Jordan Collard celebrated a dominant weekend at Snetterton (4/5 October) in the Intelligent Money British GT Championship in his HHC Motorsport McLaren 570s. The GT4 class driver topped the timing boards in both free practice sessions on Saturday, qualified on pole position by over 1.1 seconds, finishing 2nd in race 1 and storming to a commanding win in race 2 on Sunday.
The double-header format at Snetterton offered teams two one-hour races and both of the HHC Motorsport McLaren 570S GT4 cars were competitive in qualifying on a damp and cold circuit. With Jordan on pole the team's sister car lined up alongside as the second fastest qualifier.
On a wet road, the race started behind the safety car allowing drivers a chance to become familiar with the track conditions but when the green flags flew to release the cars, Jordan quickly established himself at the head of the pack, chased by the brace of TF Sport Aston Martin Vantage GT4s. Jordan built a class lead, but things were to change at the pit stops as the Collard/ Matthiesen car needed to serve a further 10 seconds as a result of its win last time out at Donington Park.
That dropped the car behind the Aston Martin of Jamie Caroline/Dan Vaughan, which headed to a class win, but Patrik kept the McLaren in contention to take second place.
In race 2 Jordan took to the wheel in the second stint, following team-mate Patrik Matthiesen who handed over in third place. Jordan was on a mission: he set the fastest lap of the race as he charged past O’Brien’s Aston and then battled past Vaughan to take a second class win of the season.
“I’m over the moon with that,” said Jordan after his win. “The boys at HHC gave us a car that was on rails today and although it made me look like a hero, it was all down to them! It was a good day at the office today.”
Team Principal Charlie Kemp said: “That win for Jordan and Patrik was a great result because it means we are just two-and-a-half points off the class lead with one round to go! It was a great drive because track conditions were really tricky and yet the guys coped really well. The McLarens were flying, as we saw with Jordan setting the fastest lap near the end, so we are confident of taking the fight to the Aston Martins at Silverstone. Chris was very unlucky in the sister car as he came across GT3 Bentley trying to regain positions at a tight section of the circuit and the damage was enough to cost us a chunk of time. That said, he and Gus got on with the job and never stopped trying as they went after a points-salvage operation. I am really proud of both of them.”
Jordan Collard/Patrik Matthiesen head to Silverstone just 2.5 points off the GT4 class lead with a three-hour race at Silverstone on November 8 still to run. The Intelligent Money British GT Championship showdown can be seen live on the British GT website or on the GT World YouTube channel.
