Spa successes yield further GT Open silverware for Optimum Motorsport The penultimate rounds of the International GT Open championship this weekend (16-18 October) at Spa-Francorchamps may have brought all-nighters for Optimum Motorsport, but ultimately the hard work paid dividends with the team taking the runner-up class position in the first race and then on Sunday, the top step of the Pro-Am podium. The team again fielded the #7 McLaren 720S GT3 for Ollie Millroy / Brendan Iribe, and the sister #72 entry for Joe Osborne / Nick Moss. Both sides of the garage enjoyed success once again with Ollie and Brendan tasting Champagne on Saturday, while Joe and Nick, stood on the top step of the podium on Sunday after another impressive performance.
The opening day of the race weekend saw the team take part in the three hours of practice, conserving tyres for much of it ahead of Saturday’s all-important qualifying session. A rare engine failure ensured that the #7 crew worked through the night to ready the McLaren for Saturday qualifying. The team opted to split strategy with Ollie qualifying the #7 McLaren and Nick the #72 to record the fifth and 12th best times respectively overall for the 70-minute race. It proved to be quite a dramatic one for the #7 duo of Ollie and Brendan. The former made best of opportunities on the opening lap to vault third overall, second in the Pro-Am class with a move down the inside into La Source. Ollie kept the pressure on the leading two cars ahead before gaining second position on track when the #26 of Fabrizio Crestani pitted early. Keeping race leader Stephane Ortelli within striking distance, whilst fending off the advances from Louis Prette from behind, the McLaren Pro driver completed an excellent stint to hand over the Red 720S GT3 to Brendan at the head of the field. Brendan, still in his first season at this level, was naturally soon under pressure from the factory racers from behind. Having been forced to yield positions, he started the final lap just ahead of the #20 of Nick Foster. A late lunge from the Australian driver saw the two cars make contact at the final corner, halting Brendan on the spot. He was able to resume, finishing seventh overall, third in class. A post-race penalty found the Mercedes driver to blame and ultimately, Brendan was handed back the hard-earned second position in the Pro-Am class. The #72 pairing of Nick and Joe meanwhile battled throughout the race, eventually taking the chequered flag in ninth place overall, fifth in the Pro-Am class on a day where they had hoped for a stronger result. They didn’t need to wait long either; Sunday brought success off the back of a raft of setup changes made overnight. Joe qualified in seventh overall and a lightning getaway from the start saw him jump to fifth position, ahead of the #20 SPS Mercedes and #16 McLaren, to take the class lead. The next target ahead was the #26 Bentley and by lap nine, Joe had secured the position before pitting and handing over to teammate. The setup changes certainly suited Nick, as he put in an excellent stint, withstanding pressure from the #20 Mercedes of Valentin Pierburg to take the Pro-Am victory, fifth position overall. The #7 Optimum Crew worked late into Saturday night once again and Brendan subsequently put in by far his best qualifying performance of the season to start in tenth position, sixth in the Pro-Am battle. The start saw him gain a spot and with an eye on the rearview monitor, did an excellent job in keeping the #97 Aston Martin of Ahmad Al Harthy behind through the stint. Ollie took over for the run to the flag, closed and passed the #16 McLaren to finish in fourth position in class, eighth overall.
Following a roller-coaster weekend at Spa-Francorchamps that brought two podium positions, Optimum Motorsport now turn their attention to next weekend’s race at the very same venue. The 24 Hours of Spa. |