JRM Nissan takes the Tourist Trophy home in Silverstone thriller!
Photos: SRO Media
JRM Nissan claimed the Tourist Trophy with a thrilling victory in the Championship Race at Silverstone. Less than half a second separated the top three cars at the finish, with the No. 7 Young Driver Aston Martin and No. 11 Exim Bank Team China Corvette swarming over the back of the lead Nissan GT-R. Lucas Luhr held on the in the No. 23 GT-R however, earning him and team-mate Michael Krumm victory – and the prestigious Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy.
After a clean start, the race hinged around a crucial period at the halfway stage when a Safety Car period coincided with the opening of the pit lane. Richard Westbrook in the No. 22 JRM Nissan GT-R had been working his way through the field, but made contact with Stefan Mücke in the No. 8 Young Driver Aston Martin. As the pair recovered with damaged cars, Mücke chased Westbrook down and the pair made contact again, putting both cars into retirement.
Prior to the incident, which brought out the Safety Car, Luhr and Krumm was trailing in second place, behind the leading Young Driver Aston Martin of Enge and Müller, but they soon jumped into the lead during the pit stop window. Müller twice sought to find a way back through, passing Luhr on the restart and on the final lap, but on both occasions Luhr was able to reclaim the lead immediately, hanging on to take a hard-earned win.
Stef Dusseldorp and Clivio Piccione finished fourth for Hexis Aston Martin, ahead of Marc Basseng and Markus Winkelhock in the No. 38 All-Inkl Lamborghini – who now sit second in the overall standings, three points behind new leaders Luhr and Krumm. Bas Leinders and Marc Hennerici finished as the top Ford in the No. 40 Marc VDS GT, while both Belgian Racing cars finished inside the points.
26,000 spectators flocked to Silverstone to watch the Round 5 action, which saw Michael Krumm and Lucas Luhr claim a trio of accolades for JRM Nissan – victory in the Championship Race, the Tourist Trophy and the lead in the current Drivers’ Standings. Round 6 of the FIA GT1 World Championship will take place at Navarra in Spain on the 1 to 3 July 2011.
