MN’s editor wonders whether Formula 1 is chasing itself down a rabbit hole…
Once again, it’s hard to pick a winner from a packed and high-quality British GT field, as explains
Susie Wolff is taking legal action against the sport’s governing body for damage caused by insinuations it made last year that there was a conflict of interest between her and her husband, Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto. The FIA’s inquiry in 2023 was withdrawn after just two days, without proper explanation.
Last week, the FIA’s compliance officer reported to its ethics committee about a whistle blower’s report on president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who it was alleged put pressure on the result of the
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in 2023 regarding a penalty for Fernando Alonso’s Aston
Martin. Then he was also in the spotlight for an as-yet unexplained push to get the maiden Las Vegas Grand Prix canned by pressing officials to not certify the track.
Both of these allegations have been kicked out as the compliance officer has said that there “was no evidence to substantiate the allegations”. The FIA says its process to review the information was robust, called 11 witnesses and was held with the full cooperation of Ben Sulayem himself.
Oh, and in case you hadn’t noticed, there was a furore surrounding Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner. Allegations from a female team employee of inappropriate behaviour, accusations that Horner has strenuously denied, meant Horner faced an internal inquiry, which exonerated him.
The issue has since remained in the news after revelations that the staff member has been suspended, fingers have been pointed at various members of the Red Bull inner sanctum as possible sources of leaks which did nothing but pour fuel on the fire. In the news story that refuses to abate, the latest move is an appeal from the accuser themselves.
It is not in question that there needs to be clear and transparent processes in place to protect all staff within a grand prix racing organisation – indeed, within all branches of motorsport. Once these have been followed, as they were in the case of
Red Bull Racing, the matter should be closed and not be left to fester.
Former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa has also grabbed quite a few headlines himself in recent weeks with news that he has lodged a legal case at the High Court over the result of the 2008 Formula 1 World championship, which he believes he was robbed of as F1 ringmasters were fully aware of a race-fixing scandal involving the Renault team.
Listening to a national radio station in the build-up to last weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, the presenter hosted a motorsport journalist to look forward to the race at Albert Park. These things are written into the broadcast schedules for a specified period and in the case I listened to, it was 10 minutes. I timed it.
It was only after more than eight minutes that the topic turned to which driver and team was best suited to the demands of the track for the third grand prix of the season. Before that, they had had to wade through news of inquiries, appeals and legal action. It was impossible to ignore the fact that grand prix racing has an image problem.
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton spoke out in the build-up to the race Down Under, saying that he laments the lack of clarity in some of the off-track controversies that have taken place over recent weeks. “With the FIA, these things happening behind closed doors, there is no accountability and fans need that,” said the seven-time F1 title winner.
It was unsurprising that Hamilton went into bat for Susie Wolff particularly, but does he have a wider point? Do the machinations in the background where salvos are being fired from and to the FIA need wider explanation?
“I am incredibly proud of Susie,” added Lewis. “She is so brave and she stands for such great values and she is such a leader.
In a world where often people are silenced, for her to be standing up sends such a great message, and I love that she has taken it out of this world [F1] and is fighting it from the outside [through legal channels].”
Hamilton also alluded to – although not directly referred to – the situation at Red
Bull Racing and the controversy surrounding Horner. He said: “It is still a male-dominated sport. And we are living in a time where the message is: ‘If you file a complaint, you will be fired’? That is a terrible narrative to be projecting to the world, especially when we’re talking about inclusivity. We need to make sure we are staying true to the core values.”
For the casual fan looking at F1 from the outside, it is probably quite hard to work out what grand prix racing’s ‘core values’ are right now.
While any misdemeanours off-track should be dealt with and handled appropriately, F1 needs to refocus its efforts on what takes place on the track. It doesn’t help that Max Verstappen is continuing his steamroller approach to motorsport. But it is hard not to believe that the spotlight has been thrown on the issues peripheral to the actual racing because there is so little wheel-to-wheel action. Maybe that is the most fundamental problem of all.
“It is quite hard to work out what Formula 1’s core values are right now”
Things have changed in British GT for 2024, but with it things have stayed the same. Reigning champions Darren Leung and Dan Harper have moved to European and – in Leung’s case – World Endurance Championship pastures new. And their chief 2023 title rival James Cottingham – who led the table for much of last year in his 2 Seas Mercedes partnership with Jonny Adam – has also headed to WEC for 2024.
But what hasn’t changed is British GT – that starts for 2024 this weekend at Oulton Park – having a top-quality line-up of professional (and amateur) driver talent racing a variety of famous manufacturers’ kit, gracing our local British circuits. Not for nothing, contemporary British GT gets likened to the mid-1990s’British Touring Car Championship Super Touring era.
So with the clear-out at the front, where do we find likely title contenders? We can start with someone already mentioned, and appropriately as he’s ‘Mr British GT’. Four-time champion Adam is back, and back ‘home’as theAston Martin factory pilot is, after his Merc sojourn, once again driving a Vantage GT3.
The machine is newly upgraded and getting rave reviews, plus Adam for this Pro-Am contest has a strong amateur partner in Giacomo Petrobelli and of course is known for being an Am coach extraordinaire. Perhaps the only negatives are that their Blackthorn team is relatively untested, the entry came together fairly late, and Petrobelli starts without much experience of the new car. Still, Adam has a lot of praise for how the squad is doing things. Also you’ll struggle to get rich by betting against the Kirkcaldy racer in British GT.
But, as also intimated, he’ll have to beat a number of worthy opponents. And they’re led by someone who rivals Adam for the ‘Mr British GT’tag. Phil Keen – who aptly is tied with Adam for the most British GT race wins – is back full time for the first time since mid-2022. And he’s hooked up with none other than
2022 champion Ian Loggie in his
2 Seas Mercedes.
Loggie’s ’23 title defence was stymied by mid-year technical problems, which now appear resolved, and he’s even switched to left-foot braking for additional edge. With his GT Cup programme, the Am driver will get plenty of seat time, and he’s got plenty of praise for Keen’s coaching abilities.
But a driver that even trumps Adam and Keen for GT superstar quality is also back. Raffaele Marciello continues in his RAM Racing partnership with
John Ferguson, this time – in line with Marciello’s factory switch – in a BMW M4 rather than a Mercedes.
As before a lot will depend on Marciello’s Am partner. Ferguson says the BMW suits him better, and moreover that he’s turned a new leaf this year and will concentrate on bringing the car back unscathed so that Marciello can do the rest. It’s a strategy that – if successfully enacted – could be enough to take them to the title.
We also have Sandy Mitchell, who in his Barwell Lamborghini won 2020’s overall title and has never been too far from it in the years since. Last year’s challenge was hamstrung by the team taking time to get heads around the new Evo 2 car, yet Mitchell finished the season as a pacesetter and a close (effective) third in the table. This year he has a new Am partner, former BTCC racer Alex Martin who returned to competition last year.
DTM’s champion from 2021 is also added, as Maxi Goetz joins race-winning Am Kevin Tse in 2 Seas’other Mercedes entry, and they also have title ambitions. As does young McLaren factory star Tom Gamble who in the Optimum McLaren 720S joins Mark Radcliffe, who has been getting plenty of seat time over the winter.
While Marcus Clutton alongside arguably class-leading Am Morgan Tillbrook are an intriguing prospect in a Garage 59 720S. They have been regular frontrunners in recent seasons, and now can concentrate on their driving rather than juggle with running their own team.
Yet if we work by the truism that the Am driver makes the difference in ProAm British GT, then surely having a 15-time BTCC race winner as your Am makes you well placed? That’s the case for the other Barwell Lamborghini, driven by 2020 champion Rob Collard – now graded as an amateur – alongside his son,
BTCC switcher Ricky. Collard Jr admits he has GT learning to do, but even so the Collards have dark horse status.
Also this year’s British GT season could be the scene of the proper birth of SilverAm. The class was introduced to GT3 in 2021, to replace the all-Silver graded category that at the time was threatening to force out the lifeblood Am drivers.
The numbers entering it since have often been meagre, but this year all of a sudden there are seven full-season Silver-Am entries. And the class fight will not only be interesting in itself, but a few of the entries look strong enough for overall win contention, not least reigning
Porsche Carrera Cup GB champion Adam Smalley switching to the discipline to join proven Am frontrunner Shaun Balfe in the other Garage 59 McLaren.
Twice GT4 Pro-Am champion
Matt Topham alongside Ginetta Junior champion Josh Rowledge – who had a promising 2023 debut – in the other Blackthorn Vantage also is worth watching. Jessica Hawkins alongside twice-champion Andrew Howard in a Beechdean Aston is also tantalising. GT rookie Hawkins didn’t get much pre-season running though, so don’t expect too much too soon. ■
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