Barwell, 2 Seas, Mahiki and Century share qualifying spoils at Oulton

Rob Collard, Maximilian Götz, Josh Miller and Charlie Robertson all secured pole positions for bank holiday Monday’s two British GT Championship races at Oulton Park.

Barwell’s #1 Lamborghini led a Q1 top four covered by just six hundredths before the #18 2 Seas Mercedes-AMG sealed Race 2 top spot with consecutive fastest laps. Miller and Mahiki’s Silver class Lotus then dominated the first GT4 session, while just 0.001s initially separated Century’s #71 BMW from Jack Brown.

However, the latter and his Optimum team-mate Harry George were subsequently disqualified from GT4 Q2 for failing to complete the minimum number of two flying laps in a session compromised by steadily worsening weather conditions.

Both GT3 sessions were especially competitive: Collard will share Race 1’s front row with Giacomo Petrobelli who lapped just 0.014s slower in Blackthorn’s Aston Martin, and 0.062s separated Götz from Sandy Mitchell in Barwell’s Lamborghini. Q2’s top 12 were also covered by less than six tenths.

GT3: Collard edges Petrobelli before Götz getz it done

The first of Saturday’s four qualifying sessions was arguably the most thrilling thanks to the back-and-forth tussle between Collard and Petrobelli.

The latter set the early pace only to be overhauled by Barwell’s Lamborghini moments later. The Italian then struck back next time around to lead by three hundredths before Collard claimed his second pole at Oulton in as many years despite a wild moment exiting Druids. Just 0.014s separated the front row starters.

Kevin Tse’s last gasp lap elevated his 2 Seas Mercedes-AMG to third at the expense of team-mate and championship leader Charles Dawson. But both also had the potential to take pole given their 0.030s and 0.063s deficits to Collard. Monday’s opening race should be a cracker.

Behind, half a second covered positions five through 11. Simon Orange (Orange JMH) was the best placed McLaren driver in fifth after he edged Alex Martin (Barwell) by 0.007s. Paddock’s 720S driven by Mark Smith and Duncan Cameron’s Spirit of Race Ferrari completed the top eight.

Q2 couldn’t quite live up to the Am session despite the best efforts of Götz and Mitchell.

Pre-Qualifying pace setter Sven Müller suggested he might challenge initially before 2 Seas’ Mercedes-AMG hit the front. Mitchell then trimmed its advantage to 0.007s before Götz made sure by setting 1m31.881s to establish a 0.062s advantage over Barwell’s best placed Huracan.

Optimum’s McLaren had also looked like a contender earlier in the day but Marvin Kirchhöfer was ultimately pipped to third by Müller who pitted for a fresh set of tyres late in the 10-minute session. Team Parker’s Porsche therefore heads up row three, while Jonny Adam’s Blackthorn Aston Martin made it as many different manufacturers inside the top five.

Marcus Clutton (Orange JMH), Hugo Cook (Barwell) and Sam Neary (Team Abba) completed the top eight ahead of championship leader Kiern Jewiss whose 2 Seas Mercedes-AMG carries an extra 25kg this weekend.

Results are HERE