A successful start to Forsetti’s GT Cup campaign
Round 1 - Sprint Race:
The GT Cup campaign kicked off with a promising start on Saturday as Car #9, driven by Mikey Porter, secured the GTH pole position and 7th overall, closely followed by Car #10, driven by Rianna O’Meara Hunt, starting P2 in the group and 9th overall. Both cars maintained their positions throughout the 25 mins sprint race, with Porter claiming P1 (P7 overall) and O’Meara Hunt securing P2 (P8 overall), setting a strong tone for the GT Cup weekend and securing the team’s first ever 1-2 finish in their respective classes using the V8 Vantage platform.
Round 2 - Endurance Race:
For the endurance races, the ‘sporting’ driver from each team must start the race and complete the first stint until the pit window opens. Matthew Higgins led in Car #9 from P1 in the group (P8 overall), closely followed by Jodie Sloss in Car #10, starting from P2 (P9 overall). As the race commenced, Sloss made a move to overtake Higgins into T1 Redgate, claiming the lead in the group, while Higgins slipped to P2 and maintained that position for the opening laps. However, a broken vehicle on track reshuffled the dynamics as a brief safety car period ensued, condensing the chasing pack.
As racing resumed, Sloss lost out on the restart into Regate corner, losing momentum and allowing Higgins to reclaim the lead. Car #9 began to edge ahead, while Sloss found herself under pressure from Car #31. Despite Sloss's determined and valiant defensive driving, she eventually yielded and dropped to P3 in class for the remainder of the stint.
The pit stops saw a mandatory 80-second stationary time for Forsetti Pro-Sporting entries, with Sloss handing over to O’Meara Hunt, while Higgins switched to Porter. Porter successfully defended the lead initially held by his teammate, with O’Meara Hunt briefly reclaiming P2 until a late safety car deployment shuffled the pack once again, eliminating the gap that had been created by Higgins and the shorter pitstop duration over the #31 car, whose Team Parker Pro entry yielded an 85 second stationary time.
As the race restarted, Porter valiantly defended his position against Car #31 but ultimately conceded P1 after being blocked by slower cars ahead around the tight 3.185km National Circuit loop, causing him to drop to P2. Despite relentless efforts to regain the lead, and within a couple of tenths, an extremely harsh drive-through penalty with around 10 mins remaining, for pit lane speeding on entry, dashed the #9 car’s hopes of an overall win or podium. The subsequent post-race data analysis and clerk of the course discussions, absolve both drivers of any wrongdoing. The finding that human error by the circuit personnel operating the laser gun caused the race director to issue a drive-through penalty had a harsh impact on the results that both drivers’ fine display deserved. The chequered flag signalled the end of the race, with Car #10 finishing in P2 (P8 overall) and Car #9 in P5 (P12 overall). Rianna O’Meara Hunt's strong Saturday performance throughout her respective qualifying and sprint race, as well as the calm but rapid drive recovering track positions lost under safety car, earned her the ‘driver of the day’ award.
As the first day of racing came to an end, Mikey Porter and Matthew Higgins brought in 38 points, with Jodie Sloss and Rianna O’Meara Hunt collecting 36 points, proving to be a positive start to the GT Cup race weekend for the Forsetti family.
The results from Saturday also ensured the team capture a third pole position and win on a third debut in a GT4 championship.
Round 3 - Endurance Race:
After Sunday morning’s qualifying session, Matthew Higgins in Car #9 started Round 4 from P1 (P7 overall), while Jodie Sloss in Car #10 began from P3 (P11 overall). Initially, Higgins led the GTH group, but faced stiff competition and slipped to P2 behind the #31 Mercedes driven by Charles Dawson. Meanwhile, Sloss battled to hold her position, momentarily dropping to P5 after a chaotic and ‘elbows out’ first few laps, before climbing back up to P3 and delivering strong, consistent pace. Higgins expertly dispatched the #31 car, ultimately regaining the lead in the group and building over 5 seconds of lead prior to the pitstops.
Both cars completed the pit stops, with swift driver changes as Porter and O’Meara Hunt took the wheel. A success penalty of 15 seconds on top of the mandatory for the #10 car after a strong Saturday result meant a tougher second half of the race would be in store. Car #9 came out of the pits P2 (P8 overall) behind a vastly shorter pitstop time for the Paddock Motorsport McLaren Artura. Car #10 rejoined P7 (P13 overall) meaning O’Meara-Hunt would need to dispatch cars ahead to make up the ground lost in the pit lane. Porter continued to run strong lap times, including the fastest lap of the race earning an additional bonus point for the #9 car. He dispatched Orant’s McLaren with ease, managing to regain the lead and crossing the line in P1 in group (P6 overall) with O’Meara Hunt climbing up to finish in P5 (P10 overall). A post-race disqualification for the #69 Mercedes ahead also meant an additional place gained, with P4 in class and P9 overall with more valuable points for the campaign.
Round 4 - Sprint Race:
In the final race of the weekend, Higgins in Car #9 started from pole position in group (P8 overall), while Sloss in Car #10 began from P3 (P10 overall). Despite initially losing ground at the start to Dawson in the #31 Mercedes, Higgins fought back to regain the lead in the group, with a great overtake into T1, securing a comfortable lead, with Sloss not far behind in P3 running clean, consistent laps. The race concluded with Higgins securing P1 in group (P7 overall) and Sloss in P3 (P9 overall), rounding off a positive weekend for both drivers as Higgins takes his first car race win and fastest lap, with Sloss taking home a second podium position of the weekend and more valuable, confidence-inspiring race running aboard the V8 Vantage.
Overall, after another solid team execution and strong driver delivery, the Forsetti performance saw them topping the overall team leaderboard with 113 points, earning six podium positions and a Saturday ‘driver of the day’ award for O’Meara Hunt. Alongside Car #9 consistently receiving fastest lap in the GTH class for each race and now the overall driver championship standings, the confidence and momentum is feeling good in the GT Cup campaign this year. Be sure to stay updated with the team's progress throughout the season by following our social media channels!
