel of the formerly race-leading McLaren, was demoted to second.
Daniel McKay, driving the #10 McLaren, emerged in third with Ben Tuck fourth in the second Century Motorsport BMW. As racing resumed, Scott Malvern began making moves and worked his way up to fifth for Team Parker Racing whilst Fagg put Mitchell under huge pressure at the front.
As time ticked down, Fagg, who would win the Sunoco Fastest Lap Award, tried everything he could to get past the BMW, but Mitchell stood firm to take a win, which would have seemed unlikely in the early stages, by just 0.387s. The podium was completed by Equipe Verschuur’s Hutchison and McKay.
DRIVER QUOTES
Jack Mitchell, #43 Century Motorsport BMW M4 GT4: “As we pitted the Safety Car came out and we knew things were playing into our hands. I got onto the back of the Safety Car and found we were a lap in front so we thought it was going to be easy from there, but then race control released the other cars and they were on the back of me.
“We knew the McLaren had more pace and I had Charlie on my tail for the rest of the race so I had to put the car in exactly the right place to stop him getting past. My race craft and defending has become better over the previous years so I knew where to put the car and I knew where we were stronger, so it’s a really good result. It’s two wins in a row for me and I’m really happy for Dean coming in and getting his first win.”