> Result: FP2
RAM Racing’s Yelmer Buurman set the pace in second practice at Oulton Park after beating a gaggle of Silver Cup entries by a little over 0.3s. Elsewhere, Sam Smelt made good on his FP1 promise to top the GT4 class aboard Speedworks’ new Toyota Supra.
The one-hour session remained largely dry until the final five minutes when persistent but manageable drizzle gradually turned the track wet. That prevented any last gasp attempts to unseat Buurman who banged in a best of 1m34.984s during a short spell just before the halfway mark.
Prior to that Barwell’s Sandy Mitchell had led a top-four separated by less than two tenths. The Scot ultimately slipped to third, albeit by just 0.021s after Ollie Wilkinson moved Optimum’s McLaren into second with 15 minutes left on the clock. His would be the last major improvement of the session.
The second RAM Mercedes-AMG (Patrick Kujala) and ABBA’s Sam Neary also finished less than a tenth shy of Wilkinson, while AF Corse continued their steady start to their British GT return by posting the sixth quickest time. Meanwhile, Barwell’s #72 Lamborghini – damaged after setting FP1’s pace – returned to post the seventh fastest time.
In GT4 Sam Smelt continued Speedworks’ encouraging return to the British GT Championship by setting the fastest time in class. Smelt was forced to play second fiddle to TF Sport’s Connor O’Brien in opening practice but returned to post a 1m43.802s.
That was slightly slower than the Aston Martin managed this morning but also 0.279s quicker than long-time pace-setter Jordan Collard (HHC Motorsport) whom Smelt deposed with a little over 15 minutes remaining.
Jamie Caroline was fastest of TF Sport’s contingent in third while Euan Hankey put Balfe’s Pro/Am McLaren amongst the leading contenders by finishing half-a-second shy of Smelt’s Supra.
TF Sport’s second Vantage finished fifth, although O’Brien and his co-driver Patrick Kibble were more than 0.5s slower than their morning benchmark. Century’s BMW crewed by Andrew Gordon-Colebrooke and Ben Hurst completed the top-six.
The first of British GT’s four qualifying sessions get underway at 16:10 BST today. Follow them both on britishgt.com/live.