On the Friday test day it became apparent that the Ford GT, which was a brand new car not previously tested, would have more than its fair share of teething problems. Unfortunately that meant that neither Morris nor Ellis could get any significant time at the wheel without returning to the pits to rectify electronic issues, intermittent power steering, a gearbox assembly error, no ABS, no pit lane speed limiter and no pits-to-car radio. However, Ellis’ excellent technical feedback and data analysis helped to swiftly identify the gremlins, which the Matech team did well to rectify, but left the pair with a maximum of five laps on track.

A drizzly, damp day on Saturday greeted the first qualifying session which was really Morris’ first practice run in the Ford GT, resulting in a grid slot of 25th. Ellis managed 12th in the second session for Sunday’s round two, but his time would have been good enough to take pole in session one.

Morris made a good start from the 13th row for round one, which actually played in his favour as he avoided the opening lap melee that included an accident and at least two spinning cars. Morris maximised on the opportunity to surge forward and took 10 places by the time he passed the pits. With the Ford GT running well, Morris continued to press on and took a further two places by the end of lap two.

Morris made sensible and steady progress in the ensuing laps. Despite struggling with understeer, the 19-year-old eased the car up to 11th position before pitting at the 30-minute marker to hand over to Ellis.

Despite a swift driver change, a problem fastening Ellis’ belts lost at least 10 seconds and, instead of rejoining on the cusp of the top ten, Ellis took up the mantle in 17th. The reigning British GT Champion immediately got to grips with making up for lost time by taking places on his out lap.

Ten minutes or so into his stint, Ellis had regained sufficient ground to lie 15th and was taking 14th when the car in front spun directly into the Croydon racer’s path. Although Ellis lost valuable seconds to the cars ahead, he emerged two places better off in 13th. The recently accepted BRDC member fought his way through the spread out field to take two further places.

With ten minutes remaining, Ellis was up to 11th and making the most of a clear track to post his quickest lap times, placing him just 10 tenths of a second adrift of leader Thomas Mutsch (GBR). Lapping at a relentless pace, Ellis made good ground to close to within a few seconds of Richard Williams (GBR) in the Porsche but the chequered flag fell far too soon for Ellis to make an impression. However, 11th from 25th on the grid remained a respectable result.

Round two on Sunday kicked off with cloudy conditions and a damp track but that didn’t stop Ellis from making a good start from 12th and taking one place exiting Becketts. However, at the end of lap one the safety car came out holding the field for two laps. Ellis maximised on his position at the restart to take Tom Ferrier (GBR) in the Lamborghini at Stowe for 10th place and Ben Clucas’ (GBR) Jaguar around the outside at Maggotts for ninth the following lap.

Ellis soon latched on to the back of Jonathan Lang (GBR) but although the Ascari was slow into the corners it was able to pull away quicker than the Ford GT, loosing Ellis up to two seconds per lap as a result. The 20-year-old finally found a way past and, with a car higher up the field taking to the pits, Ellis was up to seventh.

Once clear of the Ascari, Ellis was able to post some much-improved lap times but the time lost meant that the leading pack had pulled away. Although Ellis made an impression on the group, it was time to pit and handover to Morris two laps later.

Lacking a pit lane speed restrictor, the duo had to err on the side of caution consequently loosing valuable seconds to the Ascari and Morris rejoined the fray in 11th. Holding ninth once the pit stops were complete, Morris steadily picked off eighth and seventh placed cars. While pushing to catch Jean-Claude Lagniez (FRA) 25-seconds up the track, Morris also had to contend with Nicki Cadei (ITA) filling his mirrors.

Regardless, Morris sliced five seconds a lap out of Lagniez’s Aston Martin to command a challenging position four laps later. But as Morris lined up to pass, Cadei managed to take both Morris and Lagniez. Not prepared to settle for eighth, Morris managed to pass Lagniez on the final lap but the Ferrari was already too far ahead to contemplate any further manoeuvres. Morris took the chequered flag and bagged valuable championship points in the process.

Ellis commented: “It was great to be back out on the race track again but this weekend was quite a challenge. It’s remarkable that we managed to walk away from Silverstone with some championship points as to be honest on Friday that just wasn’t looking possible. If we hadn’t experienced the problems in practice and had to race without ABS and power steering, then I am sure we would have two points-paying finishes in the bag. But at the end of the day we salvaged something out of nothing and those championship points might come in handy towards the end of the season. I’d like to thank Lifestyle Europe, ATS and Stanox for supporting me at this round.”

FIA GT3 European Championship – Provisional Results
Round One, Silverstone, UK
1          Khan/Mutsch                  Ford GT                                     1:00:05.149
2          Forsten/Loix                   Porsche 997 GT3                               +2.441
3          Giraudi/Zani                   Aston Martin DBRS9                           +17.257
4          Cadei/Balbiani                Ferrari F430 GT3                                 +20.451
5          Quaife/Hall                    Jaguar XKR                                          +21.906
6          Fabris/Ferrier                Lamborghini Gallardo GT3                   +24.025
7          Peyroles/Ruffier            Corvette Z06R GT3                             +24.306
8          Vannelet/Lunardi           Dodge Viper Competition Coupe         +25.582
9          Rich/Thompson             Ascari KZ1R GT3                                +29.542
10        Ashburn/Williams          Porsche 997 GT3                                +36.135
11        Morris/Ellis                     Ford GT                                               +38.422

FIA GT3 European Championship – Provisional Results
Round Two, Silverstone, UK
1          Mutsch/Khan                  Ford GT                                     1:00:14.797
2          Ruffier/Peyroles             Corvette Z06R GT3                               +1.887
3          Loix/Forsten                   Porsche 997 GT3                                  +10.347
4          Scheier/Lesoudier          Morgan Aero 8 GT3                              +14.333
5          Lunardi/Vannelet            Dodge Viper Competition Coupe           +14.587
6          Balbiani/Cadei                Ferrari F430 GT3                                    +42.375
7          Ellis/Morris                     Ford GT                                                   +45.464
8          Rambeaud/Misslin          Ferrari F430 GT3                                    +49.049
9          Makowiecki/Lagniez       Aston Martin DBRS9                              +49.634
10        Lemeret/Greenhalgh       Ascari KZ1R GT3                                  +54.007

For further results and further information on the FIA GT3 European Championship, visit www.fiagt3.com

The 20-year-old was elected for membership following his astonishing 2007 efforts to seal the Avon Tyres British GT Championship crown in his debut GT3 season. “I am delighted to have been invited to become a full member of the BRDC,” said Ellis. “I have always wanted to be a member since I started my racing career, so it is a great honour and a privilege. The BRDC is the foundation for British motorsport and I look forward to upholding the Club’s values.”

With an impressive race CV, Ellis is a former British kart champion, who competed in the BRDC Stars of Tomorrow kart championship, and a European karting race winner.  Ellis launched his single seater career in 2004 in the Formula Renault Italia championship but returned to the UK to race in Formula Renault in 2005.

It was, however, a move to the Avon Tyres British GT Championship in 2006 that saw Ellis flourish. Competing in the GTC class, he immediately impressed with three wins and several podium finishes securing third in the championship.

The natural graduation to GT3 in 2007 was a recipe for success. Again racing in partnership with fellow BRDC member Alex Mortimer, equipped with the Team RPM Dodge Viper Competition Coupe, the pairing proved explosive. Although they had to fight hand over fist for every point last year, the dynamic duo clinched the spoils at the final round, with four wins, two second and two third-place finishes.

During 2007, Ellis also stunned the opposition on his FIA GT3 European debut at Monza, Italy, where he scored a sensational second, earning a place on the podium.

Founded in 1928, the BRDC has grown to become the most prestigious racing club in the world and membership currently totals over 850. The entry criteria to the Club is very strict with full membership only offered to drivers who have attained international success over a number of seasons.

Ellis joins some of the most prestigious motor racing names in history on the BRDC roll of honour and he will now proudly display the BRDC badge on his helmet and race suit. As the Avon Tyres British GT Champion, Ellis is in the enviable position of considering a number of high profile options for the coming season.

Ellis will be attending the exclusive press day on Thursday 10 January and the trade day on Friday 11 January. Throughout his two-day trip, the 20-year-old will be visiting the new Karting Show at Autosport International. As a former British kart champion, Ellis is joining the plethora of established motorsport stars who will be hoping to help more people get interested in starting karting.

On Friday 11 January, Ellis will join over 70 top motorsport celebrities in the bid to help David Brabham’s Racing 4 Charity organisation raise £50,000 in the Autosport International BP Ultimate 102 Unleaded Charity Kart Challenge.

The battle of the motorsport formulas will recommence in what will be the biggest ever Racing 4 Charity event. Virtually every major motorsport formula will be represented in the 22 teams competing including drivers from ALMS, DTM, WTCC, BTCC, British and FIA GT, British F3, WRC, Formula Renault and karting.
 
Ellis will be in excellent company, racing alongside some of the best names in the business, including David Brabham, Johnny Herbert, Allan McNish, Gary Paffett, Darren Turner, Gil de Ferran, Emanuele Pirro, Oliver Jarvis, Adam Carroll and Matthew Wilson, to name just a few. Even Louise Goodman and Ted Kravitz from ITV F1 will be taking part.

Remarkably, members of the public have the exclusive chance to be a part of this star-studded event for just £300 per driver, simply contact bill@racing4charity.com or call 07712 578263. The fun starts at 1.30pm on the Karting 4 U track in Hall 4, where a 30-minute qualifying session will precede the extended one and a half hour race, which starts at 3.15pm.

Hosted by the voice of the BTCC and talkSPORT Alan Hyde, the Karting Show Karting Stage will welcome Ellis to share his season’s experiences on the way to the British GT Championship spoils, as well as some top tips for newcomers to the sport.

Ellis commented: “The Autosport International show really is the official start to the new motorsport season and I do my best to go every year, ever since I was a karter. I’m really looking forward to helping raise over £50,000 in the Racing 4 Charity kart race and I am privileged to have the opportunity to put my driving skills to use for a number of worthy charities. It will be great to see my fellow drivers and friends after the winter break and, of course, to share my plans for the 2008 season with Autosport International visitors.”

Ellis’ participation in the Racing 4 Charity event follows another fundraising effort by the British GT Champion on Sunday 25 November. Ellis went back to his karting roots to take part in Johnny Herbert’s annual charity karting challenge, which raised between £15,000 and £20,000 for the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance. Forming Team Rescue Racers, Ellis was joined by Terry Grant, Rick Parfitt, Robin Liddell and Alex Albon at The Raceway, Kingscross.

Autosport International opens to the public on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 January, filling 10 halls of the NEC, Birmingham, to form the world’s biggest motorsport show. Avoid the queues and book online at www.autosport-international.com or by phoning the ticket hotline on 0870 040 0396. Tickets are £28.00 per adult including entry to the 55-minute adrenaline-pumping Live Action Arena; children’s (5 – 15 years) tickets are £18.50.

The eventual winners of the three-hour endurance race was Pache London, three-seconds behind in second place were Team Arbuthnot Private Bank, followed six-seconds later by Fiona’s Flyers. Team Rescue Racers finished tenth.

 

The winner of the Autosport British Club Driver of the Year award will be decided purely by Autosport magazine readers, so Ellis needs your support to be in with a chance of clinching this coveted award. The likely candidates were revealed in Autosport, the world’s best-selling motorsport weekly, on Thursday 18 October. If you have a copy of the magazine, you need to fill out and post the entry form on page 70. But hurry, because entries close for judging on Friday 9 November.

Since its creation in 1982, the roll of honour for the Autosport British Club Driver of the Year includes British Formula One sensation Lewis Hamilton, double World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx, not to mention the likes of Allan McNish and David Coulthard, to name but a few of Britain’s racing elite.

Ellis, aged just 20-years, and Mortimer took the Team RPM Viper to clinch the Avon Tyres British GT3 crown in a championship fight that went down to the wire and the final rounds at Rockingham. In his rookie GT3 year, Ellis helped take the Viper to four race wins, two second-place podiums and two third-place podiums en route to glory.

Ellis commented: “It is an honour to be put forward as a likely candidate for the Autosport British Club Driver of the Year award, especially when you look at the calibre of the previous winners. It really puts the icing on the cake after such an unbelievable roller-coaster year. Now all I need is for everyone to complete their voting forms to be in with a chance of winning against some tough opposition.”

If you have shared the ups and downs of Ellis’ season and rejoiced in his victory, then make sure you vote using the form on page 70 in your copy of Autosport magazine, dated Thursday 18 October.

The Team RPM pairing clinched the Avon Tyres British GT Championship in sensational style in a thrilling end of season battle at Rockingham on 30 September. After just two weeks for their achievements to sink in, Ellis and Mortimer were proud to be awarded with the stunning championship silverware by Avon Tyres Marketing Communication Manager, Sarah McRoberts.

Ellis and Mortimer joined the GT3 category in the Avon Tyres British GT Championship as rookies this season, after graduating from the GTC class where they clinched third in 2006. The youngest pairing on the GT3 grid, 20-year-old Ellis and 22-year-old Mortimer took the coveted championship spoils with four race wins, two second-place finishes and two-third places.

After a challenging season en route to the championship crown, the dynamic duo are now exploring opportunities for the 2008 season, so watch this space.

Champion Bradley Ellis – Bradley Ellis on his way to collect his championship silverware.

Avon Tyres British GT Champions – Bradley Ellis (left) and Alex Mortimer (right) proudly collect their championship silverware from Sarah McRoberts, Avon Tyres Marketing Communications Manager, at the awards ceremony at the Victoria Park Plaza Hotel, London.

The champagne flowed freely in the Team RPM pit after what has been a challenging season en route to the spoils in the pairing’s first year in GT3. As the final race weekend dawned, lying third in the standings, Ellis and Mortimer faced the hefty task of making up for a disastrous round 12 at Croft and the eight-point deficit to championship leaders Guy Harrington and Ben de Zille Butler, with 20 points up for grabs.

The nail biting weekend kicked off with a close first qualifying session where Mortimer yo-yoed for pole position with Jason Templeman. Mortimer topped the timesheets on more than one occasion and eventually took third 0.517 seconds behind pole-sitter Templeman in the Lamborghini. Ellis’ session started with a little less optimism when he had to pit after just a few laps to take on more fuel, thereby missing the optimum timeframe to set a flying lap, finally settling for seventh.

A solid start by Mortimer for round 13 on Saturday afternoon secured second place by turn one, slotting in behind Templeman with Matt Harris in the Tech 9 Porsche in third. Mortimer stayed within five tenths of the Lamborghini throughout the opening laps, with Harris remaining in close contention, but Mortimer made a move on Templeman down the inside of Tarzan Corner on lap six to take the lead.

Out in front, Mortimer built over a one second margin before the safety car came out on lap eight, closing up the field. When racing resumed on lap 10, Mortimer nailed the restart to pull out a two-second lead by lap 13, with the Lamborghini staying in contention.

Mortimer made for the pits on lap 21 to hand over to Ellis but the lack of a speed lane restrictor on the Viper meant that the Team RPM duo lost out to the Tech 9 Porsche and Tom Ferrier rejoined the race in the lead just ahead of Ellis.

With 22 minutes to go, Ellis was just over one-second behind Ferrier as the leaders began to scythe their way through the back markers. By lap 26, Ellis began to close on the Porsche under breaking for Tarzan and continued to pressurise for the following six laps. As the leading pair crossed the line to start lap 34, Ellis looked threatening into turn one and expertly positioned his Viper to take the lead up the inside of Ferrier at Deene Corner.

Ellis edged away from the Porsche to pull out a comfortable three second lead before taking the chequered flag on lap 41 to seal the Team RPM duo’s third win of the season and ten valuable points.

The Aston Martin of Paul Drayson and Jonny Cocker finished fourth, pushing them to the top of the leader table, with Harrington and de Zille Butler failing to score any points. But Ellis and Mortimer’s outstanding efforts promoted them to second with just two points separating first and second place in the championship fight.

With the withdrawal of the Lamborghini with gearbox problems, Ellis started the final round of the season on Sunday in sixth but, with Thomas Erdos slow away in the Ascari, Ellis dropped to seventh. Quickly recovering, Ellis took the Team RPM Porsche on lap two, to regain sixth behind Erdos.

The safety car came out at the beginning of lap four but racing resumed on lap six with Ellis just five tenths from the Ascari’s rear bumper. Ellis continued to push Erdos and made his move at Deene Corner on lap 10 and by the time the cars crossed the line to start lap 11, Ellis had pulled some eight tenths clear.

Next in the Croydon racer’s sights was the number seven RPM Viper over one second up the track, but Ellis caught and passed his teammate on lap 12, again at Deene, to secure fourth. The tension soured as the current championship-leading Aston of Cocker was now just two and a half seconds ahead of Ellis in third.

In a meticulous drive, Ellis chipped away at the Aston’s advantage and the pair began to pass the backmarkers while closing on Adam Wilcox in the number 12 Ferrari. Ellis edged ever closer and by lap 19 the Aston’s margin was slashed to one second while Allan Simonsen was some 18 seconds ahead in the Ferrari before pitting on lap 24.

Refusing to let up, Ellis maintained the gap to third before Wilcox, Cocker and Ellis all filed into the pits on lap 25. Slick stops by all three teams saw Phil Burton, Paul Drayson and Mortimer rejoin the race in order.

Drama struck on lap 27 when Drayson missed Deene Corner and went off onto the oval circuit, promoting Mortimer to third and igniting the championship battle. With Drayson out of sight, Mortimer pressurised Burton and on lap 28 slipped past the Ferrari for second through Gracelands. By now, Hector Lester’s Ferrari had pulled out over a six second lead but Mortimer still had more to give and, with the absence of a car-to-pits radio, just kept on pushing.

Sensing a double victory and the championship crown, Mortimer sliced the gap by over four seconds within three laps. The Viper started lap 34 just three tenths adrift and glued to the Ferrari’s bumper, finally sweeping into the lead through Gracelands. With ten minutes to go, Mortimer kept his cool to pull clear of Lester, who was taken on lap 38 by Nick Foster in the sister RPM Viper.

As Mortimer came out of Brook, the Team RPM personnel were waiting on the pitwall to celebrate their maiden British GT Championship crown. Mortimer took the final chequered flag of the season two seconds clear and, with Foster following him home, Team RPM also celebrated their first one-two of the season.

The RPM young guns sealed the Avon Tyres British GT3 crown with four wins, two second-place finishes and two thirds, finishing on 81 points and six points ahead of Drayson and Cocker.

Their second double victory hailed their first wins since they did it the first time round at Brands Hatch in July. Ellis’ home event was the turning point of the season and launched the pair from fifth to lead the championship and in reach of the title.

After the team’s tears had dried and the champagne sprayed, Ellis commented: “To seal the British GT3 crown in our maiden season after finishing third in the GTC class last year is sensational. The car was perfect and so were the team.

“I can’t express enough thanks to everyone at Team RPM, Robin and Bridget Mortimer, all of the mechanics, my mum, dad and sister, Tiffany, not to mention my fantastic teammate, Alex. It wasn’t an easy weekend, but we knew what we had to do when we got here and we did it.”

An elated Robin Mortimer, Team RPM principal, said: “A quite unbelievable weekend. When we came here we all feared that it might be too big a mountain to climb but, due to the dogged determination of all the team’s drivers and mechanics, we proved that the impossible is achievable. A huge amount of credit must go to the hard working mechanics, who travelled straight from Czechoslovakia to Rockingham after the penultimate round of the FIA European GT3 Championship. I feel hugely proud of being a small part in such a successful racing team and as a small reward for a perfect season’s racing we look forward to Brad joining us in Dubai, as a present from the team, for the final round of the FIA European GT3 Championship.”

For full race results visit www.msttiming.com and for further information on the 2007 Avon Tyres British GT Championship visit www.britishgt.com

As the lights turned green for round 11, Mortimer made a good start from sixth to finish lap one in fourth, just over one second behind the sister Viper of Nigel Redwood. Mortimer pushed to within just over half a second of Redwood in the opening laps while David Jones in the Ascari was bearing down from fifth.

Jones managed to slip past Mortimer on the run up to Hawthorn on lap six but the 22-year-old stayed in contention and got the margin down to six tenths in the following laps. Jones quickly reeled in and subsequently took Redwood 15 minutes into the race, allowing Mortimer to follow suit and take fourth the following lap.

Pulling clear of his teammate, Mortimer was left chasing Jones, who was now nearly four seconds ahead in third by lap 13. Mortimer managed to reduce Jones’ advantage to three seconds before pitting just before the halfway mark.

With the pitstop melee complete, Ellis emerged third, eight seconds behind Godfrey Jones now driving the second-placed Ascari, with the number three Aston Martin still in the lead. On a charge from fourth was the Christians in Motorsport Ferrari and Allan Simonsen soon began to pressure Ellis. The 20-year-old held his nerve to stave off Simonsen’s advances for a good few laps before the Ferrari took third at the final corner with 20 minutes remaining. But three laps later the Ascari went off the circuit, demoting Jones from second to fourth and Ellis to third in the process.

As Simonsen took the Aston for the lead with less than 10 minutes to go, Ellis faced a massive 10 second gap to second-placed Ben de Zille Butler while Jones was on a recovering charge from fourth. Ellis didn’t let up his pace and, managing to keep the pressurising Ascari behind him in the remaining six laps, succeeded in slashing the margin to just over three seconds before taking the chequered flag.

Despite Ellis’ efforts to take the final podium position, an 11 second penalty for defending his position on exiting the pits demoted the Team RPM duo to fourth. As Sunday’s race dawned, the Avon Tyres British GT Championship fight was perilously close with one point between leaders Paul Drayson and Jonny Cocker on 62 points, with Ellis and Mortimer sharing second place alongside Guy Harrington and Ben de Zille Butler.

A lightening start from fourth for round 12 saw Ellis immediately set about Cocker at the first corner and the pair ran side-by-side through Hawthorne before Ellis took the position at the chicane. It took just the length of the back straight to line up Wilcox before taking the place at Tower, to finish lap one in second.

Ellis comfortably pulled away from Wilcox while Simonsen was over six seconds ahead in the leading Ferrari before the safety car was brought out on lap six, closing up the field. Racing resumed when the safety car went in on lap nine and Ellis again pulled clear of Wilcox.

With Simonsen pulling out a six second gap, Ellis stood over four seconds clear of Wilcox before pitting with 30 minutes to go. Once Mortimer was at the wheel, it was evident that the RPM duo had lost valuable time, mainly due to the Viper not being fitted with a speed lane restrictor.

Lying fifth after the pitstop shuffles, Mortimer formed part of a four-car train fighting for third place and was chasing the much slower car of Phil Burton, who had taken over from Wilcox. Despite posting consistently quicker lap times, Mortimer had to wait until the 50 minute marker to make his move cleanly at the Hairpin on lap 32.

Burton, however, did not relinquish the place easily. As the pair crossed the line to start lap 33, Mortimer stayed on the inside line for Clervaux while Wilcox swerved and, with wheels on the grass, tried to outbrake Mortimer. The Ferrari hit the rear of the Viper entering Clervaux, putting Mortimer in the gravel and out of the race. With a tyre completely off of the rim and extensive damage to the wishbones, dampers and driveshaft, it was impossible for the Viper to continue but Burton rejoined the fray.

The unnecessary incident stopped Ellis and Mortimer from scoring any championship points and wiped the pair from their second place standing in the championship, dropping them to third. “It’s pretty difficult to put a positive slant on this weekend, because it’s been a disaster,” commented Ellis.

“We’ve been quicker than the Aston Martins all weekend and, despite suffering from similar problems at this circuit, we came out on top in terms of driving performance. It’s a shame to have been taken out of Sunday’s race, especially by a non-championship fighting car. Now all we can do is our best at Rockingham and fight for the 20 points available.”

For full race results visit www.msttiming.com and for further information on the 2007 Avon Tyres British GT Championship visit www.britishgt.com

With the sun beating down, Ellis started the weekend in style by clinching his maiden British GT3 pole for round nine at the challenging Hampshire track on Saturday while Mortimer secured fourth on the grid ready for round 10 on Sunday.

Ellis kept the pack tight and nailed it at the start to launch into the lead but was challenged by Barrie Whight in the Cadena Motorsport Aston Martin entering the Complex. It was, however, Nigel Redwood’s sister Team RPM Viper that finished lap one in second behind Ellis.

The 20-year-old began to pull out a steady lead and by lap 11 was six seconds ahead of Redwood. In the still sweltering heat, Ellis executed a smooth stint and continued to extend his lead without incident or challenge before pitting at the 30-minute marker.

A slick pitstop and Mortimer rejoined in the lead, with Guy Harrington in the number 3 Aston Martin in second and the number 1 Aston of Jonny Cocker in close pursuit in third. Cocker passed Harrington and began to reel in the Team RPM Viper.

Mortimer could do little to stave off Cocker’s advances and the Aston Martin glanced past and into the lead through Goodwood on lap 33. Cocker took off at an astonishing pace, leaving Mortimer little choice but to consolidate his position and Cocker finished over 30 seconds clear. With the Barwell Aston taking 10 points for the win, the championship fight was blown wide open once again, with Ellis and Mortimer sharing the lead on 50 points with Paul Drayson and Jonny Cocker. 

Hot again for round 10 on Sunday and a good start saw Mortimer secure his starting position of fourth by the end of lap one, nine tenths off third-placed Adam Wilcox in the Ferrari. With Cocker’s Aston Martin and Allan Simonsen’s Ferrari out in front, Mortimer focussed his efforts on Wilcox and barely allowed for more than seven tenths of breathing space for the first 10 laps.

Despite pressing Wilcox, Mortimer had the number 2 Aston of Michael Bentwood in his mirrors and the trio consistently stayed on a level pegging until the leaders began to catch and pass the backmarkers on lap 12. The gap continued to vary by mere tenths lap after lap and as they approached the pitstop window on lap 18 just five tenths separated Wilcox and Mortimer, with Bentwood four tenths behind in fifth.

Mortimer and Wilcox simultaneously dived into the pits on lap 20 but Team RPM got Ellis out on track first due to the VRS Motor Finance Ferrari opting to change tyres. Once the pitstops were all complete, Ellis was promoted to third with Paul Drayson now leading in the Aston and its sister car in second, driven by Ben de Zille Butler.

A drivers’ door latch failure, however, left Ellis with little chance of making an impression on the second-placed Aston, as he had to spend the first two laps trying to hold the door shut through the Complex. With the door safely secured, Ellis was finally able to push and despite such an eventful start to his stint he closed to within 3.5 seconds of de Zille Butler by lap 33, until backmarkers once again came into play.

Halfway into his stint, Ellis began to struggle on his tyres. Suffering from severe vibrations, he was unable to post consistent lap times in the final 15-minutes and each flying lap, which matched the lap times of the leader, had to be followed by a series of much more reserved laps. Ellis sensibly decided to ease off and consolidate his position upon hearing the news that Redwood’s sister Team RPM Viper had picked up a puncture in the closing stages.

Once back in the pit garage, it appeared that Ellis’ left front tyre had suffered severe blistering and was warn down to the wire. Despite scoring two podium finishes across the weekend, Ellis and Mortimer are now two points behind Drayson and Cocker in the Avon Tyres British GT Championship fight, promising a nail biting end to the season as Team RPM heads to Croft circuit, Yorkshire, for rounds 11&12.

Ellis commented: “Although it’s been great to be on the podium twice this weekend and pick up some valuable championship points, we are disappointed to have lost the championship lead. It was a shame not to clinch our third win of the season yesterday and we just couldn’t finish any higher than third today. But we are far from out of the championship fight as we are just two points behind the leaders. It’s incredibly close and anything can, and generally will, happen so we’ll be going all out for victory and maximum points at Croft.”

For full race results visit www.msttiming.com and for further information on the 2007 Avon Tyres British GT Championship visit www.britishgt.com

Following their double win at Brands Hatch, qualifying 14th at the premier Northamptonshire track was disappointing. It was clear that the Team RPM Dodge Viper Competition Coupe’s set up was not complementing its tyres under qualifying conditions in the soaring heat.

Cooler by 10 degrees on Sunday, Ellis made an awesome start from row seven to pass a gaggle of cars going in to Copse and continued to charge past eight cars in total and finish lap one in sixth.  By the end of lap two, the 20-year-old took fifth place from Kevin Riley in the Mosler and began to close on Matt Harris in the Porsche 997.

With the gap to the Porsche down to just 0.4 seconds at the end of lap five, Ellis and Harris bore down on Phil Burton and both took the Ferrari across the line to start lap seven, promoting Ellis to fourth. Staying within half-a-second of Harris, Ellis maintained the pressure, sticking with the Porsche to gain on the third-placed Ferrari 430 of Hector Lester. Once again the pair passed their target in quick succession, with Ellis moving up to third on lap nine.

Just over 15-minutes in and Ellis was still glued to Harris’ bumper, the pair just three tenths of a second adrift, but the Croydon ace stayed patient and picked off the Porsche for second on lap 15. With Adam Jones in the Lamborghini Gallardo 26.5 seconds up the track, Ellis tried to chip away at the massive margin before Jones stretched his lead once again.

Ellis stayed unchallenged for much of his stint, until his penultimate lap before pitting, when he suffered a wheel-nut failure exiting Luffield. With the left-rear wheel hanging-on only by the safety stop and wobbling precariously, Ellis couldn’t make the pit lane and had to complete an entire lap before he was able to dive for the pits at the one-hour marker.

The Team RPM mechanics did a great job to refuel, wrestle the damaged wheel loose and change all four wheels, before Mortimer took finally to the track. Many of the teams chose not to change tyres and when the pitstop shuffle was complete, Mortimer emerged 10th.

Immediately matching Ellis’ pace, Mortimer made it up to eighth with 36 minutes to go. The 22-year-old pushed to reduce the seven second gap to seventh-placed Godfrey Jones in the Ascari until Tom Ferrier, now in the #9 Porsche, and Jones took Matthew Owen’s Lamborghini, leaving Mortimer to take Owen on lap 63.

Mortimer set his sights on the now sixth-placed Jones, six seconds ahead. With just 15 minutes to go, the Team RPM Viper had slashed the gap to 2.5 seconds. Mortimer managed to take sixth with just six minutes remaining, where he stayed unchallenged until the chequered flag.

“We’ve earned important championship points here at Silverstone and to finish sixth from 14th on the grid is nothing to be ashamed of,” commented Ellis. “Qualifying was a bit of a struggle but, in fact, we didn’t loose as much time as some of the other teams when you compare our qualifying and race pace. We actually had a much better set up for the race.”

“I had a mega start and going from row seven to sixth place on the opening lap certainly helped our championship chances. I think we would have certainly scored a podium finish if we hadn’t suffered the wheel-nut failure, but we are still leading the championship. It’s really close at the top of the table and we are going to keep chipping away and try to increase our lead.”

Robin Mortimer, Team RPM Principal, said: “It’s been a really strange weekend, with all team members struggling to get a qualifying lap in their Vipers. I think we were all frustrated after qualifying, but there did appear to be a trend, in as much as all of the front engined cars, including the Aston Martins, seemed to struggle.

“In the race, both Al and Brad drove impeccable sessions and once again our race pace returned. I think the boys have done an incredible job to open up a bigger lead this weekend, after extremely difficult circumstances in qualifying. We have six races left and I think we now have a really good chance to land this title. As a final comment, I think we must commend the hard work of all the team mechanics, who have not seen their beds for the last four nights until 3am. The whole team is extremely optimistic for the rest of the year.”

For full race results visit www.msttiming.com and for further information on the 2007 Avon Tyres British GT Championship visit www.britishgt.com

In the process, the lights-to-flag win on Saturday earned the Team RPM pair a small place in motorsport history by clinching Dodge’s first British GT3 victory while producing six different winners in six races for the Avon Tyres British GT Championship. Their second win on Sunday confirmed them as the only team to win two races this season and delivered Ellis and Mortimer’s first ever double victory at one event.

Elated with the results, Ellis commented: “This was almost the perfect weekend and I am over the moon to take our first GT3 wins at my home circuit. The only thing missing was the double pole position, but otherwise it couldn’t be any better. This goes some way to making amends for all of the bad luck we’ve had this season and it was fantastic to show what we are made of in front of all our sponsors. I must thank ATS, Fathom, GENT, Schroth and Cult for their continued support. Undoubtedly, this weekend leaves us in a more commanding position going into the two-hour round eight at Silverstone.”

The Team RPM duo looked promising from qualifying when Mortimer put the Team RPM Viper on pole position. As usual, mere one hundredths of a second separated the pair’s pace and, although Ellis set the faster overall time on this occasion, the 20-year-old clinched sixth on the grid for Sunday’s race.

An excellent start from pole for round six on Saturday afternoon saw Mortimer command the lead from Paddock Hill Bend with Paul Drayson’s Aston Martin in second. Comfortable out in front, Mortimer continued to pull away at a rate of 1.5 seconds per lap and boasted a seven second lead by lap six when the Safety Car was brought out, wiping out his advantage.

Mortimer nailed the restart on lap 10 but understeer at Graham Hill Bend sent the 22-year-old wide allowing Drayson and Godfrey Jones to pressurise. But Mortimer emerged from Clearways with a four second lead while the Aston Martin and Ascari had disappeared, due to an incident between Hawthorn and Westfield.

The advantage was again short lived as the Safety Car came out two laps later, but went in the same lap. Another good restart allowed Mortimer to increase the margin from Nigel Redwood’s Team RPM Porsche and continued to pull out nearly nine seconds before pitting with 27 minutes left to run.

A swift pitstop and Ellis rejoined in the lead with Michael Bentwood’s Aston Martin bearing down in second, followed by the two Ferraris of Allan Simonsen and Adam Wilcox. Ellis put in lap after consistent lap to pull out a 3.5 second lead with 17 minutes to go.

With four seconds covering the first four cars as the field approached the last 10 minutes, the crowd were in for a thrilling end to the race. Ellis refused to succumb to the pressure and was pulling away once again when the race was red flagged with eight minutes remaining. Despite a premature end to the race, Ellis had pulled out an increasing lead and was elated to take his maiden GT3 win on home ground. 

A strong start for round seven on Sunday and Ellis held sixth into Paddock and immediately set about fifth-placed Wilcox. Glued to the Ferrari’s bumper for the first six laps, Ellis made a smooth move down the inside of the Ferrari at Paddock Hill to take fifth on lap seven.

Two seconds clear of the Ferrari by the end of the lap, Ellis began to reign in Michael Bentwood who was 4.5 seconds up the track in the Aston Martin. The second-placed Lamborghini Gallardo suffered a puncture promoting Ellis to fourth, while the gap to Bentwood continued to fall by tenths of a second each lap.

As the pit window opened Ellis’ mighty efforts saw him just 2.3 seconds adrift of the Aston Martin and the Croydon racer made his pitstop at the 30 minute marker, giving teammate Mortimer the best opportunity to maximise their track position.

Once the pitstops were completed, Mortimer emerged in third and set about the leaders lapping nearly a second quicker than Drayson and the second placed Ferrari of Hector Lester. By the end of lap 27 Mortimer had reduced Lester’s five second advantage to five tenths and took second place at Westfield with 15 minutes to go.

On lap 29, Mortimer took the lead when an incident at Surtees saw Drayson retire at Hawthorn. With a double victory in sight, Mortimer continued to build a comfortable margin from Lester to take the chequered flag and the second win of the weekend, over eight seconds clear.

After the second champagne podium celebrations at Brands Hatch, Team RPM Principal Robin Mortimer commented: “It just doesn’t get any better than this. Once again, both Al and Brad didn’t put a foot wrong and the strategy we devised at the start of the race worked perfectly. An enormous amount of credit must go to the hard working mechanics and data staff who work tirelessly to help achieve the results. I think this has reignited interest in the British GT Championship as it is no longer an Aston Martin benefit.”

For full race results visit www.msttiming.com and for further information on the 2007 Avon Tyres British GT Championship visit www.britishgt.com

Ellis and teammate Alex Mortimer (Stoneleigh, Warwickshire) currently lie fifth in the Avon Tyres British GT Championship after a mixed season so far. The opening round saw the Dodge Competition Coupe struggling to find power and stability due to penalty restrictions of 100 kilos of ballast, an air flow restrictor and increased ride height. The problems, however, didn’t stop Ellis and Mortimer bagging their first podium of the season that same weekend, by finishing third in round two at Oulton Park.

With some restrictions removed and the ballast dropped to 60 kilos, the dynamic duo went one better in round three at Donington Park, taking the second step of the podium. Despite their unquestionable potential, lady luck really hasn’t been smiling on the Team RPM pairing. In the last round, five, at Snetterton, Ellis and Mortimer could only muster 10th overall after a monumental effort. It was a miracle they finished at all, with a faulty ECU playing havoc with their chances throughout the two hour race.

 “We’ve had a tricky start to the season, but we are hoping everything will come good at Brands Hatch,” said Ellis. “I can’t wait to get back to my home track; it should be a great event. Although we haven’t tested the Viper at Brands Hatch, we are confident we can go well, as the sweeping corners really suit the car.”

With their first 2007 victory so far eluding them, Ellis and Mortimer are hoping to correct that balance at Brands Hatch but are realistic about their chances. “Of course we will be looking to repeat last year’s GTC class victory at Brands Hatch, but first and foremost we will be concentrating on getting as many points as possible and aiming to get on the podium in both races. It will be my pleasure to welcome all my sponsors to Brands Hatch – ATS, Cult Energy, GENT, and Fathom, so I’m determined to give them all a great weekend.”

Aside from the Avon Tyres British GT Championship, 20-year-old Ellis has tasted victory twice guest driving in the Dunlop Radical Enduro Championship. Partnered with Phil Bailey (Hinckley, Leicestershire), Ellis has helped secure five podium finishes, including two wins and three second places so far, which leaves them second in the championship battle and just three points adrift of the leaders after six rounds.

Qualifying for rounds six and seven of the Avon Tyres British GT Championship takes place on Saturday 14 July at 13.15 and 13.45. Racing on Saturday starts at 16.05 with round six of the Avon Tyres British GT Championship at 16.50. The racing action starts again at 10.20 on Sunday 15 July, with the British GTs taking to the track for round seven at 13.55. All times remain provisional.

For further information on the 2007 Avon Tyres British GT Championship visit www.britishgt.com

For ticket information visit www.brandshatch.co.uk or call the ticket hotline on 0870 950 9000.

Guest driving the Team RPM Dodge Competition Coupe alongside 19-year-old Ed Morris (Sittingbourne, Kent) for the first time, the new pairing immediately proved positive with both drivers qualifying fifth.

After a solid start for round six on Sunday morning, Ellis remained in fifth at the end of lap one on the tail of the leaders. Soon settling into the race, Ellis began to make his presence felt and steadily picked his way past three of the leading cars within the first 15 minutes.

By the 20 minute marker, the British driver was looking comfortable in the lead of his inaugural FIA GT3 race. The former British Karting Champion failed to put a wheel wrong and continued to lead until pitting with 30 minutes remaining.

Morris managed to rejoin the race in the lead and began posting impressive lap times, but the number 18 Corvette began to close on the Team RPM Dodge Competition Coupe. Three laps later and the Corvette took the lead but Morris still stayed in contention. Having maintained a comfortable margin to the third placed number 23 Aston Martin, Morris took the chequered flag in second just 4.402seconds behind the Corvette to help clinch Ellis’ first FIA GT3 podium finish.

Still buzzing from race one, Morris made a good start for round six on Sunday afternoon and, while holding position in fifth, he was the quickest car in the opening three laps. Despite maintaining his strong pace, Morris was unable to make an impression on the leaders and pitted to hand over to Ellis unchallenged in fifth.

Rejoining in position, Ellis wasted no time in chasing down the fourth placed Corvette and managed to take the place with 25 minutes remaining of the one hour race. Although lapping some two seconds quicker lap after lap, the margin to the third placed number 19 Corvette proved too great and Ellis settled for fourth. Following the race, Ellis and Morris were awarded third place following the exclusion of Luca Pirri and Jürgen von Gartzen in the winning number 18 Corvette, under article 60 of the Championship Regulations.

 “My first FIA GT3 weekend really couldn’t have gone any better,” said Ellis. “I hoped that Ed and I would work well as a pairing but we didn’t have any expectations past finishing in the top six, especially considering the fierce level of competition. We both did a great job and it was great to stand on the second step of the FIA GT3 podium for the first time.”

Robin Mortimer, Team RPM principal, commented: “This has been a dream weekend. Brad and Ed gelled immediately and it was apparent they would do well from the first practice. They both drove out of their skins, it was unbelievable. Brad has really underlined his level of ability here today and the entire team are thrilled.”

All results remain provisional. For full race results and further information on the FIA GT3 European Championship visit www.fiagt3.com

Currently lying fifth in the Avon Tyres British GT Championship, Ellis will chariot the Team RPM Dodge Viper Competition Coupe alongside experienced FIA GT3 racer Ed Morris. Although it will be his first guest FIA GT3 race, Ellis will benefit from his 2004 Formula Renault Italia and Monza race experience.

Ellis commented: “I’m really looking forward to my first FIA GT3 race with Ed, we should make a good pairing and I hope we do well. There’s a few differences compared to racing in the British GTs, particularly to running on a completely different compound with Michelin tyres, but I’m confident I’ll get to grips with the car in practice.”

For full race results and further information on the FIA GT3 Championship visit www.fiagt3.com or for the 2007 Avon Tyres British GT Championship visit the new website www.britishgt.com

The Team RPM Dodge Viper showed promising form in qualifying on Saturday to secure sixth on the grid for the two-hour race on Sunday. Running for the first time on the same Avon Tyre as the Aston Martins, Team RPM were nearly able to match their pace. From the start of practice on Sunday, however, it was apparent lady luck wasn’t smiling on Ellis and Mortimer. On only the second lap, Ellis suffered differential and drive shaft failure.

With the car repaired, Ellis was unfortunate to get a puncture on his out lap en route to the grid for the race and had to return to the pits. After starting from the pitlane, Ellis suffered severe loss of power on the first lap and he was again forced back to the Team RPM garage. The mechanics worked hard to get Ellis back out on track, and he rejoined in 21st and last place, one lap down.

The 19 year-old immediately set about making up for lost time and proceeded to clock up one flying lap after another. His stunning form ensured he picked his way through the field and, with the exception of the four front runners, virtually un-lapped himself.

What appeared to be an electrical fault arose after 40 minutes but Ellis managed to drive around the problem and scythed his way past 11 cars and was lying in 10th when the team called him to pit twenty minutes later. On his in lap, however, the electrical problem got worse and the car switched off on the entrance to the pitlane. In a tremendous effort, Ellis had no choice but to push his Dodge Viper down the entire length of the Snetterton pitlane, to deliver the car safely to the Team RPM garage.

The car refused to restart as Mortimer took the wheel and once again Team RPM pulled out all the stops to locate the problem. With the race raging on without them, a faulty ECU was diagnosed, replaced with a spare, and Mortimer joined the race five laps down.

Although matching Ellis’ blistering pace, Mortimer now had little chance of finishing in a points paying position. Quicker than the majority of the field, Mortimer did a valiant job of trying to un-lap himself. The 10th place finish, however, didn’t truly reflect the duo’s potential and unquestionable performance.

“It’s been quite an unbelievable day! Alex and I were on top form this weekend but it just didn’t happen for us,” said Ellis. “Snetterton doesn’t seem to be our luckiest track, as the same happened last year when we were quick in practice and qualifying but it all went wrong in the race.

“Unlucky doesn’t really cover it today but we can take a lot of positives away from here. Alex and I were really strong and our mutual development of the car is paying dividends. We showed huge potential and we’ve got high hopes for the rest of the season.”

Team RPM principal Robin Mortimer commented: “It’s been a hugely disappointing day with a myriad of problems but Brad drove fantastically and did everything he possibly could. In terms of personal effort he couldn’t have done more, he qualified well and drove a storming first stint. He had everything possible thrown at him yet still managed to pull back almost a complete lap and he was consistently the second quickest car throughout the majority of the first stint.”

For full race results visit www.msttiming.com and for further information on the 2007 Avon Tyres British GT Championship visit the new website www.britishgt.com

Mortimer put in a sterling performance during qualifying on Saturday to take his first pole position since the 2005 season and a flying start saw the 22-year-old take the lead from Ben de Zille Butler. Together they pulled out a more than comfortable 17-second gap to third, but Mortimer had to contend with the Barwell Motorsport Aston Martin filling his wing mirrors throughout.

The Team RPM Dodge Viper pitted at the halfway point, with around just one second to spare. Under pressure, Ellis stalled exiting the pits and despite quick reactions to rectify the situation, he rejoined the race behind the Barwell Motorsport car, with Guy Harrington at the wheel.

Although Ellis had Harrington in his sights, with the pair posting similar lap times, it was impossible to make ground, yet a steady five-second gap was maintained. Sandwiched between the two Aston Martins, Ellis came under pressure from Jonny Cocker in the closing stages, who was consistently posting impressive lap times.

Despite suffering from a misfire on the last few laps, Ellis kept his cool in what was a nail biting finish to clinch second, taking the chequered flag just 0.236 seconds clear of Cocker.

The misfire became apparent during Ellis’ qualifying session, stopping him from setting a flying lap time and forcing him to retire to the pits. Consequently, Ellis would start from 12th for round four on Sunday.

A solid start saw Ellis maintain 12th, behind Nigel Greensall in the Brookspeed Dodge Viper. Although quicker than Greensall, Ellis couldn’t find a way past. However, in an astonishing display of determination, Ellis remained glued to Greensall’s bumper, staying consistently around five tenths apart. Together they worked well to push and join the pack in front, matching lap times set by both of the Ascaris and Aston Martins.

On lap nine, Ellis followed Greensall in taking Mark Cole in the Porsche for 11th place at Goddards. The 19-year-old took three further places and benefited from a clear track to set some quick laps before pitting at the 30-minute marker.

Mortimer maintained position and rejoined in eighth place. Once in the groove, he proceeded to take around one second per lap out of Phil Burton in the Ferrari. With just over 45-minutes gone, Mortimer took Kevin Riley in the Mosler for seventh, followed by Thomas Erdos in the Damax Ascari for sixth two laps later.

A fantastic battle ensued between Burton and Mortimer in the final laps for fifth. Although suffering from a return of the misfire on the last lap, Mortimer managed to take the place going through Goddards for the final time in what was a sensational end to a challenging weekend.

“We’ve managed to score good points this weekend, which is the most important thing,” said Ellis. “Our efforts have promoted Alex and I to fourth in the drivers’ championship, but there’s still a lot of work to be done on the car. Although it was vastly improved from Oulton Park, with 40kilos of ballast removed and the ride height lowered by 10mm, we aren’t quite there. We are having to drive the car to its absolute limits, which isn’t ideal, but I’m confident there’s a lot than can still be achieved.” 

Team RPM boss Robin Mortimer commented: “If only the equalisation with the Aston Martins could be levelled, we would be in for a rather exciting championship battle. However, with things the way they are, it is impossible for us to compete on a level footing. The team will continue to work hard on the car and can only hope that the organisers will look at the situation again before Snetterton. The boys’ performance as usual was flawless with both matched incredibly closely on both old and new tyres. Sadly there is nothing more to come from them, merely the machinery.”

For full race results go to www.msttiming.com and for further information on the 2007 Avon Tyres British GT Championship visit the new website www.britishgt.com

Team RPM and the Avon Tyres British GT Championship will head to Snetterton, Norfolk, for the two-hour race for round five, on Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 June 2007.

Team strategy, driver skill, and damp weather conditions helped Ellis and Mortimer to turn around their fortune on Monday to deliver the unexpected podium. With steady drizzle and damp track conditions, Mortimer made a good start from ninth, taking Nigel Redwood in the Team RPM Porsche for eighth, but an incident at Lodge Corner saw the safety car out on track for five laps.

At the re-start the Eurotech Ascari went off in front of Mortimer, causing Mortimer and Redwood to also make contact. The incident let the leading group get away and left Mortimer holding off the advances of the Eclipse Mosler until a mistake allowed Mortimer some breathing space to push before pitting at the 30-minute marker.

With many of the leading teams deciding to change to wet tyres, Mortimer and Ellis elected to save time and stay on slicks. A blinding Team RPM pitstop allowed Ellis to rejoin the race in second, slotting in between the Tech 9 Porsche and Jonathan Cocker’s Aston Martin.

Pushing the Dodge Viper to its limits, Ellis held off Cocker for two laps but decided not to heavily defend when Cocker made his move. With a comfortable margin to David Ashburn in the Trackspeed Porsche and the track still damp, Ellis kept his cool to take third without challenge.

It was evident from qualifying on Saturday morning that the Team RPM Dodge Viper would struggle for a points finish in either round. Penalties placed on the car following its flying form at the Silverstone test in March included an increased ride height and 100 kilos of ballast, in addition to an air flow restrictor.

Also suffering from power steering problems and a lack of power due to the restrictions, Ellis did well to qualify fifth for round one on Saturday afternoon. Low on power, Ellis lost one place at the start to Ashburn and a missed gear at Britten’s allowed the Eclipse Mosler past, with Ellis finishing lap one in seventh. With a five-car train stretching from second to seventh place, Ellis struggled to keep up with the leading pack, with the increased ride height unsettling the car’s aerodynamics.

Mortimer took the wheel at the half-way point and a perfect Team RPM pitstop helped him rejoin in fifth, but he was taken on his out lap by Tim Mullen in the Ferrari. As Mortimer fought to stay in contention, he lost two further places to Adam Wilcox’s Ferrari and Matt Griffin in the Team RPM Porsche, despite defending well for much of the race, to finish ninth.

“We did the best we possibly could, given the car’s restrictions and circumstance,” said Ellis. “It was really tough going this weekend, we just couldn’t get near the front runners and when we did we couldn’t hang on to them. There’s no power and the car is incredibly unstable, so to score a podium is an amazing result. We managed to bag some vital points in round two but the car is a nightmare to drive. We’ve had assurances that something will be done before the next rounds at Donington Park.”

Team RPM boss Robin Mortimer is already in positive discussions with championship organisers to resolve the issues which have arisen at Oulton Park, to be rectified in advance of rounds three and four of the Avon Tyres British GT Championship at Donington Park.

Robin Mortimer commented: “That was an extremely challenging weekend especially considering the penalties that both Brad and Alex had to deal with. In really tricky conditions these drivers showed their true qualities and made light of the penalties they had to tolerate the whole weekend. After a fruitful meeting with Stephane Ratel this morning, it’s great that we will be competing on a comparable basis with the other manufacturers when we arrive at Donington.”

For full race results and further information on the 2007 Avon Tyres British GT Championship visit the new website www.britishgt.com

Ellis and Mortimer, still one of the youngest pairings on the British GT grid, laid down the gauntlet at Silverstone to firmly establish themselves as serious GT3 championship title contenders, after moving up from the GTC class where they finished third in 2006.

The dynamic duo shared the three-hour practice session with Mortimer managing to set a blistering time of 58.445 seconds on the National circuit on a new set of Avon Tyres. Ellis, however, proved he could match Mortimer’s pace when he set a time just one tenth shy some 20 laps later on the same set of tyres.

“We’ve had a great run here at Silverstone and are now more confident heading to the start of the season at Oulton Park,” said Ellis. “We had no idea how competitive we would be until we could take to the track with all the other manufacturers and drivers, but we are reassured we’ll be fighting at the front as championship contenders. A great championship has been lined up for us this season and with nearly 30 cars lining up on the grid competition is set to be fierce, so winning will still be no easy task.”

Team RPM Team Principal, Robin Mortimer, commented: “A solid job was done by both drivers and they have certainly showed promising form with near identical lap times. It is a little unexpected to be at the top after only the first practice session, but we now have a strong standing from which to build. This is a fantastic result and just desserts for a great amount of hard work by everyone over the winter.”

On Friday 9 March, Ellis was honoured to be invited by Avon Tyres to take a guided tour of the Cooper Tire factory at Melksham in Wiltshire. Ellis was privileged to take a behind the scenes look around both the road and racing divisions and learn of the challenges for Avon Tyres when catering for such an array of varying manufacturers within the British GT series. The experience proved invaluable and Ellis gained a better insight into how the tyre works under various race loads and conditions.

Ellis and Mortimer are now counting down the days until the first two 60-minute races at Oulton Park in Cheshire on Saturday 7 and Monday 9 April.  For further details on the 2007 Avon Tyres British GT Championship visit www.britishgt.com

The 2007 Avon Tyres British GT Championship will feature two classes, GT3 and GTC, with the overall champion being decided by the teams and drivers competing in GT3. The GT3 category was successfully launched in 2006 through the FIA GT3 European championship, with over 40 cars taking to the track for the first race at Silverstone. GT3 was also launched in British GT with entries from Aston Martin, Lotus, Porsche and Ascari, and in 2007 these famous manufacturers will be joined by Ferrari, Dodge, Jaguar, Mosler and Chevrolet. 

Ellis, aged 19, will chariot the 520hp Dodge Viper at the first double-header British GT race meeting at Oulton Park on Saturday 7 and Monday 9 April, but thankfully that won’t be the first time he’ll take to the track in anger. A handful of tests with Team RPM have seen Ellis quickly adapt to the power increase from the previous 400bhp Porsche 996, ready to mount his assault on the British GT Championship crown.

With entries for the 2007 GT3 class including the most prestigious racing marques in the world, Ellis knows it’s not going to be an easy ride. However, with a hat-trick of GTC wins with teammate Mortimer under his belt in a season that barely saw the pairing off the podium, Ellis is eager to get back on the track under full race conditions.

“After such an amazing first year racing in British GTs, I can’t think of any better way to start my second season than in a Dodge Viper with Team RPM,” said Ellis. “As well as producing some great race results, last year helped me master all the circuits, so I’m already one step ahead this year. The car feels good but we have more testing to do before the first round when we will see just how competitive we are.”
Team RPM boss Robin Mortimer was instrumental in nurturing Ellis during his first British GT season. With over a decade of extensive experience in motorsport, Team RPM have claimed success in a plethora of racing categories, including Radical Enduro, Radical Biduro, Formula BMW, the Porsche Carrera Cup and the British GT Championship.

“I’m delighted to have sealed the deal to have Brad on board for a second season,” said Mortimer. “He did a stunning job last year, proving himself to be one of the best rookies, he showed huge potential. We are very much looking forward to the season ahead with what we hope is a winning combination.”

The first two 60-minute races of the 14-race 2007 season take place at Oulton Park in Cheshire on Saturday 7 and Monday 9 April.  For further details on the 2007 Avon Tyres British GT Championship visit www.britishgt.com

The official Avon Tyres British GT Championship media day will be held on Thursday 15 March at Silverstone.

Avon Tyres British GT Championship 2007
Rounds	Date	Circuit
1 & 2 3 4 & 5 6 & 7 8 9 & 10 11 & 12 13 & 14	April 9 April 22 June 3 July 15  August 12 August 26  September 9 September 30	Oulton Park Donington Park Snetterton Brands Hatch Silverstone Thruxton Croft Rockingham

Photo Caption
Ellis strikes GT3 deal - Bradley Ellis with Team RPM boss Robin Mortimer.

For further information and photography contact Emma Spearing at Hazel PR:
Tel:  01202 862410        Fax:  01202 862301        E-mail: emma.spearing@hazelpr.com

For the latest news and more information on the British GT Championship visit www.britishgt.com