The Prototype Winter Series rejoins the GTWS, GT4WS and Formula Winter Series this weekend for the first time since the Portimao rounds in January, to set up a schedule featuring a bumper total of 11 races across Saturday and Sunday.
GT4WS
Forsetti Racing’s lone Aston Martin Vantage GT4 set the pace in the GT4WS, as Mikey Porter and Jamie Day topped the second session on Thursday and two of three on Friday. Elite Motorsport’s McLaren Artura driven by Tom Lebbon and Zac Meakin proved fastest in the other two sessions.
“It’s been really good for us, especially as it’s a new track for us as a team,” said Forsetti chief Joe Holloway. “Lots of learning on tyres and set-up. Jamie has done a little bit of single-seaters here, but it’s basically new for the drivers.
“The car seems to be handling quite well, we’ve made a few tweaks to make it a bit quicker. The biggest thing is getting the tyre in the window of performance. It has quite an abrasive surface here, so set-up is quite important for both single-lap and long-run pace.”
The Elite McLaren has won the previous two endurance races at Jerez and Valencia, but Holloway is optimistic MotorLand Aragon will play to the Aston Martin’s strengths: “We found in Valencia we were really struggling towards the end of the stint, which is why the Schnitzelalm Mercedes was so quick, and in the long race the McLaren was just too quick for us. We’re feeling a bit better about the track and the car set-up, so we’ll see.
“It’s better to have more competition and competitors out there pushing us. It’s good for us to keep our eye in and do a good job. This weekend we have five Pro class entries, so I’m looking forward to seeing what the pace is relative to others. And the format, it’s exciting when you have multiple races across the weekend to see who comes out on top with different formats and different drivers.”
Elite’s Meakin is confident the yellow McLaren will once again take the fight to the championship-leading Vantage.
“It’s been a decent couple of days,” he said. “We’re nice and quick, even if we’re still a little bit off the Aston. But we should be racy with them. This is my first time here and I’d describe the track as scary fun! It’s a bum-twitcher on some of the corners… We don’t have the torque of everyone else coming on to the back straight, but we should be fine.”
He predicts a three-way fight between Aston Martin, McLaren and Mercedes: “The Schnitzelalm Mercedes is right there with us and the Aston, they’re not far behind, so it should be tight between all three of us.”
GTWS
Source: Autosport