< back to news

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 12th, 2011 at 10:24 pm

A triumphant weekend welcomed Yorkshire racing driver Chris Holmes into the Lotus Sport UK ranks on Saturday (8th October), as he romped to his first Avon Tyres British GT Championship victory.

A reshuffle of the timetable for the season finale weekend at Silverstone saw Saturday dedicated to both qualifying and the two hour race. After joining the Lotus Sport UK team just a few days before his first outing in the Lotus Evora, Chris was optimistic of a strong performance on his debut.

New to the world of endurance racing just this year, Chris’ podium finish at the challenging Spa Francorchamps circuit back in July was enough to lock in a prestigious drive for the final round.

After a series of laps during the practice sessions on Friday (7th October), Chris steered his way towards the all important qualifying session on Saturday. Armed with a proven race winner in the Lotus Evora, the Lotus Sport UK squad were able to secure pole position in the competitive GT4 Class.

As the two hour race edged ever closer Chris and team-mate Phil Glew prepared themselves for a demanding outing. The competition facing the duo was evident up and down the field, as everyone prepared themselves for the ultimate 2011 adventure.

Faced with a heated dispute between themselves and a rival Ginetta machine in the early stages, first stint driver Phil gradually established a cushion behind. Despite a fierce 20 second penalty due to previous race successes, the pair worked together to edge away from the chasing pack as the race unfolded.

When the time came for Chris to step into the cockpit, he was able to maintain Phil’s earlier advantage, as he romped to a dominant victorious finish. Teamed with an all-conquering performance from his Lotus Sport UK debut, Chris is keen to join the team again.

“It has been a fantastic weekend,” said Chris. “The car was brilliant throughout and Phil did a great first stint to pull a 30 second lead, but regardless of a 20 second penalty we still won.

“The team worked extremely well all weekend, they made me feel so welcome and I want to thank Lotus Sport UK for giving me this opportunity along with my personal sponsors: Hanline Associates, Stephenson Group, Clipper Logistics, Nuffield Health, Alpinestars and Treasure Studios for their support.
 
“I really hope I can work with Lotus again. We got better all weekend and for my first run in the car I really couldn’t ask for more,” he concluded.

Team Manager Gary Ayles added: “Chris did a blinding job for us at Silverstone, especially considering the amount of time he had in the car beforehand. We had a gearbox issue during practice, which meant he had even less time in the car before the race.

“Phil had a great first stint and managed to build a big gap, and Chris just kept extending it. It was a brilliant weekend, he did an awesome job and it was the perfect way to end the season.”