Michael Meadows And Jeremy Metcalfe Join CR Scuderia's British GT Campaign
CR Scuderia today announced the addition of two young single-seater racers to the squad. Michael Meadows will join James Sutton in Ferrari no.14 and
Jeremy Metcalfe will partner Luke Hines in Ferrari no.16. .....
..... Ferrari no. 16: Luke Hines and Jeremy Metcalfe
Luke Hines is to be joined by another young single-seater charger, and BRDC Rising Star, for the 2008 season. Jeremy Metcalfe joins the team fresh
from Formula Renault where he drove for AKA Cobra, the team that is now the CRS Formula Renault team.
“I’m thrilled to be racing with people that I already know,” said Jeremy. “I’m moving to a different side of motorsport
and it’s a very exciting prospect. I tested the car before Christmas and it was amazing. The team looks great and it’s fantastic to have
Luke (Hines) as my team-mate as I have known him for years. I used to race for his dad’s karting team; I was a Zipkart Young Gun! He’s a
really good driver and I think we’ll work well together.”
CRS Team Director, Andrew Kirkaldy, has known Jeremy for a number of years after running him in Formula Renault. “Jeremy’s drive at Oulton
Park in 2006 is still the best Formula Renault performance I have ever seen,” said Kirkaldy. “When things go his way he is unbeatable. The
team will do everything they can to help him to get to grips with the Ferrari quickly and as soon as that happens he will be very fast. I think he and
Luke will do a great job.”
Hampshire motor racing star Jeremy Metcalfe makes his competitive sportscar debut at Oulton Park International Circuit this coming weekend driving a
Ferrari 430 during the curtain-raiser to the 2008 Avon Tyres British GT Championship.
Officially unveiled as part of Bardon-based CR Scuderia at the British GT Championship Media Day a little under a fortnight ago, the 19-year-old from
Fleet, a former student at Loughborough University, cannot wait to make his endurance racing debut after a three-year tenure in the Formula Renault UK
series.
While the switch to sportscar racing does open an exciting new chapter in Jeremy’s race career, the British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC)
‘Rising Star’ is highly confident of adapting to the format quickly where he will share his GT3 Class No.16 Ferrari with experienced GT
runner Luke Hines.
An interesting aside here is that when racing karts during his formative years, Jeremy competed for Luke’s father Martin Hines in the
prestigious Zip Young Guns squad.
With qualifying and round one taking place on Saturday, 22nd March, competitors will enjoy a break on Easter Sunday before returning to the Cheshire
track on Easter Monday, 24th March, for the second one hour race of the weekend.
“I really am looking forward to next weekend, it’ll be fantastic to be back in action and I’m very excited about having the
opportunity to race the Ferrari”, said Jeremy, “There are a number of drivers out there with a lot of experience but I’m not daunted
by that. I have a great team-mate in Luke Hines and the whole CR Scuderia squad is superb.
“Even though I’ve only raced single-seaters since moving up from karting, I’m confident it shouldn’t take too long to adapt to
the endurance style of racing with the driver changes and pit-stops. I haven’t had much time in the car but I still believe Luke and I can mount
a serious challenge for race wins and championship honours. It should be a lot of fun.”
Practice ahead of the first two races of the 2008 Avon Tyres British GT Championship season is scheduled to take place at 09.00 this Saturday, 22nd
March, with qualifying commencing at approximately 12.50.
The first one hour endurance race will follow at 16.25 with the second encounter taking place on Easter Monday, 24th March, at around 13.10. There
will also be a warm-up session for the GT competitors at 09.15 on Easter Monday.
Extensive highlights of each Avon Tyres British GT Championship race meeting during 2008 will be screened on Channel 4 and Motors TV.
Oulton Park: Jeremy Metcalfe race one report
BGTC
Date 2008-03-22
GT DEBUTANT METCALFE IMPRESSES DURING OPENING ROUND
Avon Tyres British GT Championship rookie Jeremy Metcalfe made a superb impression during the opening round of the 2008 season at Oulton Park
International Circuit today, the 19-year-old all set for a podium finish on his category debut until an unfortunate gearbox problem arose during the
compulsory pit-stops.
In sunny yet bitterly cold conditions, the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC) 'Rising Star' qualified his CR Scuderia run Ferrari 430 GT3 in
fourth position with a time of 1m 41.284 seconds (95.68mph). This would become third on the grid though when the Team Trimite Brookspeed Viper was
excluded from qualifying after failing a ride-height check.
Handling the first rolling start of his racing career well, Fleet-based Jeremy maintained third position into the first corner after fending off the
advances of Oliver Morley in the Tech 9 Lamborghini Gallardo.
Before the end of lap one, the Safety Car emerged onto the track following an accident at Dentons involving the Team Modena Lamborghini. The re-start
came on lap five and with the top three all running in close quarters, a dream result certainly looked on the cards for Jeremy and team-mate Luke
Hines.
Following a problem for the race-leading CRS Ferrari shared by Michael Meadows and James Sutton, Jeremy moved into second place on lap six. Just two
laps later though, red flags were shown following a sickening crash on the run to Cascades involving the Team Modena Lamborghini Gallardo and the Rob
Austin entered Ginetta G50 GT4.
Re-started as a 30 minute race, Jeremy began in second position alongside the CRS Ferrari of Paddy Shovlin and Michael Cullen. Once again under
pressure from the Tech 9 Lamborghini, the Hampshire racer maintained excellent composure and proceeded to pull out a gap of three seconds over the
third placed car on the opening lap alone.
Setting his personal best race lap on the second tour, Jeremy then set the fastest lap of the race at that point with a time of 1m 43.061 seconds on
lap three. Shovlin went quicker on laps four and five before Jeremy hit back on lap six with a time of 1m 42.131 seconds, closing to within just six
10ths of a second of the Irishman.
Both of the front-running CRS Ferraris pitted at the end of lap seven for their compulsory stops and with a podium finish for the Metcalfe-Hines
partnership looking comfortably within reach, a gearbox problem meant the car couldn't rejoin the race. Delayed for over 20 seconds, Hines eventually
rejoined in 15th position and ended the race in 10th place.
"I really enjoyed the race today, the car was mint to drive and without the gearbox problem we'd have been in with a fantastic chance of a podium
finish", said Jeremy, "It's a shame but we proved we have the pace to challenge at the front and I'm very pleased with my own performance too. The
CR Scuderia guys prepare an amazing car.
"Qualifying went well although I'm confident I could have started on the front row if it wasn't for traffic on my last couple of laps. After I set
my best time I wasn't able to improve due to being held up a few times. It's unfortunate not to have scored points today but I've certainly enjoyed
my debut in British GT."
While Jeremy qualified for today's race, team-mate Hines handled qualifying duties during the round two session and his best time of 1m 41.393
seconds (95.58mph) placed the exquisite No.16 Ferrari in 12th position on the grid. The second encounter will take place on Easter Monday, 24th March,
at approximately 13.10.
Extensive highlights of the opening race meeting of the 2008 championship will receive their first screening on digital satellite and cable channel
Motors TV on Saturday, 5th April, at 18.00. Please check listings for information regarding subsequent re-runs.
-credit: jeremymetcalfe.com
1. Cullen/Shovlin CR Scuderia Ferrari 430 30min 31.307secs GT3
2. Wilcox/Burton VRS Motor Finance Ferrari 430 +0.287secs GT3
3. Simonsen/Lester Christians in Motorsport Ferrari 430 +0.518secs GT3
4. Ashburn/Williams Trackspeed Porsche 997 +1.319secs GT3
5. Clark/O'Neill Team RPM Dodge Viper +4.043secs GT3
6. Foster/Bryant Team RPM Dodge Viper +11.003secs GT3
7. Bamford/Griffin Chad Racing Ferrari 430 +11.485secs GT3
8. Bentwood/Alexander 22GTRacing Aston Martin DBRS9 +21.237secs GT3
9. Scott/Wilkins ABG Motorsport Dodge Viper +31.706secs GT3
10. Metcalfe/Hines CR Scuderia Ferrari 430 +1min 09.497secs GT3
These races will be shown on Saturday on Motors TV (Sky channel 413) at 6:00 pm. Also on Channel 4 tomorrow at 7:30 am.
Quote:
MOTORING: British GT
On: Motors TV (413)
Date: Saturday 5th April 2008
Time: 18:00 to 19:00 (1 hour long)
Rd 1 : Oulton Park.
From Silverstone to Brands Hatch and every circuit in between across the UK, the British GT championship brings it on with some of the top GT2
competition found anywhere in Europe.
James
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posted on 11-4-2008 at 05:55 PM
Jeremy racing at Knockhill in Scotland this weekend...
Quote:
Apr 7th, 2008
British GT heads north to Knockhill
After a storming start to the season with a victory at Oulton Park, the CR Scuderia team heads to Knockhill this week for rounds three and four of the
2008 Avon Tyres British GT Championship.
Tight and twisty Knockhill is hard work in a GT car and it is a track where local knowledge can really help lap times. CR Scuderia tested at Knockhill
straight after the Oulton Park rounds, with Andrew Kirkaldy on hand to share his knowledge of the Scottish track with the CRS British GT
drivers.....
.....CR Scuderia Ferrari no.16: Luke Hines & Jeremy Metcalfe
JEREMY METCALFE: "Knockhill is a very quick, exciting track. It's short in length but it has all types of corners and gradients so it keeps you
honest. I feel confident that Luke and I can seriously challenge for both wins at Knockhill. Luke has a good record there from touring cars, and I
have already driven it in a GT3 car. Although I didn't drive, the team has tested at Knockhill and it was a productive test so I’m looking
forward to the races. It’s a very different proposition in a GT car, compared to single-seaters. I was lucky enough to drive the guest car at
Knockhill in the Porsche Carrera Cup last year. It was a steep learning curve but, by the end of the weekend, I was right on the pace so hopefully
that bodes well for the British GT races.
"I’m really enjoying being part of the British GT Championship. It's such a different atmosphere to what I have experienced before. I like
being part of a larger team and CR Scuderia has, and is continuing to, help me adapt to the new surroundings. You work much closer with your engineers
in GTs than in what I have experienced before and this is great because it helps me understand the car and its behaviour more, enabling us to get the
maximum out of the car.....
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