Optimum Motorsport shine once again with Rockingham podium

Proving that the double GT4 podium at Oulton Park was no flash in the pan, Optimum Motorsport reconvened for round two of the British GT Championship at Rockingham this weekend (29-30 April, 2017) and secured yet another third-place finish after a strong drive.

“The car was damaged almost from the outset, contact with the #55 Ginetta, so we have to be happy with this result,” said Team Principal Shaun Goff. “As ever, we tried to play the strategy. Both drivers put in good runs and the safety car played for us and against us. It bodes well to get three third placed podiums which keeps us right in the championship at the start of the season is really good with five rounds to go.”

Qualifying proved to be a mixed affair with the team, with both Graham Johnson and Mike Robinson frustrated by traffic, believing that their third position on the GT4 grid had been severely compromised. The two-hour race provided plenty of opportunities for them to make progress and with just a ten second success penalty to serve in the driver change, the team had high hopes of a strong result.

Johnson took the first stint but right from the outset the race was compromised as lap one contact left the #501 Ginetta with damage to the side-exit exhaust which meant that for the remainder of the race, the team lost engine power and could not run in top gear.

Johnson ran in a fine fourth position through his stint before handing over to Robinson.

“We had a lot of damage, but it was fun competing against the kids,” Johnson said. “We were obviously really down on power but we are still in a decent position.”

Robinson gained position over the #51 car and brought the car home in a fine third position.

Optimum Motorsport are back in action next weekend (May 6-7) in the 24H Paul Ricard and then on to Monza a week later for the Le Mans Cup. The next round of the British GT championship takes place May 27-28 at Snetterton.