Championship front-runner Sean Walkinshaw is determined to continue his excellent early season form when the Blancpain Endurance Series resumes for round two of the 2015 season at Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit this coming weekend, 23rd/24th May.
Relishing the prospect of a return to his ‘home’ venue, especially off the back of a podium finish in the sister Blancpain Sprint Series a week ago at Brands Hatch, the Chipping Norton-based driver is confident the characteristics of Silverstone’s 3.66-mile circuit will suit his Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3.
Embarking on his first season of closed-wheel endurance racing this year, having risen through the ranks of single-seaters in Formula Renault and Formula 3, Sean has taken to the altogether different challenge and demands of the Blancpain categories impressively well.
Along with regular MRS GT-Racing team-mate Craig Dolby, and Endurance Series driving partner Martin Plowman, 21-year-old Sean is now hoping to build on the seventh place Pro Cup finish the trio achieved in the championship-opening event at Monza in Italy last month.
“We’re all feeling pretty confident for Silverstone”, said the Oxfordshire racer, “The car is very strong, the team has done a fantastic job with the set-up, and Silverstone is the sort of track which should really suit the Nissan with the high speed sections.
“It’s great to already have some points on the board after the first round at Monza, but we were a little bit disappointed not to come away from there with more. The Sprint Series podium at Brands last weekend has definitely given us a boost, though, and proved our pace so we’ll all be pushing hard to try and take our first Endurance Series podium this weekend.”
Confirming the popularity of the Blancpain Endurance Series, the upcoming three-hour race at Silverstone GP Circuit is expected to feature around 60 cars in total, all running with Pirelli tyres. In the headline Pro Cup class, the MRS GT-Racing Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 will battle more than 20 cars from a variety of different manufacturers, including Bentley, BMW, Lamborghini and Audi.
Free practice and pre-qualifying ahead of round two of the Blancpain Endurance Series will be held on Saturday, 23rd May, with qualifying following on Sunday, 24th May, at 09.00 and the 180 minute race itself – which will be screened live on BT Sport – beginning at 14.45.
Provisional 2015 Blancpain Endurance Series Driver Standings (after Rd1):
7th Sean Walkinshaw/Craig Dolby/Martin Plowman, 6pts
Provisional 2015 Blancpain Endurance Series Team Standings (after Rd1):
6th MRS GT-Racing, 8pts