Black Bull GT3 eyes podiumposted in GT27 | 05 | 2016
BLACK BULL ECURIE ECOSSE returns to action for the latest round of the British GT Championship at Oulton Park this weekend targeting “at least a podium” with its McLaren 650S GT3.
The team, which completed a successful test at the Cheshire circuit last week, is determined to bounce back from the frustration it endured in the last round at Rockingham.
After starting on the front row of the grid, the McLaren 650S GT3 then suffered a series of intermittent electrical problems throughout the race before finishing seventh. The problem was later traced back to a faulty master switch.
“These problems are frustrating, but we’ve moved on from that,” team principal Hugh McCaig stated. “We’ve identified the problem, dealt with it, and head to Oulton hopeful of a top three finish.”
It’s a sentiment shared by the team’s drivers, Edinburgh’s Alasdair McCaig and McLaren works driver, Rob Bell from Newcastle.
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“We’re certainly targeting at least a podium,” McCaig, who won the last time he raced in British GT at Oulton in 2012, admitted. “So far this season we’ve been thwarted by various mechanical maladies, and the results don’t show the true pace of the car and drivers.
“We have to aim for the top three, as a minimum, at Oulton, but ideally we’d love to come away with a win.”
And Bell, like his fellow driver McCaig, acknowledges that traffic management in the two one-hour races — which will see around 30 GT cars battle for honours — will be crucial.
“Oulton is a brilliant track to drive: it’s fantastic,” Bell, who will be racing at the track for the first time since finishing fourth in a Formula Renault race in 2001, explained.
“But to race with another 30-odd GT cars will be tricky. It’s going to be hectic, with a lot of overtaking, so managing the traffic will be crucial.
“If we can stay out of trouble and avoid any gremlins, then I know we have the pace in the car to deliver the results. Hopefully it’ll all come together at Oulton.”
Alasdair McCaig — Black Bull Ecurie Ecosse McLaren 650S GT3 driver
“I like Oulton Park: it’s a great track. The circuit’s tight, so it’s going to be about managing the other GT cars and trying to stay out of each other’s way. It’s also a tough place to pass, because the track’s so narrow.
“Last time I raced there in the British GT Championship, back in 2012, I won the race with Olly Bryant, so I’m comfortable there.
“The Black Bull Ecurie Ecosse McLaren 650S GT3 is an agile and very nimble car, so it should be good. I think we’ve got a good chance.
“We’ve finished seventh in the opening two races, which is not what we’d planned, and to be honest the results have been pretty disappointing.
“We have to aim for a top three, as a minimum, at Oulton, but ideally we’d love to come away with a win.”
Rob Bell — Black Bull Ecurie Ecosse McLaren 650S GT3 driver
“The last time I raced there was probably 2001 in Formula Renault, and I think I finished fourth. And though I’ve tested a GT car at Oulton, I’ve never actually raced a GT there.
“If we can stay out of trouble and avoid any gremlins, then I know we have the pace in the car to deliver the results.
“Black Bull Ecurie Ecosse is still a new team to the car, and we’re still finding our feet. Are we due a change in fortune? Yes, I think we are.
“But I don’t believe in luck. We’ll get our results through all the hard work the guys have been doing behind the scenes. I know it’ll pay off, and hopefully we’ll see the results at Oulton Park.”
Euan Shand, CEO of sponsors, Black Bull Scotch Whisky:
“Following the performance by the team at Rockingham, we’re looking forward to this weekend. Last time we encountered some unpredictable problems, but the car and team showed they have the capabilities of securing a podium place. We’re fully prepared now to maximise our potential at Oulton Park, and wish the team all the best.”
Related: Gremlins hit Black Bull Ecurie Ecosse GT3
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Jim McGill