McLaren Drivers Assemble!

The driving squad for the #5 McLaren 720S GT3 were all on parade this morning at Yas Marina Circuit, Ben Barnicoat, Alvaro Parente and Shane van Gisbergen guided through the new car by team members including Joe Osborne who is here in support of the effort after taking part, with Barnicoat and fellow factory driver Rob Bell, in the development running thus far for the new car.

Bell is sitting out the Gulf 12 Hours with the best of excuses, he’s on home leave awaiting the imminent arrival of baby number 2, another future addition no doubt to the Bell family racing dynasty!

Creation Trio!

A brief tableau in the paddock this morning had the DSC Editor blinking and thinking it was 2007 all over again as Nic Minassian was spotted in conversation with Ian Bickerton, the pair once a close partnership at Creation Autosportif, the scene was completed as the unmistakable frame of fellow ex Creation man Ian Smith stopped by too, latterly with Rebellion Racing and now part of the McLaren development team on the 720S GT3.

GPX Racing Plans

Bickerton is here overseeing the GPX Racing effort, the team racing here for the first time with a Porsche 911 GT3-R.

The team will compete here and at the Dubai 24 Hours with a rented car before receiving not one but two brand new 2019 spec 911 GT3.Rs for as yet unannounced programmes that are designed to put the team on track towards a bid to race at the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2021 or 2022. The new cars are likely to be seen for the first time in Creventic competition, the Porsches replacing the team’s Renault RS01s in front-line service.

More on the BoP Process

Giacomo Piccini was selected as the baseline driver to assist the race organisers in developing a balance of performance for the very different GT3 field here. With the Audi, McLaren and Aston Martins not yet in homologation, and not yet either having been subjected to a formal BoP process the work was required during testing on Wednesday, to establish as level a playing field as possible.

The Audi emerged from the process with a smaller restrictor than their baseline, the McLaren with added weight and a torque reduction.

Walkinshaw Waits

Sean Walkinshaw is here after a last minute deal came together (apparently with a little help from DSC!) that sees him in one of the trio of Attempto Audis.

There’s still frustration at having missed out at the last round for the Super GT GT300 title with the 2019 plan currently to return for another shot, with what team though, and in what car, is yet to be finalised!

Dragon Racing, Prepping For Dubai

An additional quartet of GT cars emerged mid-afternoon, but neither the pair of Ferraris, nor the pair of AMG GT4s will race this weekend, work underway to prep at least some of the cars for service in the 24 Hours of Dubai next month, the quartet having done duty in the Gulf Sportscar Championship here last weekend.