Jimmy Eriksson moves on from challenging Brands Hatch weekend

Press Release

Jimmy Eriksson and team-mate Dominik Baumann (AUT) were left outside the points in a difficult Blancpain GT Series encounter at Brands Hatch this weekend, taking the flag in 22nd place.

Eriksson carried strong momentum into the first of two consecutive weekends of racing on British soil, having scored podiums in each of the opening two rounds of his rookie GT season.

However, a combination of factors added up to a less competitive showing this time out, with Eriksson/Baumann qualifying down in 24th place on the grid for Sunday morning’s Qualifying Race – in which the HTP Motorsport duo then finished 17th.

Starting the subsequent Main Race from that same position, Eriksson took charge of driving duties in the opening stint, and featured within a closely-matched group of cars which included several of the eventual points finishers.

Any hopes of a top ten result were scuppered, however, at the driver exchange, with Baumann first getting stuck behind two colliding rivals in the pitlane and then being forced back in to reattach a loose rear wheel.

As it was, Eriksson and Baumann ventured home a distant 22nd.

”This just wasn’t our weekend, unfortunately,” says Jimmy Eriksson. ”We didn’t have the pace in qualifying, but then we changed a couple of things on the car for the Main Race – and that made a huge difference. We couldn’t have been on the podium today, but at least the top ten was within reach.”

Eriksson also highlights the swift pit stop turnarounds of the HTP Motorsport crew, who have consistently delivered some of the fastest service times so far in 2017.

”The guys are doing a great job in the pit stops,” Eriksson concludes. ”Yes, we had an issue with one of the tyres in the Main Race today, but that was an exception and we’re regularly among the quickest crews in the pitlane. It’s a shame not to take a better result away from here, but thankfully the next race is waiting just around the corner.”

The Blancpain GT Series fraternity will regroup at Silverstone next weekend (May 13-14) for the second Endurance Cup round of the year.

RESULTS (top five)

Blancpain GT Series | Rd. 3
Sprint Cup | Rd. 2
Brands Hatch, Great Britain