1998 British GT Championship explained

The 1998 Privilege Insurance GT Championship[1] was the sixth season of the British GT Championship, an auto racing series organized by the British Racing Drivers Club (BRDC) and sponsored by Privilege Insurance. The races featured grand touring cars conforming to two categories of regulations known as GT1 and GT2, and awarded an overall driver championship from the combined categories. The season began on 5 April 1998 and ended on 4 October 1998 after nine events, one of which was held outside Great Britain for the first time in the championship's history.

Kurt Luby and Richard Dean won the overall championship for Oftedahl Motorsport ahead of the GT1 class-leading pair of Steve O'Rourke and Tim Sugden of O'Rourke's own EMKA Racing team.

Calendar

All races were 50 minutes in duration.

RndCircuitDate
1Silverstone International Circuit, Northamptonshire5 April
2Oulton Park, Cheshire4 May
3Croft Circuit, North Yorkshire24 May
4Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk31 May
5Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit, Northamptonshire12 July
6Donington Park National Circuit, Leicestershire2 August
7Silverstone International Circuit, Northamptonshire23 August
8Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot, Belgium27 September
9Silverstone International Circuit, Northamptonshire4 October

Entries

GT1

EntrantCarEngineTyreDriversRounds
Blue Coral/Slick 50 RacingPorsche 911 GT1Porsche 3.2 L Turbo Flat-60 Magnus WallinderAll
John Greasley1–8
Wolfgang Kaufmann9
EMKA RacingMcLaren F1 GTRBMW S70/2 6.0 L V121 Steve O'RourkeAll
Tim SugdenAll
Harrier Cars Racing with Eversham MicrosHarrier GT1-98Ford Cosworth 2.0 L Turbo I42 Jamie Campbell-WalterAll
David Goode1–3
Nigel Greensall4
Alex Portman5–9
Team V12 Harrier Racing5 Valentine Lindsay1–2, 5
John Burton1–2
Chris Ward5–7
Phillip Walker8
Team Carl RacingMcLaren F1 GTRBMW S70/2 6.0 L V123 Gregor Fisken5
Peter Hardman5
Quaife DevelopmentsQuaife R4 GTSFord 6.0 L V84 Mike Quaife1–2, 4–9
Paul Lee1–2, 4
Graham Hathaway5–9
RGS MotorsportMirage GT1Chevrolet 6.0 L V86 Gary Ward1, 4, 7, 9
Newcastle United Lister StormLister Storm GTLJaguar 7.0 L V127 Julian BaileyAll
Tiff Needell2, 4–7, 9
Anthony Reid8
Lister Storm8 Ian Flux1–2, 4–9
Jake Ulrich1–2, 4–7, 9
Ian McKellar8
RMA Driving SensationsPorsche 993 GT1Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-69 Jamie Masarati1–2, 4–7, 9
Gavin Mortimer1–2, 4–7, 9
Team HEM ListerLister Storm GTLJaguar 7.0 L V1210 William HewlandAll
Paul EvansAll
Millennium Motorsport
Team NCK
Porsche 911 GT1Porsche 3.2 L Turbo Flat-6
11 Thorkild Thyrring1–3
John Nielsen1–3
Matt Neal5
David Leslie5
TVR EngineeringTVR Cerbera Speed 12TVR 7.7 L V1212 Bobby Verdon-Roe2, 4–7
John Kent2, 5–7
Martin Short4
SRS MotorsportHarrier LR9CFord Cosworth 2.0 L I415 Simon Stebbings5–7, 9
Dave Percival5–7, 9
BVB MotorsportPorsche 911 GT2 EvoPorsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-616 Max Beaverbroock7–8
Barrie Williams7
John Greasley8
Score Magazine Natty RacingHarrier LR9CFord Cosworth 2.0 L Turbo Flat-618 Tony Soper7, 9
Roberto Giordanelli7, 9
Allen LloydJaguar XJ220CJaguar JV6 3.5 L Turbo V620 Allen Lloyd9
RotormotiveVenturi 600LMRenault PRV 3.0 L Turbo V621 Sandy McEwen2–3, 5, 9
Bryce Wilson2, 5
Ken Thomson3, 9

GT2

EntrantCarEngineTyreDriversRounds
Gérard MacQuillanPorsche 911 GT2Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-632 Gérard MacQuillan5, 7, 9
Thomas Erdos5
Allen Lloyd7
Alec Hammond9
Gaumont/Parr MotorsportPorsche 911 GT2Porsche 3.6 L Flat-633 David SaundersAll
Jason Saunders1–7, 9
Richard Nearn8
DRP/G-Tech MotorsportLotus EspritLotus Type-918 3.5 L Turbo V834 Graham Morris1–5
Allard Kalff1–2
Jacky van der Ende3, 9
Ian Astley4–9
Martijn Koene6–8
G-Force MotorsportPorsche 911 GT2Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-635 Calum Lockie5–9
Nigel Barrett5–9
Blue Coral/Slick 50 Racing50 Geoff ListerAll
John Morrison1–7, 9
Magnus Wallinder8
Keith McKenzieMarcos LM600Chevrolet 6.0 L V836 Keith McKenzie2–5
Paul Phillips2
Simon Phillips3
Robert Schirle4
Premium Team-Carmichaels MotorsportPorsche 911 Carrera RSR
Porsche 911 GT2
Porsche 3.8 L Flat-6
Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6
38
37
Calum Lockie1–3
Nigel Barrett1–3
CPi RacingVenturi 400 GTRenault PRV 3.0 L V639 Nigel Rata1, 3, 6
PK SportPorsche 911 GT2Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-640 Stephen Day1–8
Ian Astley1, 3
Peter Chambers2
Michael Pickup4
Stéphen Gugliemi6
Mike Jordan7–8
42 Martyn Konig3–9
Gregor Fisken3–4
Paul Phillips5–9
Porsche 911 Carrera RSRPorsche 3.8 L Flat-646 Caroline Lucas1–2, 4–9
Diane Osborne1–2, 4–5, 7–9
Ciceley Race TeamMarcos MantisFord 4.6 L V841 Russell Morgan1–2, 5–6
Chris Marsh1
Simon Duerden2
Simon Jackson5
Chas Berger MotorsportUltima Mk4Ford Cosworth 2.0 L Turbo I443 Robin Rex1–2, 5–9
Mark James1–5
Mark Pashley5, 8–9
Mike Millard7
Forward GT RacingMarcos LM500Rover 5.0 L V844 Jeff Wyatt1–3, 5–7, 9
Colin Ward1–2, 4
Rupert Beckwith-Smith3–4
Orion Motorsport
Oftedahl Motorsport
Chrysler Viper GTS-RChrysler 356-T6 8.0 L V1051 Kurt LubyAll
Richard DeanAll
52 Julian Westwood1
Michael Vergers1
Dave Welz RacingPorsche 930Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-653 Dave Welz4–5, 8
Score Magazine Natty RacingMaserati GhibliMaserati 2.0 L Turbo V654 Tony Soper3–4
Roberto Giordanelli3–4
Harrogate Horseless CarriageTVR CerberaTVR 5.0 L V855 Colin Blower1–6
Tiff Needell1
Thomas Erdos2, 4
Nigel Greensall3, 5–6
Hopkins MotorsportUltima Mk4Chevrolet 6.0 L V856 Philip Hopkins1, 3–7
Geoff Kimber-Smith1, 3–5, 7
Geoff Janes6
Screwfix DirectMarcos MantisFord 4.6 L V857 Richard Hann9
Steve Hall9
Wellings/GuestPorsche 911 GT2Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-658 Ian Guest1, 4–7
Steve Wellings1, 4–7
Riverside MotorsportsVenturi 400 GTRRenault PRV 3.0 L Turbo V660 Glenn Dudley4–6, 9
Paul Cope4–6, 9
Konrad MotorsportPorsche 911 GT2Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-666 Franz Konrad8
Millennium Motorsport
Team NCK
Marcos LM600Chevrolet 6.0 L V877 Andy PurvisAll
Bob Sands1–5
Thomas Erdos6–9
GP MotorsportSaleen MustangFord 5.9 L V880 Charlie Cox8–9
Patrick Watts8
Suzi Hart-Banks9
Swansea Institute Team DarrianDarrian T90Ford 2.0 L Turbo I490 Ken Thomson7
Simon Duerdon7
Frank Bradley9
Del Delaronde9
Brookspeed RacingChrysler Viper GTS-RChrysler 356-T6 8.0 L V1096 Neil Cunningham5
Kilian Konig5
Cirtek MotorsportSaleen Mustang
Porsche 911 GT2
Ford 5.9 L V8
Porsche 3.6 L Turbo Flat-6
98 David Warnock1, 3, 5–9
Robert Schirle1, 5–6, 8–8
Charlie Cox3, 7
99 Charlie Cox5
Patrick Watts5

Race results

RndCircuitGT1 Winning TeamGT2 Winning Team
GT1 Winning DriversGT2 Winning Drivers
1Silverstone No. 0 Blue Coral/Slick 50 Racing No. 34 DRP/G-Tech Motorsport
John Greasley
Magnus Wallinder
Allard Kalff
Graham Morris
2Oulton Park No. 1 EMKA Racing No. 51 Oftedahl Motorsport
Tim Sugden
Steve O'Rourke
Kurt Luby
Richard Dean
3Croft No. 11 Millennium Motorsport No. 51 Oftedahl Motorsport
Thorkild Thyrring
John Nielsen
Kurt Luby
Richard Dean
4Snetterton No. 7 Newcastle United Lister Storm No. 51 Oftedahl Motorsport
Julian Bailey
Tiff Needell
Kurt Luby
Richard Dean
5Silverstone No. 0 Blue Coral/Slick 50 Racing No. 51 Oftedahl Motorsport
John Greasley
Magnus Wallinder
Kurt Luby
Richard Dean
6Donington No. 0 Blue Coral/Slick 50 Racing No. 51 Oftedahl Motorsport
John Greasley
Magnus Wallinder
Kurt Luby
Richard Dean
7Silverstone No. 7 Newcastle United Lister Storm No. 51 Oftedahl Motorsport
Julian Bailey
Tiff Needell
Kurt Luby
Richard Dean
8Spa-Francorchamps No. 1 EMKA Racing No. 77 NCK Racing
Tim Sugden
Steve O'Rourke
Andy Purvis
Thomas Erdos
9Silverstone No. 7 Newcastle United Lister Storm No. 34 DRP/G-Tech Motorsport
Julian Bailey
Tiff Needell
Jacky van der Ende
Ian Astley

Notes and References

  1. Web site: RAC British Grand Prix . . 1998 . 17 April 2022.