Ongoing MSA appeal sees GT3 standings remain provisional until further notice

The 2018 British GT Championship’s GT3 Drivers’ and Teams’ standings will remain provisional until further notice due to an ongoing appeal concerning the result of Race 1 at Snetterton on May 27.

Following a post-race penalty, Optimum Motorsport immediately explored and then exercised its right to appeal the stewards’ decision to the MSA National Court. The outcome isn’t now expected until after this weekend’s penultimate British GT round at Brands Hatch.

Optimum’s #75 Aston Martin, driven by Flick Haigh and Jonny Adam, originally finished fourth overall at Snetterton but dropped to ninth in the provisional classification following a post-race drive through penalty converted to a 30-second time penalty. That also saw them score two points rather than the 12 they would have received for finishing fourth.

Haigh and Adam therefore provisionally trail championship leaders Jon Minshaw and Phil Keen by 14 points with two races remaining. This would reduce by 10 should the MSA National Court overturn Snetterton’s provisional Race 1 result.

Equally, championship contenders Lee Mowle/Yelmer Buurman and Derek Johnston/Marco Sorensen – as well as several other crews – would both be demoted one position and two points.

It means only victory this weekend will be sufficient for Minshaw/Keen to have a mathematical chance of sealing the title before the MSA rules on Optimum’s appeal. To do so, Haigh/Adam would need to finish ninth or lower, Farmer/Thiim fifth or lower, and Mowle/Buurman fourth or lower.

The GT3 Teams’ championship is also slightly affected, with Barwell Motorsport and TF Sport both set to lose two points should Optimum’s appeal prove successful.