TINCKNELL EXTENDS CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD WITH NINTH ELMS CAREER ROSTRUM FINISH
Harry Tincknell extended his lead in the European Le Mans Series when the Briton along with co-drivers Simon Dolan and Giedo van der Garde placed second in the 4 Hours of Imola today (15 May). Harry's result marked his ninth ELMS podium from 12 race starts since April 2014. The JOTA Sport operated G-Drive Racing Gibson 015S-Nissan LMP2 class sports car of Tincknell/Dolan/van der Garde started from fifth on the 41-car grid and ultimately took the chequered flag 19.257-secs behind the winning car after four hours of intense racing around the historic 3.04-mile Italian track. The trio's second consecutive ELMS rostrum race finish of 2016 earns them a 13-points lead heading to the next race at the Red Bull Ring in Austria on 17 July.
Dolan, having dropped to seventh after a small off 20mins into the race, pitted after a double-stint to Tincknell placed sixth after 90mins Harry fifth after all of the scheduled pit-stops 85secs behind the leader. Harry was up to fourth at mid-distance, stopping for a fuel splash under Full Course Yellow conditions on the verge of challenging for third place. With 90mins to run, the flying Tincknell was second just 15secs off the lead as his rivals made their scheduled pit-stops. Harry stopped under FCY to hand the car to Giedo van der Garde on 80mins shortly before it began to rain and the Dutchman pitted for wet tyres under FCY. A safety car was deployed with 26mins remaining, the track treacherously wet, with the race not re-starting.
Harry says: "To extend our championship lead by finishing second in a race that we couldn't quite match the pace in compared to our rivals, is very pleasing. All three drivers and the team extracted the most out of the Gibson over the weekend. It's tough racing against the latest Coupés now. My stint went well but was cut short when our strategy had to be changed due to the Full Course Yellows. The team actually did an excellent job with changing the strategy at very, very short notice. It's a case now of looking forward to the Red Bull Ring and aiming to repeat the win we achieved there last year."
