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Top sports car ace Matt Griffin has confirmed he will drive an RPM Motorsport Porsche
in the final two rounds of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Thruxton circuit in
Hampshire next weekend. The Cork-born racer, who now lives in Cambridgeshire, has
been contesting the 2007 Avon Tyres British GT Championship with Peter Bamford,
who will also race at the Hampshire track on October 13/14.
“Peter and Robin (Mortimer) offered me a fantastic
opportunity to race next weekend and as it doesn’t clash with any other
commitments, is at my favourite track and is in one of the best cars in the
world, well I’d have been mad not to say yes, wouldn’t I?”
said Matt. “Seriously though, I’d like to say a big thank you to
them both for giving me the chance to sign off the British season in style.
The championship is great and I love the Porsche, so we’ll just have to
see what we can do come qualifying and the races.”
Griffin, the 2003 British GT Cup Champion will not have
opportunity to test the car prior to Saturday’s 30 minute qualifying
session though and admits it will be quite a challenge, not least switching
from the Avon tyres favoured in British GT’s to the Michelin-shod machine.
“It will be totally different running on Michelins; they’re around
four and a half seconds quicker than the Avons so that should be a challenge in
itself, and at the Thruxton track which is one of, if not the, most difficult
and challenging track in the country. It’s ultra-fast and sweeping and
really sorts the men out from the boys!”
For Matt there’s not only the new challenge presented
by the new car and new tyres, the two races on Sunday will also mark his first
races outside GT’s since 2003 and therefore will see him make his first
standing start since 2002. “My god I’m not sure I even remember
how to get off the line now, after the rolling starts we have in GT’s. I
might have to ring my good friend Richard Westbrook (2006 Carrera Cup Champion)
and ask him how to do it!”
Banbury-based RPM Motorsport clinched this year’s
British GT title with Bradley Ellis and Alex Mortimer in one of two Dodge
Vipers, ensuring Matt’s appearance next weekend is with one of the
leading team on the grid. “The RPM Motorsport team has proven itself this
year. I said at the start of the season that it had really grown over the last
two years and it started as one of the favourites for the title but that it was
a big undertaking for them. They proved from the start that they have the
engineering capability; they’ve done a remarkable job all season which
culminated in double victory and the title at Rockingham. I’ve always
been impressed with the way they operate; now hopefully I can repay them with a
victory or two next weekend.”
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