+ Barwell’s championship leading Lambo sets fastest time of the week
+ GT4 title rivals Optimum and Forsetti finish one-two
+ Result: Free Practice 1
Barwell's Sandy Mitchell lowered Friday's testing benchmark in Free Practice at Snetterton this morning despite the damp but drying conditions that prevented any meaningful running for the first half-hour.
The GT4 class was headed by championship leader Jack Brown (Optimum Motorsport) who set two laps fast enough for top spot once the circuit was sufficiently dry.
Damp conditions at the start of the hour-long session meant very few teams ventured out in anger until the track improved. Indeed, GT4 entries initially populated much of the top 20 which was still headed by Gordie Mutch’s Lotus Emira after 30 minutes.
Marcus Clutton restored the natural order soon after by setting four consecutive fastest times in Garage 59’s #77 McLaren. The 2.3s improvement across that range resulted in a 1m47.813s.
But that was still 1.5s down on Friday’s testing benchmark set by Callum Macleod. And, sure enough, the fastest time changed hands again soon after when Mitchell produced two quick laps in succession.
Jonny Adam initially slotted Blackthorn’s Aston Martin into second overall before Sam Neary nosed ahead of the Scot with 15 minutes remaining.
But no-one could match Mitchell whose 1m46.108s was also three tenths faster than Macleod managed in testing.
His advantage was ultimately trimmed to just 0.079s by Phil Keen who saved his and 2 Seas’ best for the final five minutes. Abba’s Mercedes-AMG and Blackthorn’s #87 Vantage completed the top four ahead of Barwell’s second Lamborghini driven by Ricky Collard, while Lewis Plato helped Century to round out the first half dozen.
Clutton’s early benchmark, meanwhile, remained fast enough for seventh, albeit 1.7s slower than Mitchell.
As expected, GT4 cars dropped down the order as the GT3s started setting representative times.
Matt Cowley hit the front with consecutive 1m56.8s laps that knocked Mutch down to second. But it was Jack Brown on top as the session headed into its final 15 minutes thanks to a 1m56.382s – two tenths faster than he’d managed on the previous lap.
That was good enough to beat title rival and late improver Mikey Porter (Forsetti Motorsport) by 0.268s and the RAM Mercedes-AMG of Luca Hopkinson by less than a tenth more.
The first of Academy Motorsport’s newly livered Mustangs was next up in Matt Nicoll-Jones’ hands, while Cowley’s time remained fast enough to finish ahead of Marco Signoretti in the second Ford.
Pre-Qualifying begins at 12:05 BST.
