Round 1 of the 2010 Lotus on Track Elise Trophy held at Brands Hatch Indy on the 27th & 28th March 2010.
Introduction
The Elise Trophy entered its fourth season, with a Production-only format that certainly made a big impact with a huge entry, meaning that a new race format was run. Two grids, with their own qualifying and race sessions, followed by a final for the top twelve drivers in each heat and a race for the best of the rest made for an action-packed weekend as we returned to the traditional Brands Hatch season opener.
Qualifying A
Andy Dolan led the cars out for the first time this year but it was Martin Donnelly who set the pace early with a series of quick laps. He was tracked by Mick Edwards, John LaMaster, Steve Williams and Martin Roberts.
Early on Greg Noble’s car was smoking rather badly at Paddock, for which he was awarded the black and orange flag. It took a few laps for him to come in, by which time Donnelly had joined him with smoke from the engine bay caused by a broken oil pipe. With such a furious pace, the focus was on whether that time could be bettered.
Working hard in traffic, Williams, lights ablaze, was delayed by a spinning Paul McNeilly at Druids but soon found a gap and set his sights on Donnelly’s time. But he was unable to improve before getting caught up again on the tight circuit. Finding himself some space, the resultant breather rewarded him second. It wasn’t to last though, as Edwards pipped that time and a spin by Bewsey at Clearways in the final seconds meant all bets were off.
With LaMaster retaining fourth from Roberts, the remainder of the top twelve was made up by Marcus Jewell, the stricken Bewsey, then Dolan, Rob Austin, new boy Luigi Valentino Mazza, Donald Canard and Hans Baumhardt.
Qualifying B
Ben Pitch was first off the blocks in the second group and used the clear track to set the benchmark, which was then beaten by Nigel Ayres and then Mark Speller whilst Steve Quick also got himself into the mix. Pitch reasserted his authority, held for a couple of laps as Simon Phillips then Mark Speller traded fastest times. Quick remained near the front as Tom Chatterway joined the group, less than a second covering the top five, which Ayres was by now unable to hold onto.
Speller began to pull a gap to the rest, getting times close to Donnelly’s earlier effort. Meanwhile Phillips was the first to leave the running, pitting with 8 minutes remaining whilst in third, Quick currently sitting behind Speller who was lapping at a tellingly consistent pace. These two also pitted but of the top three only Quick returned to the action.
With a quiet track, Pitch and Quick worked on their lap times but unable to improve, then both were pipped by David Hay, taking second from out of nowhere. Quick in third was joined on the second row by Eric Bailey, another latecomer to the top of the leaderboard, then Phillips and Pitch, followed by Chatterway, Paul Harding, Sean Nash, BJ Chong, Ayres and Simon Deacon for the all-important top twelve.
Race A
A shower drenched the track during the preceding race, leaving a damp track drying in the breeze as the grid formed. Donnelly and Edwards lined up at the start with Williams and LaMaster just behind for the first race of the season.
Making a great start, Jewell slotted himself between row two as Edwards took the lead and Dolan gained on Williams. The field proceeded gingerly around the first lap but not before Williams made a brave move on Dolan at Paddock. Most impressive was Mazza, who held sixth after starting from tenth on the grid and was now attacking Jewell on lap two.
Donnelly looked threatening down the straight on the next tour and was sure to mount a serious challenge on Edwards, his car clearly performing well after repairs. Williams was now latching onto the leading group as Dolan fell back into Jewell and Mazza’s clutches, Jewell duly demoting the Scotsman on the next lap.
Whether or not this distracted Williams, the front two made a break for it, Donnelly diving down the inside at Paddock next time round to take the lead. With Jewell now tracking Williams, the pair were catching the front two again, whilst behind them Mazza had made his way past Dolan.
Edwards’ second place was increasingly under major threat but Williams had to be aware of events in his mirrors and as he made his move into Paddock Edwards held on, meaning that Jewell pounced on the run to Graham Hill. Defending his place Williams then ran wide further round at Surtees, dropping him to 10th and with Jewell making a successful move round the outside of Edwards at Paddock, his mood would not have been lightened. Mazza, having caught up, then went for third and was all over Jewell’s tail. All this in just the first half of the race!
With Jewell running onto the grass on the run to Graham Hill, he did all he could to hold off Mazza as the first of the backmarkers made their presence felt. Donnelly made the most of these and held a useful gap as Mazza toughed it out with Jewell down the straight, this clearly a statement of intent.
At this point, with 8 minutes remaining, Donnelly was 4 seconds ahead of Jewell, Mazza, then Edwards and Driver a long way back. Williams was down in 8th and in traffic.
Jewell then made another minor error and Mazza took full advantage. However this battle would be going to the wire and Edwards had a grandstand view of the action, ready to pick up the pieces. Jewell slipped through at Graham Hill and eased a very small advantage, the gap between the three see-sawing from corner to corner as they scythed through the backmarkers. With Stothert slotting into Graham Hill behind Jewell as he was lapped with a couple of minutes to go, it looked like second was settled. Next time round Edwards took the outside but there was no room and he went very wide, settling matters for good.
So Donnelly won from Jewell, Mazza and Edwards. Rob Austin took fifth from Driver as Williams recovered to seventh from Bewsey, Roberts, Dolan, LaMaster and Noble all guaranteed of a place in the main final. As a taster for the season it was tantalising.
Race summary – 25 starters, 22 finishers.
| Overall | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Martin Donnelly | 2. Marcus Jewell | 3. Luigi Valentino Mazza | 4. Michael Edwards | 5. Rob Austin | 6. Peter Driver |
Race B
With dry conditions for race B on Sunday morning, Hay made a great start to lead off the line but the experienced Speller got the better of him out of Paddock. Behind them Bailey and Pitch battled, with Pitch winning the place at Graham Hill bend. Phillips and Harding followed behind but with Pitch slowing out of Clearways with clutch trouble the front five made a break for it.
Harding took Phillips for fourth whilst following them Chong was holding off Quick and Chatterway. At the front Speller started to put in some fast laps to establish a lead but Hay wasn’t going to settle for best of the rest as he upped his pace to suit. With Chong and co working on catching the leading quintet, Broad, Ayres, Nash, Matt Bartlett, Deacon and Phil Stratton Lake became the next group.
Quick was keen to demote Chong and along the straights his Toyota power worked well for him. Squirming under braking Chong just kept it in front and in the resulting confusion Chatterway threatened them both at Druids. With the move unsuccessful, he then fell into Broad’s clutches next time round as Harding challenged Bailey further up front, allowing Phillips to follow. Baulked by a backmarker, Phillips was ready to pounce on the back straight, all this allowing Hay to stay well clear of them.
Broad then took Quick and was after Chong but with a very defensive quarry, Quick and Chatterway were brought back into play. Broad made past into Paddock and Quick followed through at Druids.
At three-quarter distance the Harding/Phillips battle was catching Hay. Lapping a backmarker Harding went side by side along the straight, and Phillips followed line astern into third. Keen to join in, Broad overtook Bailey and set off after them.
With second now the main focus, Phillips spun at Surtees after contact with an apologetic Hay and rejoined behind Chatterway, now following Chong and Quick. Phillips soon dispatched with Chatterway but with 2 minutes left it was a damage limitation exercise. He took a place from Chong and with Quick and Bailey squabbling, closed in on a possible 5th. However, he was unable to avoid a spinning Quick at Graham Hill and all hopes of a good finish were in tatters.
Back at the front, Broad was now on the second place tussle with a very late brake at Paddock on the final lap. Despite a great exit from Clearways he wasn’t quite close enough to depose Hay of third at the line.
Speller finished 6 seconds clear of Harding, who was just in front of Hay and Broad, five seconds back Bailey just headed Chong and Chatterway, whilst not much further away Ayres took eight from the recovering Phillips and rounding out the twelve for the final were Bartlett, Nash and Deacon.
Race summary – 22 starters, 21 finishers.
| Overall | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Mark Speller | 2. Paul Harding | 3. David Hay | 4. Gary Broad | 5. Eric Bailey | 6. BJ Chong |
Final C
With the fastest drivers from the first two heats, the first final promised plenty of action. Donnelly and Speller lined up on the front row, with Jewell and Harding just behind, then Mazza and Hay, Edwards and Broad. Phillips and Williams out of position promised to provide further interest.
Donnelly was first off, Harding on the outside of Speller but just like in the earlier race he exited Paddock in front, with Jewell and Mazza slotting in behind these three. Immediately Donnelly put in his quick laps and pretty soon Speller also dropped the rest. Jewell also wanted in on the action and was all over Harding with Mazza keeping in touch. They were pulling clear of another trio of Bailey, Broad and Edwards.
On lap 3 Speller was with Donnelly and a long way from rest as he stalked his prey, back in the pack Williams disposed of Chatterway, only for the Exige to retake the place. Harding’s defending was backing his group into Bailey and co and not long after Jewell was third, the two groups briefly a sextet. Edwards tried to take Broad at Paddock, who nearly hit the back of Bailey in avoidance.
With Harding no longer defending from Jewell, the two groups split up again. The second group came to blows when Broad and Bailey got together, Broad spinning off at Surtees. Edwards was now alone and free to work on the cars ahead. Behind him Bailey, Chatterway, Phillips and Williams were having their own tussle, the latter two working their way forward.
With Speller trying all he could to get past Donnelly, exiting Graham Hill, he got very sideways and only just kept it together. But he’d lost a lot of time and was now only just ahead of Jewell, however there would be no challenge as Speller pushed ever harder. Back in the pack Bailey spun at Surtees as Williams was working on Chatterway – he would get past a couple of laps later. He was, however, a long way back from Edwards, now past Mazza and after Harding.
In the final laps Donnelly was clear of Speller, also some way ahead of Jewell, a second ahead of Harding, who was fending off Edwards and Mazza. Edwards was still working on fourth and went in together with Harding at Hill, the pair only just avoided by the following Mazza.
Also entertaining in the midfield were Dolan, Driver, Bartlett, Hay, Ayres, Nash, Noble, Roberts, Chong and Quick. Never far from each other, they provided further thrills for the crowd. Dolan finally cleared them and nearly beat Austin to the line.
During the closing minutes Edwards took fourth place from Harding, who now had Mazza all over him. Edwards then caught Jewell getting alongside on the run to the flag and only just missed a podium position, the pair finishing behind Donnelly and Speller and ahead of Harding, Mazza, Williams, Chatterway, Phillips and Austin.
Race summary – 30 starters, 26 finishers.
| Overall | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Martin Donnelly | 2. Mark Speller | 3. Marcus Jewell | 4. Michael Edwards | 5. Paul Harding | 6. Luigi Valentino Mazza |
Final D
The final race for the ‘best of the rest’ closed the weekend. On the front row were Stratton-Lake and Paul Baker, then Stu Malt and James Proctor behind. Stratton-Lake made a great start and pulled clear of Baker as Malt and Quick slotted behind. Quick, keen to lead, took Malt on lap two round Druids and set off in pursuit of Baker. Next time round he was on the outside into Paddock and into second. Stratton-Lake was doing well to lead in his second race but Quick was catching fast.
Into fifth now was Dave Carr, holding off Noble, Will Price following but Dolan and Ayres soon passed as Noble took Carr. Then Price came off at Graham Hill bend as Ayres and Dolan were hot on Carr’s tail, Noble then attacking Malt successfully.
At the front Quick was now stalking Stratton-Lake and with Noble catching the pair of them. Behind them Malt fell into Dolan’s clutches whilst Ayres battled with Carr. Malt’s fourth would have become third when a spin from Noble ruined his race, but Dolan had taken the place from him. With seven minutes remaining, Quick went around the outside of Stratton-Lake to take the lead at Paddock.
Further back, Williams was taking advantage of an extra race and from the back he was fighting his way through, into a group led by Hans Baumhardt, Pitch, Driver and Bartlett. He got ahead of Driver and round the outside of Pitch at Druids, Baumhardt used this tussle to pull a little clear but not for long as Williams cleared him before setting off after Malt.
At the flag Quick was only just clear of Stratton-Lake, with Dolan some way back, then Williams, who had taken fourth from Malt. Baumhardt took sixth from Pitch, Broad, Driver and Ayres.
Race summary – 47 starters, 37 finishers.
| Overall | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Steve Quick | 2. Phil Stratton-Lake | 3. Andy Dolan | 4. Steve Williams | 5. Stu Malt | 6. Hans Baumhardt |
Conclusion
The new format was a resounding success at Brands Hatch, the heats and finals adding spice into the mix. The next race is at Silverstone in three weeks’ time but if you can’t wait until then look out for video coverage on the website very soon.
Kevin Ritson Press Officer LoTRDC LtdRace Results in full
Download the official results & times
