{"id":339,"date":"2023-09-12T13:02:55","date_gmt":"2023-09-12T13:02:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gkracing.co.uk\/?p=339"},"modified":"2023-09-12T13:02:55","modified_gmt":"2023-09-12T13:02:55","slug":"king-leads-virage-to-thrilling-ucs-victory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gkracing.co.uk\/?p=339","title":{"rendered":"KING LEADS VIRAGE TO THRILLING UCS VICTORY"},"content":{"rendered":"

George King <\/span><\/span>and his Team Virage co-drivers defied the lengthy Ultimate Cup Series hiatus to return to the top step of the podium in thrilling fashion at Estoril in Portugal over the weekend. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Having <\/span><\/span>narrowly miss<\/span><\/span>ed<\/span><\/span> out on a second victory of the season after a thrilling fightback <\/span><\/span>at Hockenheim<\/span><\/span> came up just short, <\/span><\/span>King and team-mates <\/span><\/span>weren't to be denied again, but kept the crowd on the edge of their seats by claiming the win by just 0.143secs as rain made the final few laps of the race exceptionally tricky.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

King arrived in Portugal straight from testing his Team Virage Ligier European Series car at Spa-Francorchamps but, with just a few hours to rest and freshen up, was back on track at 9am and quickly up to speed in the LMP3-specification Ligier JS P320. Despite overnight precipitation making early track conditions tricky for all, King was delighted to be within a tenth of team-mate and European Le Mans Series regular Manuel Espirito Santo, <\/span><\/span>and ahead of rivals TS Corse \u2014 and even happier to continue that progress on the second day of testing.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"It was amazing b<\/i><\/span><\/span>eing within a tenth of <\/i><\/span><\/span>someone as talented as <\/i><\/span><\/span>Manuel, and quicker than TS Corse<\/i><\/span><\/span>'s<\/i><\/span><\/span> pedigree line-up <\/i><\/span><\/span>of<\/i><\/span><\/span> <\/i>BRDC Rising Star <\/i><\/span><\/span>Ayrton Simmons <\/i><\/span><\/span>\u2014 <\/i><\/span><\/span>who has done years <\/i><\/span><\/span>in<\/i><\/span><\/span> single-seaters <\/i><\/span><\/span>\u2014<\/i><\/span><\/span> and Pedro Perino, who is driving <\/i><\/span><\/span>regularly <\/i><\/span><\/span>in ELMS with DKR Engineering,<\/i><\/span><\/span>\"<\/i><\/span><\/span> King confirmed.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"<\/span><\/span>Day two was still tricky, with <\/i><\/span><\/span>it <\/i><\/span><\/span>starti<\/i><\/span><\/span>ng damp <\/i><\/span><\/span>and<\/i><\/span><\/span> then drying later in the day, <\/i><\/span><\/span>e<\/i><\/span><\/span>specially <\/i><\/span><\/span>as<\/i><\/span><\/span> the track <\/i><\/span><\/span>was <\/i><\/span><\/span>drying quicker in certain spots and <\/i><\/span><\/span>staying damp, notably under the trees. I<\/i><\/span><\/span>t <\/i><\/span><\/span>was v<\/i><\/span><\/span>ital to learn those little <\/i><\/span><\/span>nuances<\/i><\/span><\/span> about the track to not get caught out. <\/i><\/span><\/span>I f<\/i><\/span><\/span>inished day <\/i><\/span><\/span>two<\/i><\/span><\/span> still on par with Manuel, which <\/i><\/span><\/span>I<\/i><\/span><\/span> was super happy with <\/i><\/span><\/span>as it showed I was t<\/i><\/span><\/span>aking a big step in my driver development, <\/i><\/span><\/span>particularly having my driving coach, James Winslow, and his knowledge of Estoril, there to help me all week.\"<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

As the track was still wet when it came time to qualify on Saturday, King \u2014 who had been posting the fastest times in similar conditions \u2014 <\/span><\/span>was <\/span><\/span>sent out <\/span><\/span>first <\/span><\/span>to provide a jumpstart to the Virage trio's pursuit of pole position. <\/span><\/span>The #14 car <\/span><\/span>started on wet tyres but, even <\/span><\/span>on the<\/span><\/span> out lap, <\/span><\/span>King <\/span><\/span>noticed <\/span><\/span>that there were<\/span><\/span> dry patches appearing and a dry line starting to come through. <\/span><\/span>Pitting straight away to give his newly-fitted slick tyres proper chance to heat up, King rightfully surmised that the last laps of the session would be the quickest, even if he ultimately missed out top spot.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"For much of<\/i><\/span><\/span> the session, I was P1 overall <\/i><\/span><\/span>by<\/i><\/span><\/span> a good margin,<\/i><\/span><\/span>\"<\/i><\/span><\/span> he grimaced, <\/span><\/span>\"but, t<\/i><\/span><\/span>owards the end, <\/i><\/span><\/span>I was <\/i><\/span><\/span>swapping <\/i><\/span><\/span>top spot on a<\/i><\/span><\/span> lap-by-lap <\/i><\/span><\/span>basis <\/i><\/span><\/span>with <\/i><\/span><\/span>the more experienced<\/i><\/span><\/span> Perino. On the final lap, I <\/i><\/span><\/span>claim<\/i><\/span><\/span>ed <\/i><\/span><\/span>provisional<\/i><\/span><\/span> pole, <\/i><\/span><\/span>but had been <\/i><\/span><\/span>held up by slower <\/i><\/span><\/span>cars<\/i><\/span><\/span>, <\/i><\/span><\/span>and<\/i><\/span><\/span> was <\/i><\/span><\/span>eventually<\/i><\/span><\/span> beaten to <\/i><\/span><\/span>top spot<\/i><\/span><\/span> in my session by 0.04 seconds as Per<\/i><\/span><\/span>in<\/i><\/span><\/span>o had no traffic\u2026<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"While it was v<\/span><\/span>ery frustrating to know I could\u2019ve <\/span><\/span>had<\/span><\/span> pole by some margin, the super qualifying session<\/span><\/span>s<\/span><\/span> from <\/span><\/span>my <\/span><\/span>team-mates Vyacheslav Gutak and <\/span><\/span>M<\/span><\/span>anuel <\/span><\/span>\u2014 who used a<\/span><\/span> completely dry <\/span><\/span>track to <\/span><\/span>set <\/span><\/span>a<\/span><\/span> new lap record <\/span><\/span>\u2014 meant we still <\/span><\/span>got P1 with the combined results, <\/span><\/span>so I was s<\/span><\/span>uper happy with qualifying.<\/span><\/span>\"<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Race day <\/span><\/span>dawned <\/span><\/span>unexpected<\/span><\/span>ly<\/span><\/span> dry <\/span><\/span>and, having through his usual pre-race rituals, King was back behind the wheel of the #14 for the start. P<\/span><\/span>laying <\/span><\/span>it cautiously with<\/span><\/span> the championship <\/span><\/span>still at stake, King found <\/span><\/span>the TS Corse car <\/span><\/span>taking<\/span><\/span> the lead <\/span><\/span>into turn one, but remained <\/span><\/span>glued to the rear of the car <\/span><\/span>ahead,<\/span><\/span> piling on the pressure <\/span><\/span>to <\/span><\/span>try to <\/span><\/span>force its driver<\/span><\/span> to use <\/span><\/span>up <\/span><\/span>their tyres <\/span><\/span>more <\/span><\/span>quick<\/span><\/span>ly. <\/span><\/span>After about 30 min<\/span><\/span>ute<\/span><\/span>s of pressur<\/span><\/span>ing his rival, <\/span><\/span>a safety car <\/span><\/span>interruption not only bunched the field, but also allowed the gamblers to<\/span><\/span> box for fuel <\/span><\/span>only, with<\/span><\/span> King<\/span><\/span> go<\/span><\/span>ing<\/span><\/span> longer in the stin<\/span><\/span>t<\/span><\/span> than everyone else.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Almost as soon as the safety car had withdrawn, <\/span><\/span>the TS Corse car had an issue and slowly returned to the <\/span><\/span>pits, allowing King to spend the <\/span><\/span>next <\/span><\/span>couple of<\/span><\/span> laps <\/span><\/span>repassing <\/span><\/span>cars and getting <\/span><\/span>the #14<\/span><\/span> back into the lead, <\/span><\/span>before spending the rest of his stint<\/span><\/span> focusing on saving tyres <\/span><\/span>and<\/span><\/span> fuel <\/span><\/span>while<\/span><\/span> putting in fast and consistent lap times.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"<\/i><\/span><\/span>Exceeding the team\u2019s expectations for lap time and fuel consumption, I was <\/i><\/span><\/span>still<\/i><\/span><\/span> lapping faster than anyone on track and <\/i><\/span><\/span>build<\/i><\/span><\/span>ing a healthy lead,<\/i><\/span><\/span>\"<\/i><\/span><\/span> King reported.<\/span><\/span> \"Throughout<\/i><\/span><\/span> a<\/i><\/span><\/span>n<\/i><\/span><\/span> hour and 50 minute<\/i><\/span><\/span>s, a<\/i><\/span><\/span>ll of my laps <\/i><\/span><\/span>except those spent passing slower cars<\/i><\/span><\/span> <\/i>were<\/i><\/span><\/span> within half a second of each other. <\/i><\/span><\/span>I<\/i><\/span><\/span> <\/i>j<\/i><\/span><\/span>umped out happy with my performance and, <\/i><\/span><\/span>obviously, with<\/i><\/span><\/span> how the race was going.<\/i><\/span><\/span>\"<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Gut<\/span><\/span>av <\/span><\/span>then produced <\/span><\/span>a stint <\/span><\/span>on a par with King's, before Espirito Santo showed all of his experience<\/span><\/span> to erase the deficit that kept arising due to the #14 crew's mandatory pit-stop time.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"<\/i><\/span><\/span>Over the course of the race, some of the other <\/i><\/span><\/span>team<\/i><\/span><\/span>s <\/i><\/span><\/span>could stop for up to two minutes less<\/i><\/span><\/span> than us due to them having a Bronze-rated driver in the car,<\/i><\/span><\/span>\"<\/i><\/span><\/span> King explained. <\/span><\/span>\"<\/i><\/span><\/span>That <\/i><\/span><\/span>'<\/i><\/span><\/span>penalty<\/i><\/span><\/span>'<\/i><\/span><\/span> makes it even more of a struggle for us to get a good result <\/i><\/span><\/span>and, c<\/i><\/span><\/span>oming into the final part of the race, we were 15secs behind the lead car. <\/i><\/span><\/span>C<\/i><\/span><\/span>onsidering the extra time we ha<\/i><\/span><\/span>d<\/i><\/span><\/span> to stop for, <\/i><\/span><\/span>i<\/i><\/span><\/span>t was incredible <\/i><\/span><\/span>that <\/i><\/span><\/span>we were that close.<\/i><\/span><\/span>\"<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

To add to the drama, t<\/span><\/span>he rain <\/span><\/span>returned for the final laps;<\/span><\/span> n<\/span><\/span>ot heavy enough for rain tyres, but heavy enough for <\/span><\/span>the track surface to become<\/span><\/span> slipp<\/span><\/span>ery<\/span><\/span> and lap times to <\/span><\/span>rise. <\/span><\/span>Espirito Santo<\/span><\/span> pressed on <\/span><\/span>regardless, eventually catching<\/span><\/span> the lead<\/span><\/span>er<\/span><\/span> on the final lap to set up a <\/span><\/span>dash to the line. <\/span><\/span>The Portuguese driver<\/span><\/span> kept <\/span><\/span>his<\/span><\/span> foot <\/span><\/span>planted <\/span><\/span>on the accelerator<\/span><\/span> out of the last corner <\/span><\/span>to cross the line by the slimmest of margins, especially <\/span><\/span>in endurance racing.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"<\/i><\/span><\/span>The whole team exploded in celebration,<\/i><\/span><\/span>\"<\/i><\/span><\/span> King smiled. <\/span><\/span>\"<\/i><\/span><\/span>With it being <\/i><\/span><\/span>M<\/i><\/span><\/span>anuel<\/i><\/span><\/span>'<\/i><\/span><\/span>s home race, a lot of his family and friends were there, <\/i><\/span><\/span>and it<\/i><\/span><\/span> felt good to share th<\/i><\/span><\/span>e<\/i><\/span><\/span> win with them. I\u2019m over the moon with the performance: <\/i><\/span><\/span>f<\/i><\/span><\/span>rom start to <\/i><\/span><\/span>finish,<\/i><\/span><\/span> nothing went wrong <\/i><\/span><\/span>all week<\/i><\/span><\/span>. The car ran faultlessly and felt mega all the time, <\/i><\/span><\/span>especially o<\/i><\/span><\/span>n new tyres <\/i><\/span><\/span>\u2014<\/i><\/span><\/span> and <\/i><\/span><\/span>even <\/i><\/span><\/span>when they were going off <\/i><\/span><\/span>\u2014<\/i><\/span><\/span> we could always do the lap times <\/i><\/span><\/span>we wanted, so t<\/i><\/span><\/span>hanks to the whole team and <\/i><\/span><\/span>our <\/i><\/span><\/span>sponsors <\/i><\/span><\/span>for making it possible.\"<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

King returns to action in r<\/span><\/span>ound five of the Ligier European Series at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium over the weekend of 23-24 September.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

George King and his Team Virage co-drivers defied the lengthy Ultimate Cup Series hiatus to return to the top step of the podium in thrilling fashion at Estoril in Portugal over the weekend. Having narrowly missed out on a second victory of the season after a thrilling fightback at Hockenheim came up just short, King […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":341,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,4],"tags":[37,6,26,31,22,38,29,30,39],"class_list":["post-339","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest","category-race-report","tag-estoril","tag-george-king","tag-ligier","tag-lmp3","tag-podium","tag-race-win","tag-team-virage","tag-ultimate-cup-series","tag-victory"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gkracing.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/339","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gkracing.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gkracing.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gkracing.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gkracing.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=339"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.gkracing.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/339\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":346,"href":"https:\/\/www.gkracing.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/339\/revisions\/346"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gkracing.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/341"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gkracing.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=339"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gkracing.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=339"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gkracing.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=339"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}