Driver Database News

Marford’s Seb Morris is celebrating yet another richly deserved accolade after being named the 2011 WRDA Welsh Young Driver of the Year during a special ceremony on Saturday, 19th November.

Following an utterly dominant title-winning season in the Ginetta Junior Championship, where he scorched to 11 victories and 16 podiums in total from the 20 races contested, the ultra talented driver’s year has been capped-off perfectly with the prestigious WRDA award.

Immensely proud of his Welsh heritage, the 15-year-old GCSE pupil – who studies at The King’s School, Chester – is now preparing to make the move into single-seater racing where he aims to graduate into either Formula Renault BARC or Formula Renault UK.

“It’s a real honour to be named the Welsh Young Driver of the Year and I’d like to say a big thank you to the Welsh Racing Drivers Association for their support”, said Seb, “We had a fantastic season in Ginetta this year, it couldn’t have gone any better, and to now be awarded this accolade really is the icing on the cake.”

Since graduating from a successful karting career in 2010, the Liberty Properties and Legat Owen backed racer has established himself as one of the UK’s top rising motorsport stars. Becoming a podium finisher in his maiden season in the Ginetta Junior Championship, Seb went on to claim the 2010 Winter Series title with two wins from four races.

Beginning the main Ginetta Junior season this year with a great chance to make it two title victories in succession, Seb was untouchable during the first half of the campaign and went on to win the championship one event early and with an eventual margin of 125 points over his closest challenger.

Reflecting on the WRDA’s decision to name Seb the Welsh Young Driver of the Year, club secretary Robert Allender commented: “We are pleased to honour Seb in this way. He clearly is a driver with a lot of potential and we hope he will continue to be successful.”

Photo by Jakob Ebrey Photography.

In his first V8 Supercar race since winning the Bathurst 1000 in October, Nick Percat has scored a podium finish in today’s opening Fujitsu V8 Supercar race at Sandown.

Starting from fifth on the grid, Percat pressured the frontrunners throughout the race and pulled off a bold last-lap move on David Russell to grab third place.

He also set the fastest lap of the race in the #222 Coates Hire Commodore and was the only driver in the 1 minute 11 second bracket.

“I got a good start and just focused on staying in touch with the leading pack,” said Percat.

“After a tough few events, I’m just happy to bring the car home in third and give the boys a well deserved result.”

So far it has been an outstanding weekend for the Coates Hire racer, who yesterday won the coveted 2011 SA Sports Star of the Year People’s Choice award.

“It’s a huge honour to win the award and to have so much support from my hometown.

“I want to thank everyone who took the time to vote for me!”

There are two races tomorrow, beginning with a 15-lap reverse grid race at 10.15am local time.

The top ten finishers from today’s race are reversed, meaning Percat will start from eighth.

The final 15-lap race at 1.30pm will conclude the Sandown event, which is the penultimate round of the 2011 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series.

Having already wrapped up the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup title with a race to spare, Larbre Competition capped their ultra-successful year with a fine second place finish at the season-closing 6 Hours of Zhuhai in China last weekend.
The French squad were keen to demonstrate the strengths of its GTE Am class winning #50 Corvette C6.R in a country that has become an increasingly important global market for car manufacturers by maintaining the momentum built up throughout 2011. Despite the car having never raced at Zhuhai before, Larbre Competition’s seven previous appearances ensured its experience would prove vital when it came to car set-up.
Such was the importance of this race that Corvette Racing had sent factory driver Olivier Beretta to compete alongside team regulars Julien Canal and Patrick Bornhauser. While the Monegasque’s expertise and recommendations will prove vital heading into 2012, his impact was felt by Canal in particular whose qualifying lap was just 0.4 seconds shy of class pole position and faster than both ex-F1 drivers Giancarlo Fisichella and Ralph Firman!
At the start, Beretta used all of his experience racing Corvettes to move to the head of the field before handing over to Bornhauser. The Frenchman won at Zhuhai last season so it was no surprise to see him increase the team’s advantage over the second place Porsche to more than 20 seconds at the start of his second stint. Unfortunately an issue with the electronic gear selector ultimately cost the team significant time as Patrick struggled back to the pits stuck in first gear.
With a full repair likely to cost too much time, the decision was taken to re-join in manual mode. Under specific instructions from the Corvette USA engineer, Beretta began the team’s fight back through the order, placing the Corvette in podium contention. Canal then continued the good work, pumping in fast and consistent lap times so that by the finish, and after an all-round fantastic performance, just 43 seconds separated the top two.
Jack Leconte, Team Principal: “Under the circumstances it was a great performance from our drivers, mechanics and engineers. Corvette has never raced at Zhuhai before so it was rewarding to apply our ample knowledge of the circuit to the car’s set-up and see that it worked well. Olivier has been a great addition this weekend and helped us understand where we can make further progress. Obviously we’re disappointed not to end our fantastic season, which included scooping the ILMC crown and victory at the Le Mans 24 Hours, with a win. But I am still very proud that the team was able to fight its way back into contention and score another podium.”
Olivier Beretta: “Having been aware of Larbre Competition’s background and the number of championships they had won for quite some time, it was great to finally race with them in China and confirm for myself the ultra-professional level at which they operate. I was also delighted to share the car, which proved extremely competitive, with Patrick and Julien. We were leading the class before the mechanical issue, a possibility which cannot be discounted in motor racing, delayed us. Despite this setback, the team managed to repair the car and we finished in second place. Finally, I’d like to congratulate Patrick, Julien and Gabriele Gardel on their championship success.”
Patrick Bornhauser: “It felt great to return to Zhuhai for the final race of 2011 without the added pressure of securing the title which we’d wrapped up at Petit Le Mans. The race still had special meaning though as we had a works Corvette driver alongside us in the form of Olivier. We gelled immediately and spending the whole week together has been a fantastic experience. Heavy rain meant Wednesday’s free practice sessions were shortened but the race started well all the same with Olivier at the wheel. I was able to take the lead during my stint but after about 90 minutes began to experience problems with the gearbox. We opted to pit to reset the system in a manual mode and also took the opportunity to swap drivers. Ultimately it cost us victory but nevertheless we have still achieved an excellent second place. I have really enjoyed my week in China.”
Julien Canal: “The round at Zhuhai meant I could learn more about a new circuit and an official Corvette Racing driver! Olivier is someone with great human qualities and a high level of professionalism and our shared experiences of the Corvette helped us to prepare set-ups for a car that had not raced there before. I had a lot of confidence going into my third qualifying session of the season, which showed in the lap time that put us amongst the GTE Pro drivers. Olivier and Patrick produced two very good opening stints but unfortunately mine was complicated by the gearbox problem. Nevertheless it was with huge satisfaction that I crossed the line to finish second having recorded a lap only a few tenths slower than Olivier’s best. A big thank you to my team-mates as well everyone at Larbre Competition for their passion, commitment and professionalism throughout 2011. It’s also worth noting the strong support of Corvette Racing.”
Result: 6 Hours of Zhuhai
1. Proton Competition Lietz/Roda/Ried Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 217
2. Larbre Competition Bornhauser/Canal/Beretta Corvette C6.R 216
3. Krohn Racing Krohn/Jonsson/Rugolo Ferrari F430 GT2 215
4. CRS Racing Ehret/Mullen/Wills Ferrari F430 GT2 215
5. Gulf AMR Middle East Giroix/Goethe Aston Martin Vantage 198
6. AF Corse Cioci/Ma Ferrari F430 GT2 22

ILMC GTE Am final championship classification
1. Larbre Competition 93 points
2. Krohn Racing 62
3. Proton Competition 52
4. CRS Racing 50
5. AF Corse 47
6. Gulf AMR Middle East 23

Jack Leconte, Team Principal: “Our focus now turns to 2012 when I’m hoping we’ll be able to defend our title in the World Endurance Championship. The FIA and ACO announced the calendar over the weekend which will help us to firm up plans for a return to the top echelon of sportscar racing.”
2012 World Endurance Championship
17 Mar USA 12 Hours of Sebring
5 May Belgium Spa 6 Hours
3 Jun France Le Mans Test Day
16/17 Jun France Le Mans 24 Hours
25 Aug GB Silverstone 6 Hours
16 Sep Brazil 6 Hours of Sao Paolo (TBC)
30 Sep Japan 6 Hours of Fuji
20 Oct Bahrain 6 Hours of Bahrain
11 or 18 Nov China TBD

Photo by VSC Pictures

Tutumlu, a Spanish with Kurdish origins, concluded 15th during last race of 2011 season in Porsche Supercup, which was held in Abu Dhabi. Good result for Barzani Racing Team´s driver after his problems in Saturday´s race.

Isaac Tutumlu has finished today his 2011 season in Porsche Supercup and he showed his good shape at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. Tutumlu, driving a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup lined up by Attempto Racing and under Barzani Racing Team colors, achieved a good 15 place at the end of this meeting.

In free practice session, Tutumlu was 12 fastest despite his Porsche was suffering from braking problems and which continued over the course of the weekend. It meant that in qualifying Tutumlu could just achieve 18 and 19 places on the starting grids for race one and two respectively. “We changed my car´s brake pads a few times but my feeling with them didn´t improve. They worked at the beginning but after three or four laps they got worse”, he explained.

In race one, which was scheduled on Saturday, Tutumlu made a good start but, before of the first corner, another rival got him up against the wall. Spanish driver of Kurdish origin had to brake but he lost control of his car and colliding with another rival. “I feel quite confident before the start and I made a good start. However Sebastian Bleekemolen got me up against the wall and I couldn´t control my car, hitting Alessandro Zampedri”, Tutumlu explained afterwards. In spite of Tutumlu finished the race, he was excluded later due to his collision in first lap, even when it was proved Bleekemolen´s maneuver.

Today almost everything improved and, starting 19 , he gained at least three or four places at the start. “This time I have approached first bend on the outside to avoid any kind of problems. Anyway my brake problems appeared when I was fighting for 13 place. With two laps to go, two rivals managed to overtake me, but the balance is quite positive because I faced a strong and experienced opposition and my lap times were very similar”, he told at the end.

Omani star Ahmad Al Harthy took the best win of his motor racing career at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, 13th November, with an imperious lights-to-flag performance during the fourth round of the 2011/2012 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East.

Forming part of the support bill to the FIA Formula One World Championship’s annual visit to Yas Marina, the Oman Air Racing Team driver’s maiden victory in Porsche ME has hoisted him to within juts six points of the series lead. More importantly than that though, the raising of the Omani flag on the podium at an F1 event marked the proudest moment of the patriotic 30-year-old’s career.

Starting on pole position, after an outstanding performance in qualifying on Saturday, the Oman Air, Nawras, National Bank of Oman, Brand Oman, Oman Ministry of Sports Affairs and Oman Ministry of Tourism-backed driver made a perfect getaway.

Steadily increasing his advantage at the front, Ahmad ran unchallenged throughout the 14 laps and put together a faultless race to win by over four seconds – capping off a memorable weekend. As in round three on Saturday, in which he finished runner-up, Ahmad once again set the fastest lap.

“From start to finish this is the best race and the best win of my career”, said the ecstatic racer, “I’m so, so happy with this result. We made a great start, everything went well and we took the fastest lap again so it really couldn’t have been any more perfect. We knew we had the pace to do this here this weekend.

“To me this is a home win, the Middle East is where I’m from and this is the closest thing I have to a home race. By far the proudest moment of my career was to see the Omani flag flying high above the podium on an F1 weekend. It’s the most prestigious motorsport championship in the world, to achieve a result like this on a Grand Prix weekend is incredible…I’m almost lost for words.”

Notably for the past two weekends, first in Dubai and now in Abu Dhabi, the Muscat-born driver has been competing with number 41 on his Porsche 911 GT3. The reason for this has now been clarified by the Omani…

“We’ve worked so hard these past six years to achieve a moment like this, I dedicate this win to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. The reason we’ve been running number 41 on the car in Porsche ME is to celebrate His Majesty’s 41st year of rule in Oman. It’s amazing to celebrate the National Holiday in Oman with this success.”

Rounds five and six of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East are expected to take place in Abu Dhabi next month – the date of the event is yet to be confirmed.

2011/2012 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East Driver Standings (after Rd4):
1st Abdulaziz Al Faisal, 72pts; 2nd Bandar Alesayi, 68pts; 3rd Ahmad Al Harthy, 66pts

Photo by Porsche Middle East & Africa.

Ginetta Junior Champion Seb Morris made an already remarkable season more so at Silverstone National Circuit over the weekend, 15th/16th October, by adding two further podium finishes to his final season tally – meaning he ends the 2011 campaign with 16 rostrum visits from 20 race starts.

Every superlative has already been used to describe the 15-year-old’s thoroughly dominant second year in car racing. Having sealed the title at Brands Hatch a fortnight ago, the Marford-based driver headed into this weekend’s championship finale aiming for more podiums and he achieved it with third place in round 19 and second in round 20 – the latter a mere 0.096 seconds shy of the win.

Concluding the season a massive 125 points clear of his closest challenger, Seb has taken victory in 11 of the 20 races contested and never finished outside the top six all year. In short, it’s been a truly awe-inspiring campaign.

He commented: “We finished 20 out of 20 races which is just outstanding and also with 16 out of 20 podiums. It’s been an incredible season and shows the hard work the whole team has put in, I want to thank them for everything this year – it really has been amazing.”

During the live televised final race of the season, round 20, the Liberty Properties and Legat Owen-supported driver fought an incredibly tight battle with Niall Murray with the pair trading the lead for the 11 lap duration.

Starting the race from fourth on the grid, Seb rapidly moved into the top three and out of Copse he challenged Brad Bailey for second place which he sealed at Becketts. Instantly pressuring Murray for the lead, the Welsh youngster got the breakthrough on lap three but the slipstream effect meant there was little to choose between the lead runners.

Murray nosed inside the Hillspeed ace at Woodcote at the end of lap four and managed to go by but Seb hit-back again on lap six at Becketts. Once again, the lead changed at Woodcote in Murray’s favour but the champion refused to settle for second best as the battle intensified.

Swapping places three times on lap nine alone, the fight went down to the wire with Murray just holding the advantage into the final tour. Pressuring hard over the last 1.64-miles, Seb almost managed to get ahead on the run to the line but had to settle for second just 0.096 seconds shy.

“It was really tough racing, perhaps a bit too tough at times, but I did the best I could”, said Seb, “It was a great race and just a shame we didn’t take the win, it really would have been fantastic to finish off the season back on the top step of the podium. I’ve taken 11 wins though this year so I think I’ve had my fair share!”

For round 19 on Saturday, fourth on the grid quickly became third off the start and although slipping to fourth momentarily Seb battled back past Sennan Fielding for third on lap three before swooping past Jake Giddings for second place.

Producing fastest lap pace on the fourth tour, The King’s School, Chester pupil closed up right onto the tail of leader Murray. On lap 10, things started to come to a head with the two front-runners side-by-side into Copse. Murray clung on to the lead and the fighting enabled Fielding to mount his own challenge, the latter passing Seb for second on the run to Becketts.

Re-taking second place on lap 11, Seb posted the fastest lap on the following tour – before this was shaded by Brad Bailey the next time around – with nothing at all between the top three. On lap 13, Murray and Seb both went wide at Becketts while disputing first place and that allowed Fielding through to claim the win, Seb taking third place just 0.3 seconds behind Murray.

Final 2011 Ginetta Junior Championship Driver Standings:
CHAMPION: Seb Morris, 562pts

Photo by Jakob Ebrey Photography.

Nick Percat and Garth Tander have made history after claiming a thrilling win in the 2011 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 for the Toll Holden Racing Team.

It was a dream Bathurst 1000 debut for 23 year-old Nick, who became the first rookie to win Bathurst in over 30 years, the only previous rookie to ever win the great race was multiple F1 race winner and 6 times Le Mans Champion Jacky Ickx in 1977.

Nick and Garth’s Bathurst win also marked the 200th race win for the Holden Racing Team.

Percat put in an impressive performance in his first ever attempt at the Great Race. Despite a brush with the wall at Griffins Bend, he kept his cool and drove strongly in both his stints to hand the #2 Toll HRT Commodore back to Tander in race winning contention.

It was a nervous time in the Toll HRT garage for Percat as he watched Tander hold off a late charge from Craig Lowndes to win by just .29 seconds – the closest finishing margin in the history of the race.

“It was an amazing day, and it really is a credit to Garth and the team that we were able to win,” said Percat.

“Standing on the podium was nothing like I expected. I knew it would be pretty amazing but no words can describe what that was like.

“The atmosphere was unbelievable, there was a sea of red Holden flags as far as I could see. It was a pretty awesome place to get my first V8 Supercar race win!”

Growing up, Nick watched as his hero Peter Brock took on the mountain for the factory Holden team. Now at just 23 years of age, his is the newest name to be etched on the Peter Brock trophy.

Earlier in the weekend Percat hussled the Coates Hire Racing Development Series car to 4th and 8th respectively, building his on track experience in trying conditions, before stunning the crowd and the watching world with his win in the big one!

Nick will be back in action at Sandown Raceway over the weekend of the 18th – 20th of November for Coates Hire, be sure to stay tuned to further news on this superstar of the future.

Follow Nick on Twitter: twitter.com/NickPercat

Follow Nick on Facebook: facebook.com/pages/Nick-Percat

Silverstone National Circuit hosts the season finale of the 2011 Ginetta Junior Championship next weekend, 15th/16th October, where newly crowned champion Seb Morris is planning on making the most of his last two races in the category.

Having sealed his second car racing title at Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit a week ago, aged just 15-years-old, the pressure is off the Marford driver for rounds 19 and 20 at the Northamptonshire track so he’ll be able to go out and enjoy the racing knowing his goal has already been accomplished.

Graduation from Ginetta Junior into a higher category is a certainty for 2012 so Seb will undoubtedly want to try and end his association with the championship by adding to his already remarkable tally of wins and podiums.

From the 18 races contested, the Liberty Properties and Legat Owen-backed star has taken 11 wins and three further podiums – with six pole positions in qualifying along the way – to stamp absolute authority on the campaign.

Seb has proven time and again he has the pace to win from the front and the ability to slice his way through the field. Going into the championship finale the Hillspeed driver would dearly love to add more victories to his tally but his greater focus is to maximise the enjoyment of his final weekend in Ginetta Junior.

“The pressure is off as far as the championship goes so I just want to go out, enjoy the weekend and do the team proud – they’ve been fantastic all season”, said The King’s School, Chester pupil, “I’m really happy with the way the season has gone as a whole, we’ve had loads of wins, there have been ups and downs, but we got there through a lot of hard work.

“If qualifying goes well next weekend then hopefully we can get on the podium or even take a win but my biggest priority is to enjoy the last two races. There should be a great atmosphere and a really big crowd at Silverstone, I’m really looking forward to it.”

Seb to support ‘Breathtakers’ charity at Thruxton this Saturday…
While the Ginetta Junior Championship finale is still a week away, Seb will be in competitive action this weekend, on Saturday, 8th October, at Thruxton Circuit in Hampshire for a specially organised charity kart race.

Raising funds for the Breathtakers charity, the teenage ace will join drivers from a variety of motor racing categories, including Formula 3, Formula Renault, Porsche Carrera Cup and touring cars, for the race which will get underway at 13.00 tomorrow afternoon.

Breathtakers, which supports sufferers of Obliterative Bronchiolitis, was founded in 2007 by Lynne Thompson whose daughter sadly has the condition. OB is a rare and limiting form of non-reversible obstructive lung disease which occurs in both children and adults following injury to the lower tract.

To find out more about the fantastic work conducted by the Breathtakers charity, and to understand more about the symptoms and causes of OB, please visit the website www.breathtakers.co.uk

Provisional 2011 Ginetta Junior Championship Driver Standings (after Rd18 – inc. drop scores):
CHAMPION: Seb Morris, 515pts

Photo by Jakob Ebrey Photography.

Larbre Competition sealed their second successive Intercontinental Le Mans Cup title at last weekend’s Petit Le Mans with a runner-up finish at the Road Atlanta circuit’s American classic guaranteeing them the championship with a race to spare.

The team was on-track as early as September 24th in order to participate in the private test session held during the weekend prior to the event. After a total of four days running, during which 1,400kms were covered, they were able to enter the race with a perfect set-up on the #50 Corvette.

Despite being hit with three penalties during the 10 hour contest the three-man crew of Julien Canal, Patrick Bornhauser and Gabriele Gardel finished in an excellent second position, confirming them as 2011 GTE Am champions ahead of next month’s season-closing race in China (13 November).

This continuing success is a tribute to the hard work taking place at every level of the team: management, logistics, communications, engineering, mechanics and drivers. However the summit has yet to be reached, with Larbre Competition already preparing to enter the new World Endurance Championship (WEC) and their twentieth Le Mans 24 Hours in 2012.

Julien Canal: “Upon arrival at Road Atlanta we received technical and sporting support from the Corvette factory, which allowed us to quickly reach a good level of performance on what is a unique and tricky circuit. Thanks to this, and despite more than six minutes of penalties during the race, we managed to finish second and thus seal the 2011 ILMC championship title.

“I would like to thank Jack Leconte for the confidence he has shown in me this year, as well as all the technical staff who have provided us with a reliable and competitive car throughout the season. Finally, a big thank you to my two team-mates Patrick and Gabriele, with whom I have enjoyed a lot of good times. They are both great professionals and very good friends.”

Patrick Bornhauser: “There is always apprehension when arriving at a new circuit, but Road Atlanta has been a pleasant surprise with its many elevation changes and blind corners. It is a fascinating challenge, though the enjoyment is tempered by the sheer number of cars entered, which due to the track’s relatively short length creates a level of traffic I have never seen on any other circuit.

“The atmosphere within the team was as perfect as ever in America, allowing us to run a great race and take second at the finish, a position that could have been even better without the penalties handed out by race control. Nevertheless, the result gives us a second successive victory in the ILMC, a great achievement for the whole team.”

Gabriele Gardel: “We stared strongly with two days of testing, which was key to us getting a good feel for the track. The team worked extremely well and we easily found a good base set-up to use during the official testing days. Jack Leconte organised all the sessions perfectly, giving us a minimum of 100 laps before the race started.

“This is my fourth title with Jack and I am proud to further add to his and my own career haul. Without my team-mates Patrick and Julien and all the team I could have never done this. Thanks to every one of you for this wonderful moment.”

Jack Leconte: “The day prior to the race I organised a competition between the drivers on the fantastic ‘Legends at Château Elan’ golf course, which relieved the tension and saw a win for the seniors, Francis and Patrick.

“At the start Julien immediately took third position and was leading by his second stint. Then came the first safety car period, which we dealt with well. Safety cars are important to the Americans and are frequently deployed in order to spice-up the action.

“Having retired from March’s Sebring race as early as the first hour we were not able to fully familiarise ourselves with this particular American custom and a simple mistake during the second safety car period dropped the #50 to fifth place. Good strategy during the next five caution periods allowed us to retake first at the seven hour mark, but then a collision between our Corvette and the #57 Khron Ferrari that we were fighting for the lead resulted in another penalty, which dropped the #50 to second position.

“During the next safety car period we retook the lead once again, but in the final half-hour of the race yet another penalty was given for very ambiguous reasons, showing the race directors’ desire to ‘support’ the American Khron team’s entry. In total, the 7 minutes 30 seconds (which translates to five laps of the circuit) of penalties spent in the pits cost Larbre the win at Petit Le Mans.

“However this is quickly forgotten thanks to our second place finish and the 13 points scored at Road Atlanta, which has sealed this year’s ILMC championship – our second in a row –ahead of the series’ final round at Zhuhai, China on 13 November.”

GTE Am Result, Petit Le Mans:

1. Khron Racing Ferrari F430 355 laps

2. Larbre Competition Porsche 911 – 2 laps

3. AF Corse Ferrari F430 – 17 laps

4. Gulf AMR Middle East Aston Martin Vantage – 23 laps

5. CRS Racing Ferrari F430 – 45 laps

6. Proton Competition Porsche 997 – 192 laps

ILMC championship (GTE Am):

1. Larbre Competition 79 points

2. Krohn Racing 50

3. AF Corse 47

4. CRS Racing 39

5. Proton Competition 37

6. Gulf AMR Middle East 14

Photo credit: Julie Sueur and Larbre Competition

Welsh teenager Seb Morris won the Ginetta Junior Championship title in style at Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit over the weekend, 1st/2nd October, with a double podium finish during rounds 17 and 18 of the season. Still aged only 15, he has added this to his 2010 Winter Series Championship success.

Sealing the title with two races still to run at Silverstone two weeks from now, Marford-based Seb provisionally became the first of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship support series champions on Saturday. He then made sure of the success with a typically strong drive to second place, from eighth on the grid, during Sunday’s live televised race.

Of the 18 rounds contested so far, the Liberty Properties and Legat Owen-sponsored driver has taken 11 race victories and 14 podiums in total; statistics which underline his sheer dominance of the hugely competitive category. Seb’s title victory is also the second back-to-back main season triumph for his Hillspeed team.

“It’s been a great season, we’ve worked really hard for this”, said the new champion, “I can’t thank the team enough, they do everything so precisely and have done a fantastic job this year. My driver coach, Matt Shawyer, is the reason I’ve been as fast as I have and my manager, Andy Meyrick, has looked after everything off-track for me. It’s a proper team effort, I’m really happy we’ve done it.”

Knowing two solid race finishes would secure the championship this weekend, Seb qualified fifth fastest for round 17 and did actually battle through brilliantly on track to notch-up his 12th win of the season but an unfortunate post-race judicial decision relegated him to second behind Niall Murray.

Bundled back to sixth place on the opening lap, The King’s School, Chester pupil sensibly remained out of trouble during the early exchanges and allowed the bunch ahead to trade paintwork as the race unfolded. Contact involving Sennan Fielding and George Gamble on lap four elevated Seb to fourth before he moved into third, and then second, in quick succession on lap six.

On lap seven, Murray got ahead of Seb on the run to Druids and his rival then made an attempt on leader Jake Giddings at Surtees which resulted in the latter being pushed wide. Seb, therefore, took second and then piled on the pressure to new leader Murray.

At Druids on lap eight, the champion elect took first place up the inside and held the advantage going into the final lap. Into the hairpin for the last time, contact as Murray challenged side-by-side ended with the Irishman sliding wide and Seb powered on to take the victory and the title in style.

Post-race, Murray and his team lodged a protest and the new champion was given a three second time penalty which dropped him to second in the amended result. Even so, the finish was enough to secure the title.

Lining-up eighth on the grid for round 18, Seb quickly carved his way through into the top six and then went fifth on the first lap while avoiding an incident involving Fielding and William Foster. On lap four, Seb then moved into fourth at Druids at the expense of Giddings but the latter fought back out of Pilgrim’s Drop which put the champion in the clutches of Patrick McClughan.

Re-taking fourth off Giddings at Clark Curve at the end of the fifth tour, the Hillspeed ace defended the place well into Paddock Hill Bend. Then, on lap seven, everything changed at the front when leader Myles Collins and Brad Bailey had visits through the gravel exiting Paddock – Seb threading his way through the drama neatly to take second place.

Pressuring new front-runner Charlie Robertson, Seb challenged at almost every corner over the course of the eighth and final lap but settled for his second runner-up spot of the weekend, just 0.181 seconds shy of the win at the flag.

“That was an absolutely great race, I really enjoyed it”, reflected Seb, “There was loads of action and to come through from eighth and nearly win was fantastic. We proved our point again this weekend, to win the championship with races in hand shows what a strong season it’s been for us.”

With the championship done and dusted, Seb can go into the final two rounds of the campaign at Silverstone on 15th/16th October with no pressure on his shoulders and a golden opportunity to try and challenge for yet more podium finishes.

Provisional 2011 Ginetta Junior Championship Driver Standings (after Rd18 – inc. drop scores):
CHAMPION: Seb Morris, 515pts

Photo by Jakob Ebrey Photography.