The British-based GT3 racing team, supported by Gulf Oil International, heads into the second round of the 2012 Blancpain Endurance Series at Silverstone this weekend with a change to its driver line- up and increased anticipation following the McLaren MP4-12C GT’s recent successes in the FIA GT1 World Championship.
McLaren GT factory driver Rob Bell and Gulf Racing UK co-owner Mike Wainwright will be behind the wheel of the No. 9 as usual, while team co-owner Roald Goethe will this weekend share the No. 69 with former British GT and FIA GT Champion Jamie Campbell-Walter. Roald’s regular team-mate, Stuart Hall, is on duty with the Pescarolo team at the official Le Mans test session in preparation for entry to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Pescarolo will be racing an LMP-1 car which is owned by the German.
Merseyside-based Bell is looking forward to racing at the 5.1km Silverstone track in Northamptonshire for multiple reasons, and admits that the marque’s first race wins have affirmed the work put in since the Blancpain Endurance Series’ first round in Monza. “To be honest, Monza was a disappointment for the brand, but we’ve all done a lot of hard work since testing wise and it seems to be paying off. The two wins, even in a different series, show that it’s coming along well and we fully expect a more competitive showing at Silverstone and to be closer to the pace. The 10mm increase in ride height given at the start of the season following Balance of Performance has been reconsidered and that penalty no longer applies which will help with the handling. I think the newer Silverstone circuit layout is great as it opens up one or two more overtaking opportunities which is a good thing for everyone.”
The popular and affable Scottish-born, London-based Campbell-Walter, 39, brings a wealth of experience to Gulf Racing UK. For the last two years he has been racing a Nissan GTR in the FIA GT1 World Championship, and combines his racing duties in the UK with a burgeoning career in property development. A former GT champion and with a considerable number of laps at Silverstone under his belt, Jamie doesn’t anticipate it taking long to acclimatise himself to the McLaren MP4-12C GT3: “First of all I want to say I’m really glad for my old team mate, Stuart, to win that nice drive at Le Mans and I’ve ended up a winner too as I get to drive in the BES. The McLaren is a new car to me, but I hope it won’t take too long to acclimatise myself to it. Gulf Racing is a very professional set up and I’ve known Dave Price for many years and remember lots of entertaining banter between him and Lawrence Pearce while I was at Lister!
“I’m pleased to get my bum back in a racing seat and want to thank Roald for this fantastic opportunity. Amongst others, I’m going to be racing against ‘Brabs’, my team mate last year, and lots of other familiar faces at my home track. I’m really looking forward to the whole weekend.”
Both Mike Wainwright and Roald Goethe have experience of the Silverstone track from last year’s ILMC so are equally keen to return to the venue. The newly instated one-hour test session for ‘bronze’ rated drivers will be invaluable to both drivers, and Briton Mike will have family and friends present as will Anglophile Roald.
Practice and qualifying take place on Saturday, 2nd June, with the three-hour race starting at 12:45 pm on Sunday, 3rd June.
Source : Gulf Racing UK