Page 175 - Paddock Life Issue 13 ADRENALINE

Martin Am on Sunday morning resulting in a long period in the pits. As with all endurance races hopes rise and fall throughout the race, the hopes of the #91 Porsche were dashed when a puncture took him out of the on-going battle for the lead. Then in the closing laps of the 23rd hour both front runners splashed and dashed to the line, but Taylor’s slow final lap allowed Harry Tincknell to take the 2nd place in the #67 Ganassi Ford GT.
In the Am class things were similarly dramatic. The Beechdean #90 Aston Martin started the race with young driver Ross Gunn, who was here last year doing social media for the team, so that’s a really big step for the British GT driver who has featured in Paddock Life before, Ross managed a finish of 30th overall and 4th in class narrowly missing that podium moment and beating the factory backed #98 car that put in a convincing lead until picking up a puncture, by six places. The Am pole sitter was the #50 Corvette of Rees, Brandela and Philippon which led initially and even managed to mix it with the Pro class until the driver change brought out the big boys. The Ferrari 488s took all the Am class podium steps, with the Scuderia Corsa #62 car of Macneil, Sweedler and Bell following Marco Cioci, Aaron Scott and Duncan Cameron’s Spirit of Race #55 car to 3rd, whilst ex F1 driver Will Stevens, Driers Vanthoor and Robert Smith came from 7th on their class grid to win the class in their JMW Motorsport #84 Ferrari, so a good showing for the prancing horse in the Am class, but the GTE day (or 24 hours) went to Dave Richards’ Banbury based Aston Martin Vanatges.
Arguably one of the most exciting races for the 85th 24 Hours of Le Mans, with LMP1 cars dropping like flies, LMP2 cars mixing it above their class and the GTEs putting on a great show. Maybe next year we won’t be in such a rush and Paddock Life can put on some real paddock hospitality after a driving down in a fleet of supercars... anyone care to sign up?
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