Sumo Power GT – Nurburgring Race Report 2

29th August 2010
Nürburgring, Germany
FIA GT1 World Championship – Round Six, Nürburgring
Championship Race report
Both Sumo Power GT Nissan GT-Rs fought their way through the field in a tough round six of the FIA GT1 World Championship at Nürburgring. Car 22, driven by Warren Hughes and Jamie Campbell-Walter, climbed from 16th on the gird up to animpressive eighth and car 23, driven by Michael Krumm and Peter Dumbreck, went from 20th to 15th, in a race that featured some hard, panel-beating action.
With the results of  race one determining the grid positions for the main Championship Race, it was always going to be a tough call for both of the Sumo Power GT Nissans to claim
a top-ten place. The task was thought to be even harder following the morning’s warm-up session, with drivers reporting difficulty in getting the right amount of heat in the tyres.
Beginning the race from 16th on the grid, Hughes in car 22 made a great start and powered past four cars on the run up to the turn one. Four places further back, Krumm in car 23 was eager to keep out of trouble and avoid another first corner incident that put him and Dumbreck out of race one.

At the end of the first lap, Hughes was up to 12th and Krumm 18th, both cars making good progress – with Hughes even moving up another place on lap four. However, Krumm was now stuck in traffic and, unwillingly trading paint with the cars around him, was nudged into a spin and dropped back to 20th on lap five.
A combination of his Nissan handling well, coupled with others dropping out, saw Hughes climb into the top-ten and up to ninth before the mandatory pit stop to change drivers and tyres on lap 13. Even nursing a suspected slow puncture from one of the earlier clashes, Krumm was also overtaking and climbed to 17th before he pulled into the pits.
The stops for both cars were carried out in under 30 seconds, but unfortunately some of the team’s good work in the pits was undone as each of its Nissans re-joined the race in slower traffic. Once all the cars had stopped and the true positions we displayed on the timing screens, it was revealed that Campbell-Walter, who had taken over from Hughes, was in 10th and Dumbreck, who had replaced Krumm, was in 18th.
Campbell-Walter was happy with the pace of his Nissan and, on lap 19, went past the similar car of Henry Moser in one of his hallmark out-braking manoeuvres. This, coupled with a drive-through penalty applied to a car in front, moved the Sumo Power GT driver up to eighth place. He then spent the rest of the race ensuring that the pursuing Maserati did not get past and was pleased to cross the line in a top ten – and more importantly – a points-scoring position.
Once his tyres bedded in, Dumbreck also found himself making up places and, even as light rain started to fall, he was able to hunt-down slower cars ahead of him and get past, ending the race in 15th position. Although not the result he and Krumm were looking for, the speed of their car suggested that by starting higher on the grid, a top-ten finish would have been achievable.
Overall, the race saw a considerable amount of ‘contact’ between other cars and therefore, the Sumo Power GT team was pleased that both its Nissans came away relatively unscathed. First place went to Darren Turner and Tomas Enge, who took their Aston Martin to its second win of the weekend.
The outcome for Sumo Power GT means that it now lies 6th in the Teams’ standings, with Hughes and Campbell-Walter 12th and Krumm and Dumbreck 13th in the Drivers’ Championship. The team now turns its attentions to round seven, which takes place at the Portimao track in the Algarve on 18 & 19 September.
The team gave their thoughts on the result of the championship race afterwards:
Michael Krumm – Driver Car 23
“Even though I tried to keep out of the way, because I was overtaking I became involved with quite a lot of contact at the start of the race. I think this must have damaged a wheel or a tyre and from then on the car wasn’t 100%. It could have been a better weekend for us, but I know from our times that the car can be good, so I’m now looking forward to the next round in Portugal.”
Peter Dumbreck – Driver Car 23
“Once I was able to get some heat into the tyres I was pleased with the pace of the car and was able to start overtaking. Our lap times were consistent and, if it wasn’t for the low start position and the problems that come with that, I’m sure we would have finished in the top ten.”
Warren Hughes – Driver Car 22
“We made a few changes to the car after yesterday’s race and it felt better. I was able to get a really good start and then catch and pass the cars ahead of me. Our race-pace doesn’t seem to be a problem. At the moment its our qualifying that needs work, so if we can get that right, I’m sure we’ll be running at the front again.”
Jamie Campbell-Walter – Driver Car 22
“Our lap times were not far off the leading cars in the end. I’m really pleased we’ve been able to get into the points again, which is good for us and the team. Although grip levels could have been a bit better, it was a good race and, if we can get on top of things for qualifying, then I think we’ve cracked it.”
Nigel Stepney – Team Manager
“There’s no doubt that both cars had the speed in the race, but fighting through from the back is always going to make things difficult. There’s more pace to come from the cars. We know what areas we have to work on and we’ve now got three weeks to do it.”
James Rumsey – Team Principal
“It’s good to finish in the points, with one car, but the pace of both was good. If qualifying and yesterday’s race had gone better for us then there’s no doubt the outcome would be different today. I’m pleased that it was another good all-round effort from the team.”

Sumo Power GT – Nurburgring Race One Report

28th August 2010
Nürburgring, Germany
FIA GT1 World Championship – Qualifying and race one report
Nürburgring – 28 & 29 August 2010

With car 22 finishing 16th and car 23 retiring on lap one following a first corner incident, the outcome of the today’s race at Nürburgring was not the one the Sumo Power GT team had hoped for.

Having been pleased with the performance of its two Nissan GT-Rs in Friday’s practice sessions – in conditions that were either dry, wet or very wet – the team were optimistic about their chances for the qualifying session followed by the first of the weekend’s two hour-long races. But, with thetrack still damp from the overnight rain, grip was intermittent and therefore, getting tyres up to the optimum temperature was the major factor in posting a good time.

Car 23 achieved this, with Michael Krumm setting fourth fastest time and lining up Peter Dumbreck for Q2. In contrast, Warrren Hughes in car 22 was unable to get a clear lap with tyres at the right temperature and ended Q1 in 19th place. A similar fate then befe
ll Dumbreck and he missed a slot in Q3 by just 0.09 second, ending the session in ninth place.
This afternoon’s race began in dry conditions and, without an opportunity to take part in qualifying, Jamie Campbell-Walter started in car 22 having only driven in wet conditions. Dumbreck started in car 23 and, as the 23-strong field headed towards the first corner, he was pushed towards the inside of the track and had to take to the pit lane exit and then the grass to avoid a collision.
Having made up five places in the process, he then squeezed his way back onto the tarmac only to find the cars in front breaking heavily for turn one. But, with the pack all around him, he found he had nowhere to go other than into the back of Darren Turner’s Aston Martin. This sent the Nissan into a spin and, sat in the middle of the track, Dumbreck’s car was then hit by another Aston Martin.
After nursing it back to the pits, the team decided to withdraw car 23 from the race, although it was later found that fortunately, most of the damage was only cosemetic and confined to the bodywork, nothing mechanical.
In the meantime, Campbell-Walter was getting down to business and, within two laps had fought his way up to 13th place. He then closed on the Maserati of Alex Müller and for the remainder of his stint, trying everything he could to get past. But with Müller being extremely defensive, Campbell-Walter reported it would have been impossible to overtake without causing an accident.
After coming in for the compulsory pit stop to change drivers and tyres, Hughes joined the race in 11th place and set about getting into the top ten. But then, as it had done many times during the weekend, the weather changed and on lap 17 rain started to fall.
Initially Hughes found the Nissan behaved reasonably well on slicks and
therefore, as others pitted to swap onto wet-pattern tyres, he moved up the leader-board to sixth. As quickly as it came, the rain then stopped and, having started in 19th place, with nothing to lose the team opted to keep Hughes out on his dry-weather tyres.
Whilst this could have been the right decision at the time, as it transpired, the water on the track surface did not drain away and, for the rest of the race, Hughes drove superbly to keep the car on the track. However, with others making the most of their wet-weather tyres, the Nissan driver was relieved to cross the line in 16th place. The race was eventually won by Darren Turner and Tomas Enge in their Aston Martin.
The team members gave their afterthoughts on the days proceedings.
Peter Dumbreck – Driver Car 23
“I had a good start and got alongside the cars head of me, only to be pushed off the track. Therefore, when I rejoined there were cars all around me braking hard for the first corner and I just couldn’t slow down quick enough. It’s a great shame as I think we would have had a chance of a top three place.”
Michael Krumm – Driver Car 23
“There’s nothing worse for a driver than not being able to drive, so it’s disappointing for me and the team that we didn’t get very far. But this was a racing incident and all we can do now is look forward to tomorrow’s main race.”
Jamie Campbell-Walter – Driver Car 22
“Although I hadn’t driven the car in the dry before the race, it felt good straight away and I was easily able to catch cars ahead of me. But the Maserati would not let me past and I’m not very happy with the way I was stopped from overtaking. So of the moves were far too aggressive.”
Warren Hughes – Driver Car 22
“Wow. That was tricky – staying on slicks in the rain – but although we had very little grip the car felt controllable so it was worth a try. It would have been interesting to know if we could have finished higher having changed onto wet tyres, but at least we start in a higher position tomorrow than we did today.”
Nigel Stepney – New Team Manager
“Jamie and Warren did the best they could given the grid position and the decision to keep going on slicks. It was worth a gamble, but with the track not drying out did not work as we’d hoped. As far as car 23 is concerned, in racing as competitive as it is in this championship, a first corner incident is always a possibility. It’s just a shame that we were involved. At least we have saved our tyres for tomorrow’s main race! ”
James Rumsey – Team Principal
“It wasn’t the day we were hoping for, but all of the drivers have reported that without problems the cars are capable of getting closer to the front. However, to do that tomorrow it’s going to be a case of fighting our way through, which we’ve done before. It will be an interesting race, that’s for sure.”

Sumo Power GT – Nigel Stepney takes over

27th August 2010

Rye, East Sussex, England


Sumo Power GT have officially announced that Nigel Stepney has been appointed their new Team Manager. The highly experienced race engineer takes over from Allen Orchard and will lead the team for the remaining five rounds in this year’s FIA GT1 World Championship.
The move comes at the season’s mid-way point following Mr. Orchard’s resignation from Sumo Power GT’s holding company JRM-Group earlier this week. Executive Director and Team Principal James Rumsey said: “We are disappointed to lose Allen, but I understand his wish to further his career in other areas of motorsport. I would like to thank him for all the work he has done during his time with us and wish him every success for the future.”
“I am delighted that Nigel has accepted the position of Team Manager and see this as a significant step in the progression of Sumo Power GT. I am sure that with the experience he brings with him, we will be able to build on the considerable success the team has already achieved.”
Mr. Stepney takes over ahead of this weekend’s round six of the global GT Championship at Nürburgring in Germany. He has worked with NISMO (Nissan Motorsports International Co. Ltd.), the team’s partner in the GT1 project, since its specially constructed Nissan GT-Rs started racing in 2009.
He then Joined Sumo Power GT when it acquired the cars in January this year.
A former F1 Chief Mechanic, having worked with drivers such as Ayton Senna and Michael Shumacher, Mr. Stepney possess a wealth of technical knowledge and hands-on experience at the highest level in the sport. Having accepted the offer to move from his previous role as Chief Engineer to Team Manager he said: “The GT programme has been a new challenge for me and I’m therefore delighted to be offered the Team Manager’s position. I look forward to continuing to develop the cars and the team as a whole and to build on the success we’ve already achieved in what is a relatively short space of time.”