Wylie wins on British GT4 debutposted in GT21 | 04 | 2014
SCOTS YOUNGSTER ROSS WYLIE got his British GT4 Championship off to the perfect start when he won the opening round at Oulton Park.
Sharing his Beechdean Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage with Jake Giddings in today's two one-hour races at the 2.692-mile Cheshire circuit, the 22-year-old Scot also claimed a fine fourth place “recovery” in the day's second race.
“It’s been a great start of the season for me,” Wylie (pictured on podium, centre left) admitted immediately afterwards. “Winning here 12 months ago on my Oulton debut in the Volkswagen race, only to come back for the first time and win again, probably makes it my favourite track”
The Scot started from class pole after a storming performance in qualifying on Saturday. In today's opening race, Wylie impressively staved off intense pressure for much of his opening 27mins stint from reigning GT4 champion Rick Parfitt Jnr before the latter retired.
Wylie pitted the Aston Martin Vantage under a full course caution that occurred just as the compulsory pit-stop window opened, which ultimately handed Ross’s co-driver Giddings a one lap lead advantage enabling him to coast home to earn himself and Wylie a comfortable maiden BGT victory.
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“I’d qualified on class ‘pole’ for the opening race ahead of reigning GT4 champion Parfitt," Wylie explained. "He put me under pressure in the race, but I was also trying to drive conservatively as the front tyres weren’t coming up to temperature affecting the grip level.
"He kept me on my toes and it was a bit of a relief when he disappeared from my mirrors. Then we were handed a one lap lead due to the positioning of the Safety Car.”
For race two, co-driver Giddings qualified third fastest on the GT4 grid but dropped to the tail of the field when an electrical gremlin briefly cut the Aston’s power.
However a Safety Car period, plus some consistently fast laps from both drivers, enabled Wylie to finish fourth — a mere 0.308secs away from third place — despite the Wylie/Giddings Aston being “held” for an additional 15secs during their pit stop due to their earlier victory.
“The Aston cut out on Jake as the cars went around before the start, so we were half a lap down," Wylie reflected. "That issue, combined with the 15secs win ‘penalty’, made life difficult.
“It was good fun driving from the back to fourth place, and more importantly good experience for me in terms of overtaking. I’m not hugely disappointed: you have to deal with these stresses in motor racing.”
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The third round of the 10-race series is staged at Rockingham, a two-hour race on Bank Holiday Monday (May 5).
“Jake and I can’t let our guard down," Wylie admitted. "This is only the beginning and we mustn’t lose focus just because of success in the opening two races. There’s still more to come from me, I’m finding time in myself every time I hit the track.”
There was also success for other Scots in the British GT Championship.
While the Beechdeen Aston Martin Vantage of defending champs, Kirkcaldy's Jonny Adam and Andrew Howard, finished third in both races, there were celebrations in the Ecurie Ecosse garage.
After being forced to retire from the opening race — after starting from pole position — when the team's BMW Z4 suffered a cracked gearbox casing, the Edinburgh-based crew stormed to overall victory in the day's final race.
The car, driven by Alexander Sims and Marco Attard, finished just 0.456secs ahead of the Porsche GT3 R driven by Jon Minshaw and Phil Keen.
Sir Chris Hoy, in his first outing in the Nissan GT-R GT3, finished ninth overall in the opening race. Partnered by Alex Buncombe, the six-times Olympic Gold medallist fared less well in the second race, finishing a distant 13th, 32.818secs behind the Ecurie Ecosse BMW Z4 GT3.
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Jim McGill