200 MILE DASH PUTS LOTUS BACK IN FRONT

A combination of changing weather conditions and mechanical problems produced a challenging fourth round of the British GT Championship at Kent's Brands Hatch circuit for Maidenhead racing driver Leyton Clarke and his Swedish team mate Freddy Nordstrom in their factory supported Lotus Evora GT4.

Saturday's free practice and qualifying was hampered with a lack of fuel pressure, originally thought to be a poor electrical connection but latterly proving to be a faulty fuel pump. This facilitated an urgent phone call to a Lotus contact in Norfolk to get the factory opened and collect a new pump. A dash from Brands followed to a half way meeting point near Stanstead Airport to collect the new pump. Despite all efforts the pump was not back in time to be fitted before the final qualifying where the car just managed to limp round with each driver for the required three laps before finally expiring.

With the new pump fitted for the race on Sunday and starting from the very back of the twenty five car, multi million pound grid both Clarke and Nordstrom drove faultlessly throughout the two hour race to finish 14th overall and second in the GT4 category to maintain their second place overall in GT4. The next round is on July 9th at the Belgium Grand Prix circuit of Spa Francorchamps where the Lotus duo is hoping for an outright class win.

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