The GT Cup and supporting races from Snetterton

Report by David Harbey.

16 July 2020

Some 147 days after my previous motorsport photography action at Snetterton, I was back at Snetterton on for the GT Cup meeting – one of the first in the UK to take place under the new “day visitor” protocols.

With a ring-fenced paddock, “no go” areas for non-competitors, limited catering and lots of warnings about coronavirus, it was a little different to normal. 

GT Cup is one of a number of championships catering for grand touring cars – one of my favourite categories. I had not come across this UK based championship before last summer at Silverstone. It’s a competitor focused championship with two 25 minute races and two 50 minute pit stop races over the weekend. 

The F3 Cup caters for near contemporary F3 specification cars and whilst the field was small, good racing was in prospect. Their qualifying session was next.

A field of over 40 Caterhams promised the best racing of the day for the Toyo Tires 7 Race Series. The first session was free practice, so there was room to try new lines through Nelson !

The first race of the day was for the – deep breath – Petro-Canada Lubricants Porsche Club Championship. Close racing was the order of the day with the top three runners rarely more than a couple of car lengths apart. 

The sprint GT Cup race followed. The WPI Motorsport Lamborghini Huracan #88 in GT3 specification was the class of the field and dominated, but there was closer racing further down the field.

For the F3 Cup race, I started out at Brundle on the outside of the track, but then crossed the bridge to the inside of the track for a different angle. Stefano Leaney #28 was fighting back through the field after a poor start but his attempt to drive round the outside of Alex Fores was always risky !

Seeking a different angle for the 7 Race Series qualifying , I walked across to Murrays. A little Dutch Tilt always helps !

Sports 2000 is a new series for the MSV Racing programme in 2020. The 2-litre sports racers are quick and the series caters for cars of various ages, including the very pretty Crossle 9S #46.

GT Cup race 2 was a 50 minute affair with a pitstop. Some drivers were using professional co-drivers, the best known being Dennis Lind, a Danish Lamborghini factory driver and former Formula Ford Festival winner. 

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Michael Igoe and Dennis Lind were the class of the field. In any event a GT3 Huracan at speed is a glorious thing – especially on gold wheels !

The final race of the day was for the 7 Race Series – and it was a reasonably well behaved affair. Ben Rowsell was able to continue (sans rear wheel arch) despite this dramatic moment at Nelson.

There are four more GT Cup meetings this year – details are at Official Site of the GT Cup and its worth a look.