George Grant is hopeful of maintaining upward momentum when his efforts to raise awareness for official Armed Forces charity Mission Motorsport resume at Thruxton this weekend (September 20).

 

Despite having no experience of the fearsome 2.356-mile circuit, an awe-inspiring 1970 encounter with two-time F1 champion Graham Hill left the GGR Motorsport driver with fond memories of the Hampshire track, which plays host to round seven of the MaX5 Racing Championship.

 

Notwithstanding his lack of familiarity of Thruxton, some pre-season testing tips from former Formula One driver Tiff Needell will surely help George master its fast, sweeping turns and further boost his confidence following a career-best performance at Snetterton.

 

And while Grant will admit that his car has struggled for traction throughout 2014, the former airfield’s lack of slow-speed corners will still prove another challenge.

 

“As I’ve never raced there before, to say I’m a little tentative is an understatement,” admits Grant. “Nevertheless, I’m extremely excited about getting on track, even though it’ll be a challenging weekend. With minimal low-speed corners it’s vital to ensure your exits are clean, particularly through the Campbell-Cobb chicane as you’re on full-throttle through most of the lap that follows.

 

“It’s no secret that we’ve struggled in a straight line this season compared to the frontrunners, but we can compensate for a lack of power by ensuring we scrub off minimum speed through the circuit’s quicker bends. It’ll certainly be a challenging weekend.”

 

A pair of top-15 finishes three weeks ago suggests there is nothing wrong with Grant’s racecraft, although the long turns of Goodwood and Church are sure to test Mission Motorsport’s crew as they try to solve recent tyre issues.

 

George also knows that a smooth weekend is required in order to have any chance of cracking the top-10 following difficulties during testing with his Mk3 MX-5 at Brands Hatch and Snetterton, respectively.

 

“I really think we should be competing with the harder compound on such a demanding layout,” Grant adds. “It’s a tricky compromise between feeling comfortable and managing degradation, so being gentle on the tyres is a priority. Hopefully we’ll have a trouble-free weekend, as testing issues have compromised qualifying in the last two rounds.”

 

His focus will also be on the approaching Race of Remembrance event at Anglesey Circuit in November, an eight-hour endurance contest which combines the annual period of reflection with motorsport.

 

“It’s a challenge in every possible way, but it’s one I relish for such a great cause,” concludes the GGR Motorsport driver. “We’re close to confirming our final driver line-ups, with former BRSCC champion Rob Boston hopefully making an appearance.”

 

In the meantime, Grant’s priority is on maximising his full potential in the Hampshire countryside as he seeks a strong season run-in.

 

MaX5 Racing Championship schedule: Thruxton

 

Saturday 20 September
Qualifying: 11:00 – 11:20
Race 1: 14:05 – 14:25
Race 2: 17:10 – 17:30