Team Abba Racing claimed a second podium, on its return to the Intelligent Money British GT Championship at Oulton Park this weekend (11th/12th September).
Despite a disappointing qualifying on the Saturday for the father and son pairing, Richard and Sam Neary finished second in race one in their AMG GT3 Mercedes and first in the Silver AM class in both the races.
Demonstrating different racing strengths, in the one-hour pitstop race, Richard immediately made an impact, taking the Team Abba Racing Mercedes from P6 to P5 and then P3. Finally squeezing through a near impossible gap on the way into Island bend, Richard took P2 just before the driver change.
After a slick driver change, Sam Neary left the pits in P2 on the tail of the Ram Racing Mercedes of Tom Onslow-Cole. Unable to keep pace with the Ram Mercedes, which was on new tyres, Sam was left to embark on a 20-minute dalliance with the chasing Barwell Lamborghini of Dennis Lind.
In a heart stopping battle Sam stuck his elbows out wide and didn’t miss a beat, despite the Lamborghini’s consistent efforts to pass. Neary eventually brought the car home 0.7 sec ahead to claim P2.
By race two, the weather had changed, and it started behind the safety car in the wet. Sam, starting from the back of the grid, lifted the car to P8 and then Richard took it to P5, despite failed wiper blades, before dropping back down the order to take P7.
A great return to the BGT Championship for Team Abba Racing after Spa and missing Snetterton.
The final British GT Championship will see a return to Donington Park on 16th and 17th October 2021.
In 2020 Sam Neary proved a revelation during his maiden British GT campaign and his ability in wet and changeable conditions was comparable with far more experienced factory drivers, while his pace in the dry also took a notable step forward as the season progressed.
This year Sam was selected to join the Motorsport UK Academy’s Team UK Futures programme, the governing body’s talent development pathway that equips the UK’s most promising young drivers with the knowledge, skills and attitude needed to maximise their performance https://www.motorsportuk.org/news/motorsport-uk-academy-selections-2021/
This year nineteen-year-old Sam has joined the British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) as a Rising Star. The BRDC Rising Stars are aged under 24 and viewed as the `future of the club’, taking their motor racing seriously and aiming for a professional career within the sport.
Commenting on the prestigious appointment Sam Neary said: “This is a huge honour, and I am very pleased to know that my achievements to date having been recognised by such an influential organisation; I am really looking forward to representing the BRDC.”
More information about Sam Neary is available at www.samnearyracing.com