NANTWICH'S SILVER CUP TITLE CONTENDER WITT AIMING HIGH

3 Nov 2020 10:48
Published by: Scott Callan

Intelligent Money British GT Championship race winner Jordan Witt heads to Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit this coming weekend, 7th/8th November, for the grand finale of the 2020 season where he is determined to give his absolute all in his bid for the coveted Silver Cup title.

McLaren 720S GT3 racer Witt, from Nantwich in Cheshire, will arrive at the home of UK motorsport with confidence high after he and 2 Seas Motorsport team-mate Jack Mitchell took a memorable maiden outright British GT race victory last time out at a rain-hit Snetterton 300 Circuit in Norfolk.

As well as his first overall GT3 win in the country's premier endurance racing championship, and second Silver Cup class success of 2020, the result in round seven was also a historic one for the Anglo-Bahraini 2 Seas Motorsport squad - the team's maiden win in its debut season of race action.

After such a spectacular showing in the first of Snetterton's two one-hour encounters, Witt and Mitchell had to settle for fifth in the Silver Cup and eighth overall in the second contest. However, the points scored were vital in keeping the duo's class championship bid alive.

It's certainly going to be a major task to overturn the points lead held by current Silver Cup leaders Sam De Haan and Patrick Kujala, the Mercedes-AMG pairing hold an advantage of 31.5 points ahead of the ‘Silverstone 500', but Witt is undaunted by the task and absolutely raring to go.

Round nine, which will be contested on Sunday afternoon, is to be the longest race of the season at three hours in duration. Ordinarily anything can happen in British GT, but with a 180-minute race in store it would be foolish to write-off Witt and Mitchell's chances.

"I can't wait for the weekend, we've had an awesome season so far and to still have a chance of winning the Silver Cup going in to Silverstone is mega", said Witt, "It won't be easy to overturn the points deficit, but while there's a chance we'll be giving absolutely everything to make it a reality.

"So much can happen in a three-hour race, the consistency and reliability needs to be there and we've got to be ready to seize any opportunities - especially making the most of things like Safety Cars and the pit-stops. Snetterton was incredible, to take my first ever British GT win and the first for 2 Seas Motorsport was very special. I want to be back on that podium on Sunday."

It truly has been a wonderful season back on UK soil for Witt. Originally set to race in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup, where he won the Silver Cup class at the Total 24 Hours of Spa in 2019, when the COVID-19 pandemic enveloped the world Witt's plans had to change.

With nothing in the way of pre-season testing in the No.10 McLaren 720S GT3, he starred during the first qualifying session of the British GT season at Oulton Park at the beginning of August and only missed the outright pole position by the smallest possible margin, just 0.001 seconds.

Taking a Silver Cup podium in race two, a brilliant response to a luckless round one penalty which cost an all-but guaranteed overall victory, the first visit to Donington Park delivered another Silver podium in round three and then a maiden class win, and Witt's first outright podium, in round four.

At Brands Hatch, a strong bid for the rostrum was ultimately frustrated so Witt and Mitchell finished fifth in class. On the return to Donington they secured a fourth Silver podium of 2020, before the star weekend at Snetterton at the beginning of October.

"There are so many people to thank for the mega season we've had", said the Cheshire driver, "I have to say a massive thank you to my sponsors Vibe Audio and Yelir World for getting me on the grid and also to the 2 Seas guys. The team has been absolutely first class all season. To come into such a strong championship as a brand new entrant and be so competitive, it's been awesome."

Free practice at Silverstone will get underway at 09.00 on Saturday, 7th November, with a second session following at 11.25 ahead of qualifying at 15.00. On Sunday, 8th November, warm-up will commence at 09.50 with the three-hour season finale beginning at 12.50.

 

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