Frantic 12 Hours Earns Another Top 10
29 May 2024
The former French Grand Prix circuit at Magny Cours hosted last weekends French Fun Cup encounter, for the longest race of the season so far, at 12 hours.
Jonny Hoad stepped out of the shadows to join Mark Holme and Colin Kingsnorth in the driving line up, and it was Hoad that set the qualifying time for 20th on the grid from 68 starters.
“It’s a really physical track and the 12 hours was like three UK Fun Cup races in succession, so we would have been happy to finish in the top 20,” said Holme.
Qualifying had been close and as the race got underway it was a similar pattern. Holme had done the first stint and was up to 12th after the opening hour, handing to Kingsnorth shortly afterwards.
Hoad was out for the third stint and they were already into the top 10 after just three hours of racing.
“It was so intense and we changed our fuel strategy, fuelling outside the window, just changing drivers at the compulsory stops.
We made more stops but actually spent less time in the pits overall,” Holme explained, as they didn’t have to queue to refuel.
They had slipped to 20th by half distance, “Colin had a spin in the second chicane which cost us a couple of places, although he did a great job avoiding any other cars on the track. We didn’t make the most of a full course yellow and there was a stoppage too with the red flags, after a four car pile-up,” Holme added.
Kingsnorth gave up one of his stints, so Holme and Hoad were left to bring the car home in the last two night stints, with Jonny taking the flag on the stroke of midnight.
“Jonny was a good nightrider, but that was the hardest race I think I have ever had. It was a hot weekend and very tiring, but there’s not a scratch on the car and we were 10th,” Holme concluded.