Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 records first British GT Championship victory
Brands Hatch - 24th June 2012
A JR Motorsports - built Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 recorded its first Avon Tyres British GT Championship victory this weekend, when customer team RJN Motorsport won round six at Brands Hatch. The success comes exactly a year after JRM began the car’s test and development programme in June 2011.
Using the 2.433-mile ‘Grand Prix’ version of the circuit, a promising qualifying session on Saturday saw the RJN car line up 10th on the grid. Then, just before the start of the two-hour race on Sunday - in keeping with other rounds of the championship so far - it started raining. 
Alex Buncombe - who was first to drive – moved up to fourth by the end of the first lap and then took the lead on lap three. As the track dried out, he pulled away from the field and built-up a margin seven seconds before the first of two safety car periods, which ultimately reduced his advantage.
At half-distance Buncombe handed over to Jann Mardenborough. Even though the Nissan Playstation GT Academy winner came under intense pressure during his stint, he was able to stay in front of the pack and, in a photo-finish, crossed the line to win by a margin of just two-hundredths of a second. Coincidently, the victory comes exactly a year after Mardenborough won the GT Academy competition that turns computer gamers into real racers.
In the second of the JRM-built Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3s competing this weekend - run by JMH Automotive - Benji Hetherington also made an impressive start in the race, progressing from a grid position of 15th and up to fourth place. But after clipping a wet and slippery kerb at Stirlings bend on lap 21, his day came to an abrupt and premature end in a barrier. Although the car - in which he and his brother Freddie won a round of the GT Cup in April - was extensively damaged, Hetherington thankfully walked away unscathed.
Following the race, both Buncombe and Mardenborough praised the car’s performance, with their result moving them up to third in the British GT Championship standings. Therefore, with four rounds to go, they are now strong contenders for the title, which means that a Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 could well secure a championship crown in its very first season of competition.
The next outing for one of the JRM-built cars is this coming weekend, when RJN Motorsport contests round three of the Blancpain Endurance Series at the Paul Ricard HTTT circuit in southern France.
Quotes
JR Motorsports
James Rumsey – JRM Executive Director
“The British GT Championship victory this weekend is another milestone for the Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 and I congratulate RJN Motorsport for achieving such an excellent result. From the day we carried out the first test, we always knew the car would be a contender in both domestic and international championships. This win goes to show just how far it has come in a year.”
Bob Neville –RJN Motorsport Team Principal
“Both drivers did a fantastic job today took advantage of the wet conditions at the start and built up a useful lead, which was then lost by two safety car periods. Jann had to go wheel-to-wheel with the pros and he didn’t make a single mistake under huge pressure. It’s great to see him and the GT3 GT-R take their first major race wins.”
ENDS
For details about the Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3, please contact Mark Dexter at JRM:
mdexter@jrm-group.com?
+44 (0) 1327 307150