BRITCAR: Silverstone March 2008

Well, it's taken some time due to 'internet connectivity issues' (i.e. my dozy ISP forgetting to authorise a direct debit and then cutting my service off) but here's the first Mosler Lover race report for 2008.

The season starts here! With four Mosler entries in the championship, it's the marque's biggest lineup outside of the dedicated Challenge.

Thought for this first round, there was one less Mosler - Andrew Tate having to withdraw the ABG car as his co-driver Aaron Scott was riding the team's Viper in British GT over at Oulton.

Qualifying saw variable weather and a sleety storm to round out proceedings, by which time Ian Flux had taken the number 7 KRM Mosler to top slot on the grid by a margin of over one and a half seconds.
With their new Mosler not yet race ready, the Topcats team of Andrew Beaumont and Henry Taylor drove the factory demonstrator car (number 20) into an impressive fourth place. (although also into a less-impressive gravel trap at some stage of the race).

The last Mosler on the grid, that of the McInerney’s Eclipse Motorsport entry, qualified in 12th.

With the weather blowing wet and dry (and everything between), tyre choice was perhaps a moot point. It seemed anything could happen in the next two hours.

But we didn't have to wait that long. the first lap saw Riley fending off Richard Chamberlain's Porsche 935 GT as the snow began to fall.
The Mosler led the field across the line for the first lap, but the enveloping blizzard got the better of Riley. Too speedy in the snow, the KRM car span off through the gravel and grazed a barrier, eventually limping into the pits for some ad hoc gaffer taping of some drooping rear panels.

With Ian Flux taking the helm, KRM ran into more unpredicatable weather, blue skies giving way to blizzards.The safety car put in another appearance as Flux positioned himself for an assault further up the field.

Following the pitstops, David Leslie led in the BMW, but Fluxie was caning the KRM car, jumping up to fifth. Avoiding a spinning Peugeot and diving past a Porsche at Becketts, the Mosler was set to drag back the minute's advantage held by Leslie in the lead.

But with only 15 minutes left, even Mosler power couldn't reel in the BMW, KRM settling for second.
The Topcats team had a quiet race and came home in 14th. Sadly, the Eclipse Mosler did not complete the race.

Thanks to Flickr contributors for the photos - from top to bottom:

Petemags Photos (first two pics)
Tony P1 (next two pics)
Petemags Photos (in the snow)
Marc W
Jake Yorath Photography


Last word - still stunned by the death of race winner, David Leslie. My heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.