2008 British GT Championship explained

The 2008 British GT season was the 16th season of the British GT Championship. This was the first season with the new GT4 category, replacing the GTC category of previous years. Both championships were won at the Brands Hatch meeting in July, with Matt Nicoll-Jones and Stewart Linn securing the inaugural GT4 title in round 11, with James Gornall and Jon Barnes clinching the GT3 title, the following day in round 12.

Rule changes

All cars run on an Avon Tyres soft compound tyre, instead of having the option of a medium compound in 2007.

Entry list

A total of twenty seven full season entries were announced on 6 March 2008.^[1]

2008 Entry List
Team	No.	Drivers	Class	Chassis	Engine	Rounds
Team RPM	1	Paul O'Neill	GT3	Dodge Viper Competition Coupe	Dodge 8.3L V10	1–8
		Oliver Bryant^[2]	9-12
		Steve Clark	1–12
		Henry Fletcher^[3]	14
		Phil Keen	14
	2	Nick Foster	GT3	Dodge Viper Competition Coupe	Dodge 8.3L V10	All
		Oliver Bryant	1-8
		Nigel Redwood	9-14
	7	Clint Bardwell^[4]	GT3	Dodge Viper Competition Coupe	Dodge 8.3L V10	1-2
		Jason Templeman				1-2
		Steve Tandy	14
		Richard Evans	14
	50	Steve Tandy	GT4	Ginetta G50	Ford Cyclone 3.5L V6	1-4, 7-13
		Richard Evans^[5]	5-6
		Joe Osbourne	14
		Phil Bailey	All
	51	Joe Osbourne	GT4	Ginetta G50	Ford Cyclone 3.5L V6	1-13
		Michael Broadhurst	1-2
		Alex Mortimer	3-4
		Fulvio Mussi	5-6
		Nigel Moore^[6]	7-10, 14
		Richard Evans^[7]	11-13
		Jamie Robinson	14
	52	Charlie Hollings	GT4	Ginetta G50	Ford Cyclone 3.5L V6	1-2
		Nigel Redwood^[8]	3-8
		Bradley Ellis	9-10, 14
		Nigel Moore	11-13
		Fulvio Mussi	1-4, 7-10
		Colin Wilmott	5-6
		Tom Kimber-Smith^[9]	13
		Alex Mortimer	14
Chad Racing	3	Ben de Zille Butler	GT3	Ferrari F430 GT3	Ferrari 4.3L V8	1-2
		Guy Harrington				1-2
		Richard Marsh	5-8
		Anthony Reid	5-8
		Peter Bamford	9-10
		Matt Griffin	9-10
	4	Peter Bamford	GT3	Ferrari F430 GT3	Ferrari 4.3L V8	1-8, 13-14
	4	Matt Griffin		Ferrari F430 GT3	Ferrari 4.3L V8	1-8, 13-14
	63	Peter Snowdon	GT4	Aston Martin V8 Vantage N24	Aston Martin 4.3L V8	1–2
	63	Mark Thomas		Aston Martin V8 Vantage N24	Aston Martin 4.3L V8	1–2
Trackspeed	5	David Ashburn	GT3	Porsche 911 GT3 Cup S	Porsche 3.8L Flat-6	1–6
		Richard Williams^[10]	1–4
		Tim Harvey	5-6
Matech GT Racing^[11]	6	Alex Mortimer	GT3	Ford GT GT3	Ford 5.0L V8	7-8
Matech GT Racing^[11]	6	Bradley Ellis		Ford GT GT3	Ford 5.0L V8	7-8
Tech 9 Motorsport	8	Oliver Morley^[12]	GT3	Lamborghini Gallardo LP560 GT3	Lamborghini 5.2L V10	1–8
		Leo Machitski	9-10
		Tom Ferrier	1–10
	9	David Pinkney	GT3	Lamborghini Gallardo LP560 GT3	Lamborghini 5.2L V10	1–2
		Jason Templeman	3-6
		Jonathan Cocker^[13]	7-8
		Tom Ferrier^[14]	13-14
		Leo Machitski	1–8, 13
		Oliver Morley	14
Team Modena	11	Ben de Zille Butler	GT3	Lamborghini Gallardo LP560 GT3	Lamborghini 5.2L V10	5-14
	11	Guy Harrington		Lamborghini Gallardo LP560 GT3	Lamborghini 5.2L V10	5-14
	21	Piers Johnson	GT3	Lamborghini Gallardo LP560 GT3	Lamborghini 5.2L V10	1-2, 5-13
		Adam Jones	1-2, 5-10
		Rachel Green	11-13
		Ben de Zille Butler^[15]	3-4
		Guy Harrington	3-4
VRS Motor Finance	12	Phil Burton	GT3	Ferrari F430 GT3	Ferrari 4.3L V8	All
VRS Motor Finance	12	Adam Wilcox		Ferrari F430 GT3	Ferrari 4.3L V8	All
CR Scuderia	14	Michael Meadows	GT3	Ferrari F430 GT3	Ferrari 4.3L V8	All
	14	James Sutton		Ferrari F430 GT3	Ferrari 4.3L V8	All
	15	Paddy Shovlin	GT3	Ferrari F430 GT3	Ferrari 4.3L V8	1-6, 9-14
		Marco Mapelli	7-8
		Michael Cullen	All
	16	Jeremy Metcalfe	GT3	Ferrari F430 GT3	Ferrari 4.3L V8	All
	16	Luke Hines		Ferrari F430 GT3	Ferrari 4.3L V8	All
Moore Racing^[16]	17	Mike Gardiner	GT3	Dodge Viper Competition Coupe	Dodge 8.3L V10	9-10
Moore Racing^[16]	17	Alex Mortimer^[17]		Dodge Viper Competition Coupe	Dodge 8.3L V10	9-10
Cadena Motorsport	18	Barrie Whight	GT3	Aston Martin DBRS9	Aston Martin 6.0L V12	1-2, 7-12
		Andy Jenkinson	13
		Gavan Kershaw	1-2, 7-13
ABG Motorsport	20	Craig Wilkins	GT3	Dodge Viper Competition Coupe	Dodge 8.3L V10	All
ABG Motorsport	20	Aaron Scott		Dodge Viper Competition Coupe	Dodge 8.3L V10	All
Team Preci-Spark	22	David Jones	GT3	Ascari KZ1-R	BMW M62 5.0L V8	1-6, 13-14
Team Preci-Spark	22	Godfrey Jones		Ascari KZ1-R	BMW M62 5.0L V8	1-6, 13-14
Christians in Motorsport	23	Hector Lester	GT3	Ferrari F430 GT3	Ferrari 4.3L V8	All
		Allan Simonsen	1–12, 14
		James Davies	13
MTECH Racing	26	Duncan Cameron	GT3	Ferrari F430 GT3	Ferrari 4.3L V8	14
MTECH Racing	26	Nigel Greensall		Ferrari F430 GT3	Ferrari 4.3L V8	14
Team Trimite Brookspeed	40	James Gornall	GT3	Dodge Viper Competition Coupe	Dodge 8.3L V10	All
Team Trimite Brookspeed	40	Jon Barnes^[18]		Dodge Viper Competition Coupe	Dodge 8.3L V10	All
22GT Racing	42	Tom Alexander	GT3	Aston Martin DBRS9	Aston Martin 6.0L V12	1-2, 7-10, 13-14
		Adrian Willmott^[19]	3-6
		Andy Jenkinson	11-12
		Michael Bentwood	All
ProMotorsport^[20]	54	Derek Palmer	GT4	Nissan 350Z	Nissan VQ35HR 3.5L V6	7–14
		Maxi Jazz	9–10, 14
		Rick Pearson	13
Rob Austin Racing	55	Rob Austin	GT4	Ginetta G50	Ford Cyclone 3.5L V6	All
Rob Austin Racing	55	Hunter Abbott^[21]		Ginetta G50	Ford Cyclone 3.5L V6	All
Stark Racing	71	Ian Stinton	GT4	Ginetta G50	Ford Cyclone 3.5L V6	All
		Neil Clark	1–12
		Paul Marsh	13-14
IMS Motorsport	88	Matt Nicoll-Jones	GT4	Ginetta G50	Ford Cyclone 3.5L V6	All
IMS Motorsport	88	Stewart Linn		Ginetta G50	Ford Cyclone 3.5L V6	All
Beechdean Motorsport	99	Andrew Howard	GT4	Aston Martin V8 Vantage N24	Aston Martin 4.3L V8	1–8
Beechdean Motorsport	99	Jamie Smyth		Aston Martin V8 Vantage N24	Aston Martin 4.3L V8	1–8
Richmond Racing	101	Andreas Boström	Inv	Ginetta G50	Ford Cyclone 3.5L V6	14
Richmond Racing	101	Bjorn Gustavson		Ginetta G50	Ford Cyclone 3.5L V6	14

Icon	Class
GT3	GT3 Class
GT4	GT4 Class
Inv	Invitation Class

Calendar

A provisional 14-race calendar was announced on 15 October 2007.^[22]

Round	Circuit	Date	Length	Pole Position	GT3 Winner	GT4 Winner
1	Oulton Park	22 March	60 mins	No. 14 CR Scuderia	No. 15 CR Scuderia	No. 51 Team RPM
1		22 March	60 mins	James Sutton Michael Meadows	Paddy Shovlin Michael Cullen	Joe Osbourne Michael Broadhurst
2		24 March	60 mins	No. 23 Christians in Motorsport	No. 8 Tech 9	No. 88 IMS Motorsport
2		24 March	60 mins	Hector Lester Allan Simonsen	Oliver Morley Tom Ferrier	Matt Nicoll-Jones Stewart Linn
3	Knockhill	12 April	60 mins	No. 16 CR Scuderia	No. 16 CR Scuderia	No. 55 Rob Austin Racing
3		12 April	60 mins	Jeremy Metcalfe Luke Hines	Jeremy Metcalfe Luke Hines	Hunter Abbott Rob Austin
4		13 April	60 mins	No. 23 Christians in Motorsport	No. 15 CR Scuderia	No. 88 IMS Motorsport
4		13 April	60 mins	Hector Lester Allan Simonsen	Paddy Shovlin Michael Cullen	Matt Nicoll-Jones Stewart Linn
5	Rockingham	25 May	60 mins	No. 9 Tech 9	No. 40 Team Trimite Brookspeed	No. 88 IMS Motorsport
5		25 May	60 mins	Jason Templeman Leo Machitski	James Gornall Jon Barnes	Matt Nicoll-Jones Stewart Linn
6		26 May	60 mins	No. 9 Tech 9	No. 1 Team RPM	No. 55 Rob Austin Racing
6		26 May	60 mins	Jason Templeman Leo Machitski	Paul O'Neill Steve Clark	Hunter Abbott Rob Austin
7	Snetterton	7 June	60 mins	No. 6 Matech GT Racing	No. 40 Team Trimite Brookspeed	No. 55 Rob Austin Racing
7		7 June	60 mins	Alex Mortimer Bradley Ellis	James Gornall Jon Barnes	Hunter Abbott Rob Austin
8		8 June	60 mins	No. 6 Matech GT Racing	No. 6 Matech GT Racing	No. 88 IMS Motorsport
8		8 June	60 mins	Alex Mortimer Bradley Ellis	Alex Mortimer Bradley Ellis	Matt Nicoll-Jones Stewart Linn
9	Thruxton	28 June	60 mins	No. 16 CR Scuderia	No. 23 Christian in Motorsport	No. 88 IMS Motorsport
9		28 June	60 mins	Jeremy Metcalfe Luke Hines	Hector Lester Allan Simonsen	Matt Nicoll-Jones Stewart Linn
10		29 June	60 mins	No. 42 22GT Racing	No. 40 Team Trimite Brookspeed	No. 51 Team RPM
10		29 June	60 mins	Tom Alexander Michael Bentwood	James Gornall Jon Barnes	Joe Osbourne Nigel Moore
11	Brands Hatch	12 July	60 mins	No. 15 CR Scuderia	No. 40 Team Trimite Brookspeed	No. 52 Team RPM
11		12 July	60 mins	Paddy Shovlin Michael Cullen	James Gornall Jon Barnes	Nigel Moore
12		13 July	60 mins	No. 23 Christian in Motorsport	No. 15 CR Scuderia	No. 88 IMS Motorsport
12		13 July	60 mins	Hector Lester Allan Simonsen	Paddy Shovlin Michael Cullen	Matt Nicoll-Jones Stewart Linn
13	Silverstone	17 August	120 mins	No. 20 ABG Motorsport	No. 14 CR Scuderia	No. 88 IMS Motorsport
13	Silverstone	17 August	120 mins	Craig Wilkins Aaron Scott	James Sutton Michael Meadows	Matt Nicoll-Jones Stewart Linn
14	Donington Park	12 October	120 mins	No. 23 Christian in Motorsport	No. 16 CR Scuderia	No. 88 IMS Motorsport
14	Donington Park	12 October	120 mins	Hector Lester Allan Simonsen	Jeremy Metcalfe Luke Hines	Matt Nicoll-Jones Stewart Linn

Standings

Competitors must have completed 70% of the race distance covered by the class winner to be classified.
Points were awarded as follows:

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
10	8	6	5	4	3	2	1
Half points were awarded if a class had less than 6 cars

GT3

Pos	Driver(s)	OUL		KNO		ROC		SNE		THR		BRH		SIL	DON	Pts
GT3 Class
1	James Gornall	21	6	2	2	1	13	1	2	3	1	1	7	Ret	8	76
1	Jon Barnes	21	6	2	2	1	13	1	2	3	1	1	7	Ret	8	76
3	Luke Hines	10	Ret	1	8	5	6	3	7	7	2	9	2	3	1	62
3	Jeremy Metcalfe	10	Ret	1	8	5	6	3	7	7	2	9	2	3	1	62
5	Michael Cullen	1	4	DSQ	1	8	16	11	4	8	4	4	1	Ret	2	60
6	Paddy Shovlin	1	4	DSQ	1	8	16			8	4	4	1	Ret	2	55
7	Allan Simonsen	3	5	15	*DSQ*	12	2	9	5	1	5	2	Ret		3	50
8	Hector Lester	3	5	15	*DSQ*	12	2	9	5	1	5	2	Ret	Ret	3	50
9	James Sutton	DNS	2	Ret	10	3	3	6	3	9	3	Ret	13	1	Ret	47
9	Michael Meadows	DNS	2	Ret	10	3	3	6	3	9	3	Ret	13	1	Ret	47
11	Craig Wilkins	9	10	3	3	7	18	15	9	2	Ret	5	3	2	Ret	40
11	Aaron Scott	9	10	3	3	7	18	15	9	2	Ret	5	3	2	Ret	40
13	Steve Clark	5	3	Ret	DSQ	Ret	1	14	10	11	Ret	3	8			27
14	Nick Foster	6	9	17	DSQ	4	4	12	8	Ret	DNS	Ret	6	4	Ret	22
15	Oliver Bryant	6	9	17	DSQ	4	4	12	8	11	Ret	3	8			21
16	Paul O'Neill	5	3	Ret	DSQ	Ret	1	14	10							20
17	Michael Bentwood	8	8	6	DSQ	6	12	Ret	12	5	8	8	4	Ret	Ret	19
18	Alex Mortimer							2	1	DNS	DNS					18
19	Bradley Ellis							2	1							18
20	Tom Ferrier	20	1	Ret	4	10	21	13	13	Ret	DNS				6	18
21	Oliver Morley	20	1	Ret	4	10	21	13	13						6	18
22	Piers Johnson	DNS	DNS			2	9	8	Ret	4	DNS	DNS	5	Ret	DNS	18
23	Peter Bamford	7	18	8	5	11	5	10	22	6	9			Ret	5	18
23	Matt Griffin	7	18	8	5	11	5	10	22	6	9			Ret	5	18
25	Adam Wilcox	2	Ret	DNS	DNS	Ret	Ret	5	NC	10	7	10	14	11		17
25	Phil Burton	2	Ret	DNS	DNS	Ret	Ret	5	NC	10	7	10	14	11		17
27	Adam Jones	DNS	DNS			2	9	8	Ret	4	DNS				DNS	14
28	David Ashburn	4	19	4	11	9	7									13
29	Leo Machitski	DNS	DNS	5	DSQ	Ret	DSQ	4	6	Ret	DNS					12
30	Richard Williams	4	19	4	11											11
31	Andy Jenkinson											8	4	10		10
32	Gavan Kershaw	DNS	DNS					Ret	DNS	Ret	6	7	Ret	10		9
33	Nigel Redwood									Ret	DNS	Ret	6	4	Ret	8
34	Jonathan Cocker							4	6							8
35	Godfrey Jones	DNS	7	14	DSQ	Ret	DNS							Ret	4	7
35	David Jones	DNS	7	14	DSQ	Ret	DNS							Ret	4	7
37	Tom Alexander	8	8					Ret	12	5	8				Ret	7
38	Adrian Wilmott			6	DSQ	6	12									6
39	Barrie Whight	DNS	DNS					Ret	DNS	Ret	6	7	Ret			5
40	Ben de Zille Butler	11	17	7	Ret	Ret	17	Ret	DNS	Ret	DNS	6	Ret	Ret	Ret	5
41	Marco Mapelli							11	4							5
42	Guy Harrington	11	17	7	Ret	Ret	17	Ret	DNS	Ret	DNS	6	Ret	Ret	Ret	5
43	Jason Templeman	20	11	5	DSQ	Ret	DSQ									4
44	Rachel Green											DNS	5	Ret		4
45	Anthony Reid					15	8	7	11							3
45	Richard Marsh					15	8	7	11							3
47	Nigel Greensall														7	2
48	Tim Harvey					9	7									2
49	Duncan Cameron														7	2
50	Steve Tandy														10	0
50	Richard Evans														10	0
51	Clint Bardwell	20	11													0
	Henry Fletcher														Ret	0
	Phil Keen														Ret	0
	James Davies													Ret		0
	David Pinkney	DNS	DNS													0
	Mike Gardiner									DNS	DNS					0
Pos	Driver(s)	OUL		KNO		ROC		SNE		THR		BRH		SIL	DON	Pts

GT4

Pos	Driver(s)	OUL		KNO		ROC		SNE		THR		BRA		SIL	DON	Pts
GT4 Class
1	Stewart Linn	13	12	10	6	13	11	18	14	12	11	13	9	5	9	124
1	Matt Nicoll-Jones	13	12	10	6	13	11	18	14	12	11	13	9	5	9	124
3	Rob Austin	DNS	DNS	9	*Ret*	14	10	16	15	14	DSQ	12	11	7	11	80
3	Hunter Abbott	DNS	DNS	9	*Ret*	14	10	16	15	14	DSQ	12	11	7	11	80
5	Joe Osborne	12	Ret	Ret	Ret	16	14	22	16	*Ret*	10	14	10	6	Ret	61
6	Fulvio Mussi	14	13	11	7	16	14	17	17	13	DNS					61
7	Phil Bailey	18	16	13	9	17	15	20	20	16	12	15	12	9	Ret	56
8	Steve Tandy	18	16	13	9			20	20	16	12	15	12	9		46
9	Ian Stinton	16	17	16	12	DNS	20	19	21	15	13	16	Ret	8	Ret	42
10	Nigel Redwood			11	7	19	19	17	17							40
11	Nigel Moore							22	16	*Ret*	10	11	15	Ret	12	38
12	Neil Clark	16	17	16	12	DNS	20	19	21	15	13	16	Ret			37
13	Jamie Smyth	15	14	12	DSQ	18	DNS	23	18							25
13	Andrew Howard	15	14	12	DSQ	18	DNS	23	18							25
15	Richard Evans					17	15					14	10	6		21
16	Charles Hollings	14	13													14
17	Michael Broadhurst	12	Ret													10
18	Derek Palmer							21	19	DNS	14	Ret	DNS	Ret	Ret	10
19	Bradley Ellis									13	DNS				Ret	8
20	Mark Thomas	19	15													7
20	Peter Snowdon	19	15													7
22	Jamie Robinson														12	6
23	Paul Marsh													8	Ret	5
24	Colin Willmott					19	19									4
25	Maxi Jazz									DNS	14				Ret	4
26	Andreas Boström														13	0
26	Bjorn Gustavson														13	0
	Rick Pearson													Ret		0
	Tom Kimber-Smith													Ret		0
	Alex Mortimer			Ret	Ret										Ret	0
Pos	Driver(s)	OUL		KNO		ROC		SNE		THR		BRH		SIL	DON	Pts

External links

Notes and References

http://www.britishgt.com/newsitem.php?key=721 Twenty Seven Car Grid for 2008 British GT
http://www.britishgt.com/newsitem.php?key=797 RD9: Christians in Motorsport Team Take First Victory of 08 Season
http://www.britishgt.com/newsitem.php?key=834 RD14: Hines and Metcalfe Finish Season on High Note
http://www.britishgt.com/newsitem.php?key=735 RD 2: First Lamborghini Win in British GT as Tech 9 Take Chequered Flag
http://www.britishgt.com/newsitem.php?key=769 RD5: Viper Strikes Again at Rockingham as Gornall and Barnes take First Win
http://www.britishgt.com/newsitem.php?key=780 RD7: Team Trimite Pairing Take Second Wet Victory
http://www.britishgt.com/newsitem.php?key=809 RD11: Gornall and Barnes Win as Nicol-Jones and Linn become British GT4 Champions
http://www.britishgt.com/newsitem.php?key=766 Amended Result for Rounds 3 & 4 at Knockhill
http://www.britishgt.com/newsitem.php?key=821 RD13: Meadows & Sutton Take Debut Win and Secure Team Title for CR Scuderia
http://www.britishgt.com/newsitem.php?key=727 SEASON PREVIEW: Big Grids and Big Names Equals Big Action
http://www.crash.net/british+gt/news/136289/1/champions_prepare_for_return.html Champions prepare for return
http://www.britishgt.com/newsitem.php?key=729 Tech 9 Announce 2008 Driver Line Up
http://www.crash.net/british+gt/news/136291/1/former_champion_in_british_gt_return.html Former champion in British GT return
http://www.britishgt.com/newsitem.php?key=819 RD13 Qualifying: Scott puts ABG Viper on Pole
http://www.britishgt.com/newsitem.php?key=741 British GT Prepare for Scottish Adventure
http://www.britishgt.com/newsitem.php?key=795 RD9 QUALIFYING: Metcalfe Claims Pole Ahead of Resurgent Cadena Aston Martin
http://www.britishgt.com/newsitem.php?key=796 RD10 QUALIFYING: Bentwood Returns Aston Martin to Sharp End of Grid
http://www.britishgt.com/newsitem.php?key=730 Barnes to Race in 2008 Avon Tyres British GT Championship
http://www.britishgt.com/newsitem.php?key=760 EVENT PREVIEW: Rockingham Déjà Vu?
http://www.britishgt.com/newsitem.php?key=799 RD10: Team Trimite Viper Extends Championship Lead with Thruxton Win
http://www.britishgt.com/newsitem.php?key=736 Hunter Abbott Talks About His Lucky Escape
http://www.britishgt.com/newsitem.php?key=701 Calendar Announced