Greystone GT scored a magnificent double win at Hockenheim on to extend their lead in the McLaren Trophy Teams’ Championship.
An overall victory for Mark Hopton and Euan Hankey in the Artura Trophy class plus a 570S Trophy success for Rafa Martinez and Jem Hepworth made for an outstanding weekend for the Silverstone-based team.
After Dubai-based Englishman Mark equalled his best-ever qualifying performance with second place on Sunday morning, professional co-driver Euan took an immediate lead and pulled out a six-second advantage before the mandatory driver changes.
Mark increased the advantage to over 15s by the flag to score the pair’s third win of the season. Added to a third-place finish on Saturday they are second in the Drivers’ Championship and one of three crews in with a chance of the crown with one round remaining at Barcelona in October.
A first outright 570S Trophy win for Rafa and Jem – to add to the Pro-Am victory they scored at the Nurburgring last time out – came thanks to a spectacular late-race charge by the former.
Chasing down the leader during the final 20 minutes, Rafa launched a determined move under braking for the Spitzkehre hairpin, completing the manoeuvre to mark a super recovery after opening-lap contact put the #24 car out of a Saturday race for which he’d taken his first class pole position.
Third in Pro-Am on Sunday was the sister car of South African duo Shaun Pendrigh and Stuart White; the pair making the finish despite suffering a power-steering issue. The duo were second in 570S on Saturday.
Both crews are firmly in contention for the championship with Rafa and Jem second in the standings; four points from the lead position, and Shaun and Stuart fourth; 14 points back.
Former 570S Trophy racers Ron Trenka and Jon Lancaster moved up to the Artura Trophy for the first time at Hockenheim; New Yorker Ron qualifying sixth on Sunday after Leeds co-driver Jon set the fastest lap in Race One.
Jon was running fourth and part of a three-way battle for second on Sunday when a stone went through his car’s radiator and led to its retirement.
The results of the weekend increased Greystone GT’s Teams’ Championship advantage to 12 points with just one round remaining.
Mark McLoughlin, Team Principal, said: “It’s been a very successful weekend and I’m so pleased with the way we’ve pulled together as a team on a weekend where we’ve debuted a new car and come away with two wins, a pole position and in contention for all three titles. Mark and Euan’s performance on Sunday was dominant and the pole position for Rafa and his chase-down on Sunday for the win after Jem laid the groundwork was very impressive. It’s going to be an exciting end to the season.
