ASTON MARTIN DRIVER GIDDINGS SETTING SIGHTS ON SEASON-BEST AS BRITISH GT TRAVELS TO SPA FOR TWO-HOUR SPECTACULAR
Four weeks since Jake Giddings departed Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit with a new GT4 lap record, the rapid Wisbech driver returns to competitive action this coming weekend at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium for the sixth round of the British GT Championship season.
Taking place on Saturday, 9th July, at the spectacular Formula One venue the two-hour contest could well provide the 21-year-old and his JWB Motorsport team-mate Kieran Griffin with their best opportunity this year of challenging for the GT4 class podium.
It’s certainly been a campaign of mixed fortunes up to now for the duo in 2016, the No.47 Aston Martin V8 Vantage having encountered a few mechanical difficulties which, added to some on-track dramas, have limited the points-scoring potential.
Last time out at Silverstone, though, Jake produced an absolutely inspired performance of the kind which helped the Cambridgeshire racer lift the GT4 crown in 2014. Circulating as the quickest of the ‘Pro’ drivers in qualifying, he went on to post a brand new GT4 lap record for the Grand Prix track in the race itself – earning him the Sunoco Fastest Lap of the Weekend award.
While the pace couldn’t be rewarded with a top result on that occasion, the performance proved Jake’s prowess and also the capability of the Aston Martin. Ahead of round six at Spa, the sole overseas event of the season, he is feeling confident of mounting a big push for a season-best result.
“Everyone always loves racing at Spa, it’s a mega track and a proper challenge for any driver – and you’ve got the added variable of the weather which can be pretty unpredictable”, he said, “It was fantastic to take the lap record at Silverstone, the car was working well and with some better luck we could well have been on for a podium.
“It’s not been the most straightforward year, but we know the pace is there and Kieran has been improving nicely. At Silverstone he really did show some big improvements, and he’d picked-up his pace during the previous round at Oulton, so everything is moving in the right direction.”
Going into this coming weekend’s event, the Irish TV, Finesse Paving and Civil Engineering, Cowley Road Garage and Toppesfield supported pairing hold sixth position in the Pro-Am standings and 16th in the overall GT4 championship. With a best result of seventh position in GT4 in round two at Rockingham, that result was also third in Pro-Am.
On Friday, 8th July, following the two usual free practice sessions qualifying at Spa is scheduled to get underway at around 15.20 (UK time). Round six of the British GT season is timetabled to begin at 11.35 (UK time) on Saturday, 9th July.
2016 British GT Championship GT4 Driver Standings (after Rd5):16th Jake Giddings & Kieran Griffin, 12pts
2016 British GT Championship GT4 Pro-Am Driver Standings (after Rd5):6th Jake Giddings & Kieran Griffin, 46.5pts
2016 British GT Championship GT4 Team Standings (after Rd5):12th JWB Motorsport, 12pts
