By Paul Evans
Seb Morris remains third in the British GT Championship drivers’ standings, despite missing out on what could have been two podium race results at Snetterton yesterday.
Wrexham-born driver Morris and JRM team-mate Rick Parfitt Jnr were on course to secure their second podium of the campaign in round three on Sunday morning. Having worked their way up from 10th on the grid, contact on the final lap of the 60-minute race resulted in damage to the No.31 Bentley and a slip to fifth on the drag to the line.
Round four later in the day proved even more vexing for the 23-year old when an unfortunate spin for Parfitt Jnr, while pushing for the podium, led to heavy contact with the barriers. Although he rejoined the race, an unrelated late left rear puncture dropped the duo out of the top ten.
Despite missing out on more silverware, Morris was more than satisfied with his weekend’s work behind the wheel – and especially with the Bentley Continental carrying 50kg of additional weight, compared to the opposition, under the category’s Balance of Performance rule.
“While the results this weekend weren’t what we wanted, or deserved, from my personal point of view I’m very happy with the performance I delivered,” said Morris. “I’ve been putting a lot of effort into my driving lately, working closely with the BRDC Superstars, and getting fitter and much better mentally.
“I was very happy to race so well in the first race, passing guys like Rob Bell and Jonny Adam even with the Bentley carrying 50kg extra. I feel I’m driving as well as I ever have, and in my qualifying session it was one of the best laps I’ve done in British GT.
“We really deserved a podium from race one, it was a tough battle with Jonny [Adam] but we both raced hard and fair. Third was in the bag but out of the Bomb Hole on the last lap, Ryan [Ratcliffe] went off from second and then came back on which made a GT4 car slam on the brakes.
“I had to come to a standstill and a car smashed into the back of me, the contact was so heavy it ripped away the intercooler pipe and that’s why I had no power at all coming out of the chicane. It’s a shame to miss the podium as everyone at the team had done a great job.”
Round five of the British GT season, the three-hour ‘Silverstone 500’, will take place on Sunday 9 June. Before then, Morris will be back in action in the Blancpain Endurance Cup at Paul Ricard in France one week earlier on Saturday 1 June.