Ross focussed on recording solid Rockingham result after Brands Hatch disappointment
Ross Wylie fervently hopes to finally get his 2016 British GT Championship programme underway at Rockingham on Sunday (1 May). The two-hour race around the 1.94-mile International Super Sportscar circuit should mark Wylie’s race debut for the Motorbase Performance team after the Dumfries driver suffered disappointment in the opening Brands Hatch race earlier this month (17 Apr).
Before Ross had even got in to the Aston for the two-hour race, co-driver Phil Dryburgh was involved in a high-speed, three-car accident causing instant retirement. Subsequent inspection revealed the damage was so substantial that the Aston Martin Vantage has had to be “written off”.
Wylie, who is supported by SDA Packaging (Kent), claimed a second place in the corresponding race at Rockingham in Ross’s 2014 BGT GT4 championship winning year but last year was hit by his team-mate’s car on the opening lap forcing Ross in to retirement on the spot.
Ross Wylie (GB): Age 24. Born & Lives Thornhill nr Dumfries, Scotland:
“Brands Hatch was a bitter pill for us all to swallow at the season opener, the team had put together a great race car over the winter which was sadly written off in race one of the season. It was deemed a racing incident – the GT4 car quite simply didn’t see Phil trying to overtake which sadly ended in a dramatic accident. We were all relieved to see Phil step out of the car with minor injuries and it’s a real testament to Aston Martin Racing and Motorbase Performance for providing us with a safe race car.
“Practice had gone well at Brands although I was a little disappointed with my qualifying performance. It had taken me too long to get the tyre temperature up which caused me to miss the peak of the tyre’s performance. I will learn from this. Traditionally Rockingham hasn’t been the best circuit for the Aston on the BGT calendar. The track configuration doesn’t ideally suit the car but Phil and I will be aiming to put that right. The Aston is a competitive car and Motorbase are doing a sterling job for us, it’s just about piecing it all together.”