Driver’s title fight goes down the wire with Elite duo Smalley leading and Rattican third
Multi-title winning Ginetta team Elite Motorsport has won the 2021 Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 SuperCup Teams’ title for the first time in the Norfolk team’s 10-year history. Previous Ginetta Junior and GT5 Teams’ champions, Elite sewed up the GT4 “crown” in the latest event at Donington Park (9-10 Oct).
Driver’s title protagonists Adam Smalley and Josh Rattican, plus Tom Emson, combined to score eight top-10 placings at the Leicestershire venue that included five podiums – with Josh claiming a dominant Race 1 victory. Series leader Smalley heads to the Brands Hatch finale this weekend (23-24 Oct) with a 44-points advantage, Rattican a further 27pts adrift in third and Emson sixth.
Smalley, recently selected as a BRDC Rising Star, understandably tactically played things safe over the weekend, Adam just missing out on scoring his 15th podium of the season when Rattican snatched third place at the last corner on the final lap of Race 3 – Smalley having chalked up third (Race 1) and second places (Race 2).
Rattican scored his second consecutive race victory by taking the winner’s laurels in Race 1 – his third of the season – leading from start to finish having earned his maiden “pole”. Josh went on to score his 13th and 14th podium placings of the seasons with third place in the place in Races 2 and 3. Emson, having retired from the opening race after running ninth, netted 10th and ninth positions in the remaining races – recovering well from a slow start.
* The GT4 G55 SuperCup Ginetta is powered by a Ford 3.7 litre V6 engine producing 355bhp.
Tom Emson (GB)Age: 19
Born: Ashford, Kent, England
Lives: Etchinghill nr Folkestone, Kent, England
Car No: 27
Qualifying Position: 11th
Race 1 Result: DNF
Start Race 2 Position (Race 1 finish position): 13th
Race 2 Result: 10th
Start Race 3 Position (Partial reverse grid of Race 2 result, positions 4 to 6 places drawn): 10th
Race 3 Result: 9th
Latest Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 SuperCup Position/Points: 6th, (368-points)
Josh Rattican (GB)
Age: 17Born/Lives: Sheffield, South Yorks, England
Car No: 21
Qualifying Position: 1st
Race 1 Result: 1st
Start Race 2 Position (Race 1 finish position): 1st
Race 2 Result: 3rd
Start Race 3 Position (Partial reverse grid of Race 2 result, positions 4 to 6 places drawn): 4th
Race 3 Result: 3rd
Latest Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 SuperCup Position/Points: 3rd
Adam Smalley (GB)Age: 20
Born/Lives:Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire
Car No: 54
Qualifying Position: 2nd
Race 1 Result: 3rd
Start Race 2 Position (Race 1 finish position): 3rd
Race 2 Result: 2nd
Start Race 3 Position (Partial reverse grid of Race 2 result, positions 4 to 6 places drawn): 5th
Race 3 Result: 4th
Latest Millers Oils Ginetta GT4 SuperCup Position/Points: 1st
 Eddie Ives, Team Owner & Manager“I’m really pleased for the whole squad to have won the Teams’ championship. Our three drivers have done a mega job all year and it’s been rewarded. “Tom has had some awful luck the last two rounds but Brands is his strongest circuit so we will be looking to make amends this weekend. Josh was rapid all weekend at Donington and had one of his best weekends. “Now we go into the final round of the year and hopefully come out on top.” |
