DARING DRIVE YIELDS NO REWARD IN GT4 EUROPEAN SERIES
GT4 European Series Northern Cup race two was another case of post-race disappointment on Sunday, as penalties took another strong result away from Matty at Brands Hatch.
Having delivered a great stint that included a brave and committed overtake around the Grand Prix loop, it was a boil over of frustrations from team-mate Csaba Mor that saw an overtake made under double waved yellows and a fourth place finish taken away.
Starting from fourth, Matty caught a good tow from the car directly ahead as the field took the green flag but was unable to capitalise on it as he was forced onto the outside line for Paddock Hill bend and the Druids hairpin.
He attempted to tough it out but was forced to concede a position to the Ekris Motorsport BMW heading into Graham Hill bend and fall into fifth place.
While the slippery Ginetta made its breakaway at the head of the field, Matty was part of a four-car train contesting places from second to fifth, with only tenths of a second separating each runner and once into a rhythm, Matty moved forwards thanks to some breath-taking skill and bravery.
First up was a move into fourth place at the expense of teammate Duncan Huisman in the sister Las Moras Racing McLaren, which beautifully demonstrated Matty’s ability.
Getting a run on the number nine car along the Cooper straight after it had run wide exiting Graham Hill, Matty attempted to force his way past into the left-hand corner of Surtees.
Able to get alongside, but not fully passed along Pilgrim’s Drop, Matty dropped back in line behind Huisman through Hawthorns before pulling out alongside heading into Westfields.
On a classic grand prix track where overtaking is notoriously difficult and run off areas at a premium, the 20-year-old showed huge levels of bravery and commitment to run side by side through the right-hander and the kink at Dingle Dell, before finishing the move through Sheen Curve.
Safely through and buoyed by a quality overtake, Matty was off in pursuit of the BMW now in third, one and a half seconds up the road when a heavy accident involving the two Allied Racing Porsche Caymans brought out the safety car.
After a long period of neutralised running, the eventual flying of the green flag saw Matty resume the chase and while he was able to maintain a pace comparable with the Ekris machine and the Tolman McLaren of Joe Osbourne, no further advancement in the order was made.
Following a much sharper pit-stop than in race one, team-mate Csaba Mor resumed in the fourth place that Matty had handed him and continued the pursuit of a podium finish.
That charge was held up by another safety car period but once it returned the battle between Mor and the Academy Motorsport Aston Martin was close, with the Hungarian’s efforts thwarted by some aggressive defending from the driver in third.
Frustrations were building in the cockpit of the McLaren as a result and when the door was left half open at Druids, Mor lunged up the inside but made contact with the rear of the Aston, giving it a puncture and attracting the attention of the stewards for avoidable contact.
In the heat of battle, Mor also missed double waved yellow flags which incurred further wrath from the officials following a red flag finish three minutes short of the hour, which saw the Equipe Verschuur entry handed a fifty second penalty.
This dropped it from fourth, its position when counting back the two laps prior to the red flag to a lowly 19th.
But while the records show no reward for the weekend’s work, extra seat time and some exciting driving will provide Matty with enough to head back to British GT action with renewed enthusiasm.