PICTURE PERFECT WINTER TESTING IN PORTIMÃO

In mid-February, the team travelled out to Portimão in Portugal for the second year in a row, to carry out winter testing on our two Mclaren GT4s.

Taking charge of the most important job of the week was Team Truckie Rob Willshire, who drove the team’s prized Mclarens more than 1500 miles from their home in Dunsfold, Surrey to the Algarve in our brand new trailer.

The test event, run by Black Falcon Motorsport, sees teams from all over the world arriving at the iconic Autodromo Internacional Algarve for the opportunity to test on the stunning track in perfect conditions with very few other cars on the track.

Engineering Director Al Locke took crew members JJ, Drew, Brandon and Charlie for three days of continuous testing. Monday and Tuesday were all about set up, preparing the garage to simulate real race conditions.

Drivers Chris Overend and James Whitley were first on track on Wednesday and Thursday, experiencing driving their Mclaren for the first time, gaining valuable track time ahead of their debut entry in the British Endurance Championship.

On Friday, Bobby Trundley returned to the Portuguese track for the second consecutive year, but was sadly unable to drive his McLaren for long before an engine fault ended his time on track. Thankfully, with another McLaren on board, he switched over and continued with his testing, even taking some special VIP guests out for a spin.

With two new crew members, the test was as important for the crew as it was for the drivers. Mechanics Drew and Brandon are entirely new to racing, so spent time learning the set up of the cars, how to master pit stops and the regulations of each championship.

Al Locke explains: “Winter testing is now a key part of our calendar. Preparation is a critical part of racing, and with so many factors impacting on a car’s performance, gathering data and feedback in conditions similar to those we can expect in the UK from May onwards is so important.

“By travelling to a warmer climate, we can analyse how the car will perform in mild, dry temperatures. It’s also a chance for us to drive on a quiet track, without the busy distractions of a race, so that drivers can get to grips with a car, we can perfect our set ups, and the crew can carry out real-time race simulations.

“Overall it was a massive success. Chris and James took to driving the McLaren fantastically well and it was a vital learning opportunity for the crew. It was a shame that Bobby didn’t get much time in the car he’ll be racing, but we quickly got him back out in the BEC car so he spent an entire day on one of the best tracks in Europe.”