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News and Announcements
It's a no-show for the Ultima at Thruxton
Following the engine blow-up at Silverstone the team have been unable to complete the rebuild of the engine due to the late arrival of essential parts from America. Master Motorsport have decided not to race the car with the old engine and focus the team's efforts on the last race of the season at Brands Hatch.
After such a good run in the practice session yesterday, the team were completely demoralised after the engine let go on the first lap of the qualifying session his morning. Initial investigation coinfirmed terminal damage and the car will not race this weekend.
2nd quickest in Friday testing
With our new engine onboard, oOnly the Ferrari 360GTC of Andrew Kirkaldy could better our times in a warm and dry test session at Silverstone on Friday. We've a few things to change overnight and we'll be looking for our first front row on Saturday.
Master Motorsport have confirmed we will have a new engine for Silverstone. Team Principal Jimmy Brady took the decision when completeing the repairs from Oulton Park. The car proved it was on the pace at Oulton and with a fresh engine we are hoping to snatch a slot on the ront row.9th place finish in second race at Oulton Park
9th was the very best we could manage on Sunday, the team did an absolutely brilliant job to work through the night and complete the car. We had to start from the back of the grid and work our way through the Cup Class cars to get on the tail of the leading pack. To finish was satisfying enough and all our efforts will now turn to Silverstone on 15/16th August.
The qualifying session opened in a downpoar and we were one on the many teams caught out in the wet conditions. The car reacted badly to the bump on the exit of Druids, launching the Ultima backwards into the barriers under the bridge. It's too soon to give an estimate of the damage..
3rd quickest in Saturday morning practice at Oulton Park
The Ultima was third quickest in a wet/dry practice on Saturday morning, very encouraging as we were on old rubber and searching for a set-up for the race.
3rd quickest in Saturday morning practice at Oulton Park
The Ultima was third quickest in a wet/dry practice on Saturday morning, very encouraging as we were on old rubber and searching for a set-up for the race.
3rd quickest in Saturday morning practice at Oulton Park
The Ultima was third quickest in a wet/dry practice on Saturday morning, very encouraging as we were on old rubber and searching for a set-up for the race.
Complete overhaul for Oulton Park
The Master Motosrsport Ultima has undergone a complete overhaul of the clutch, gearbox and linkage in preparation for the next two races of the British GT Championship at Oulton Park on July 17th and 18th.
Gear selection problems for Alan Bonner cost the team a certain podium finish at Castle Combe.
[Back to Top]A certain podium goes begging - we finish 4th
Stephen once again drove brilliantly at the start of the race, making two places putting the Ultima into 6th position. However on the third lap the Jones/Jones Porsche suffered suspension failure after the first chicane and struck the barriers very heavily.
This brought out the safety car but not before Stephen managed to launch the car into third place.It stayed this way until the driver change at the pit stop on lap 21.
As I came round camp for the first time I saw the Rollcentre Mosler exiting the pit lane, I kept the foot down and forced my way past at Quarry, on the next lap exactly the same thing happened with the RSR TVR and I was comfortably holding second place and closing on the leading Gruppe M Porsche.
That's when the problems started, the sequential box found neutral and would only select a gear when the car was almost at standstill. I eventually lost positions to Mike Jordan's 911 and Richard Stanton's Mosler, however when I got the car going again I could catch and pass the Rollcentre car, that is until the gremlins came back.
When the heavens opened the race was over in terms of making up positions
and it was a case of defending my place from the ensuing RSR TVR.
Finishing 4th is a good result but the team worked so hard leading up to Castle Combe, they really deserved a podium. My fingers are crossed and I hope Stephen and I can deliver it for them at Oulton Park.
Click here for a complete time sheet
[Back to Top]Confusing start but 6th place finish
A race is underway when the safety car pulls off the circuit and the red start lights go off.
This afternoon the lights failed and the front rows were well aware of this and held back waiting for a re-start, however the other rows of the grid were unaware and started racing!.I was completely boxed in behind the Jones/Jones Porsche and there followed complete confusion with the field exiting Quarry. I was told over the radio the race was on by which time I was 8th.
Then uncharacteristically the Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari 360 of Nathan Kinch crashed heavily at tower bringing out the safety car.
After the restart I managed to get into a rhythm and pulled us back into 3rd before pitting for the driver change on lap 19.
Stephen rejoined and drove well to bring the car home in one piece and in 6th place.
Click here for a complete time sheet
[Back to Top]4th row of the grid for race 2
Stephen drove well in the second qualifying session of the day and closed the gap to less than two seconds off the pole of Pearce and Stanton.
The fourth row of the grid is a good position for us and Stephen is very good at the start of the race.Click here for a complete time sheet
[Back to Top]2nd row of the grid for race 1
As the pit lane opened for the qualifying session of race one, so did the heavens.
We decided to try and get a quick lap in before the circuit became un drivable on slick tyres. As I came around Camp corner for the first time I lost the back end and had a huge moment before regaining control and carrying on.Although the tyres weren't scrubbed in I had to push because a lap on wet tyres would never be as quick. As I crossed the start/finish line on the second lap I decided this was the one, I saw the Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari go off at Folly and as I passed it and entered the braking zone for Quarry, I again lost control of the ultima although this time I was carrying much more speed.
However I managed to keep going and strung together a very quick lap placing us on the second row of the grid but still 2 seconds off the pole.
Click here for a complete time sheet
[Back to Top]Bonner goes fourth in free practice
We finished fourth in the free practice session of the weekend this morning at Castle Combe, with the two Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari 360 Modena's and the JWR Porsche GT3 RS in front of us.
If we can keep this up there is a good chance of a front row position in qualifying as we are currently only 4 tenths off.Click here for a complete time sheet
[Back to Top]T-boned by the Damax 360 Ferrari
Starting from the pit lane was interesting to say the least. it is very difficult to pass with safety as the Cup Class cars are battling for position and not necessarily paying attention to what's coming up behind them.
This was the case for me and it will be recorded as a DNF for our first outing of the year, when on the 6th lap at the apex of the second part of the Esses I was hit by the Attard/Adams Ferrari 360.
Click here for a complete time sheet
[Back to Top]4rd row for the Ultima in race two qualifying
We finished a credible eight in the 15 minute qualifying session for race two.
Click here for a complete time sheet
[Back to Top]3rd row for Bonner in race one qualifying
We finished sixth in the 15 minute qualifying session for race one, with only the Ferrari's and the Porsche's in front of us.
Furthermore we closed the gap from 4 seconds to just under one second off the pole position car. It's all set for a fantastic race.Click here for a complete time sheet
[Back to Top]We finished eleventh in the free practice session of the weekend this morning at Snetterton, some four seconds off the pace.
However we are running on very old rubber and we will change that for qualifying.Click here for a complete time sheet
[Back to Top]Bonner bounces back into N-GT after Snetterton test
I performed well testing the Ultima in wet conditions at Silverstone, but it got much better at Snetterton putting in laps better than last years qualifying times at the Norfolk track.
Team owner Jimmy Brady said “To be on the pace so soon, having never driven the car before, and to better last years times on old rubber is good enough for me”Which means that I will compete in N-GT for the rest of the season from round three. I am delighted to have the chance to race the Ultima. I feel at home with the team, perhaps it’s the Scottish connection? Anyway, once we dialed out the initial handling issues the car was awesome. I hope to learn a lot partnering Stephen Brady and the high level of knowledge and competence within the team is really encouraging.
Of course there’s always a danger of getting carried away after a good test session, I’m sure all the teams have improved this year, however I firmly believe we’ll surprise a few of them next month.
[Back to Top]It's a wet test at Silverstone in the Ultima
As the garage doors lifted onto Silverstone the sky was black and the heaven's were fully opened. The Ultima was a monster in the wet and it took me a good few laps to tame it (and me) to the conditions. The team were great and made me feel welcome from the off. It was good to work with Jimmy and Stephen Brady, their knowledge and expertise is really impressive. Next step, a test at Snetterton.
[Back to Top]Possible test on the cards in the Master Motorsport Ultima
Now that I'm free from Atlanta I am talking with different teams. The drive I'm really interested in is the Master Motorsport Ultima GTR of Jimmy and Stephen Brady. Watch this space...
[Back to Top]Bonner leaves Atlanta Motorsport
After the fiasco at Donington I have left Atlanta Motorsport. I couldn’t stay at Atlanta; to develop, test, qualify and race all in one weekend is a recipe for bad results. Anything that could have gone wrong certainly did at Donington, I really hope the guys do well, but they need to take that car off-line and sort it
[Back to Top]Well what can I say? Anything that could have gone wrong, certainly did!! Darren made a perfect start and was making up places when the engine let go on the sixth lap. He managed to nurse the car back to the pit garage but the race was over. What an awful end to an awful race weekend.
[Back to Top]After the tribulations of qualifying and the rain, I was determined to keep the car on the track. Not just for Darren, the team or me but because we have another race tomorrow (Sunday).It was two laps before the pace car pulled into the pit lane signifying the start of the race. I showed caution through the first at Redgate but still made up a place. I made another into the old hairpin, although it was more luck than judgment as I underestimated how slippery the braking area was!.More of the same followed for the next ten or so laps claiming six places, but as the track dried the wet tyres on the Renault started to overheat and the rubber rolled about on the tyre making the car very difficult to handle. I remembered the team talk before the race and stuck to the brief, bringing the car into the pits after 30 minutes for the driver change.We managed to get Darren installed into the Clio within our 45 second window, the team changed the tyres and installed slicks, however there was a problem, the starter motor jammed and the 45 second window turned into a two minute stop. This effectively ended any chance of a decent finishDarren drove very well however to bring the car home in one piece and 11th in class. We've finished the race, we've learnt a lot about the car, we have some work to do and we will do better in race two.On new rubber and after the embarrassment of my qualifying session it was Darren's turn to see what he could do in fifteen minutes. And very good job he did too qualifying us 7th in class.
[Back to Top]How difficult can it be to drive a Renault Clio? That's what I was thinking before qualifying.It would have been nice to drive the car prior to qualifying but I was denied of that. No problem I though, make sure I get my three laps in before I step on it. I set off driving as slowly as I felt comfortable and on the entry to the Old Hairpin the car got out of shape, I pulled it together and as I braked and changed down for McLeans the car swapped ends and I was stuck in the gravel.
The car was extremely twitchy on the gear changes, as if the diff' plane angle or pre-load was wrong and needed a shim or two removing. It took a good six or seven minutes to be pulled clear and there followed two more spins before the session was over. Only three laps completed and last on the grid!!A new season - a new car. I hoped I'd be in the Embassy Corvette at Donington but team boss Jonathan France decided to start Paula Cook alongside Neil Cunningham and I'm to drive the Atlanta Motorsport Renault Clio V6.So a new team mate in Darren Malkin and a free practice session of 90 minutes. As Darren had previously tested the Clio and whilst I had only just seen the car for the first time, it was decided that Darren would go out for a few laps and check the set-up. This he did but the car came back loosing oil. It was diagnosed as gearbox oil and in fact the filler plug had fell out.I got installed in the car and the team went to fit a new plug, however after much searching we didn't have a spare and there followed a rush up and down the pit lane to find a team who did.This was to prove fruitless whilst I sat in the car for the remaining 60 minutes until the session ended. Unfortunately I hadn't moved an inch. Oh well just have to qualify having never driven the car before, shouldn't be that big a deal!!
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