2014  International & Single Seater News News of WRDA members who are competing in the International & Single Seater arena.

Andy Meyrick clinches second place in Blancpain Endurance Series Drivers Championship and M-Sport Bentley takes 2^nd place in Team Championship on their series debut season! (report by Rob Allender)

Singing in the rain? Wagnerian weather hits the race!

Meanwhile in the main event the weekend the 'I-Racing.com Nurburgring 1000km', Andy Meyrick, his team-mates Guy Smith,  Steven Kane & the M-Sport Bentley team were in with a chance of winning the Blancpain Endurance Championship at their first attempt with the GT3 Bentley Continental! Although this years’ race was on the painful Grand Prix track, Andy must be one of the only modern British drivers to have a legitimate link with the glory days of the 1000km of Moss, Surtess, Ferrari & Phil Hills' legendary win with the Chaparral 2D-Chevrolet,  as he has qualified & raced on the full 22.810 km long Nordschleife Northern Loop (in his Aston Martin days). On Saturday, before qualifying, Andy was showing that driving is not the only duty that comes with being a ‘Professional’ racing driver, as he recorded a piece for Mobil 1, one of teams sponsors!

Having to do take after take, as the director wanted Andy to say or do something different, would have tested the patience of many a professional actor! However Andy took it all in his stride, showing what a consummate professional he is.

(see the results here http://t.co/6E78FY6Y1E ) (photo left Andy faces the camera)

After the filming was over Andy revealed how pleased he and the team were to be in contention for the title, bearing in mind the strength of the opposition. However after qualifying started, the fickle Eifel weather did it’s worst and after torrential rain has soaked the track, Andy and the team  were stranded down in 25^th place with their sister car in 36^th place. On Sunday, the weather was worse, causing the F Renault race to be cancelled, and the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo race started and ended with long safety car periods! Starting the race in joint second in the Teams Championship and third in the Drivers, the team knew that they would have to fight hard to improve their standing. With the whole grid on wets Guy Smith took the first stint and confirmed "My two-hour stint at the start was one of the toughest I've ever driven – the track was soaking, everyone was struggling for grip and we didn't have the perfect setup. Andy, whose 2^nd stint driving has been rock solid all year, had a difficult time "We knew today would be difficult, but the conditions on the track exceeded even those expectations. Guy did a great job keeping us in the top ten before he handed the car to me, but while I was happy enough with my speed on track, I had a spin and a really unfortunate drive-through penalty which hampered our progress!" Steven Kane finished the race and made a vital overtaking pass in the last 30 minutes: "I was lucky enough to get to drive the car on a drying track, and at the mid-point of my stint we made the call to switch to slicks. The car was instantly one of the fastest on the track, and I could push hard to chase down the Triple Eight car that was ahead of me. It was only after I got past him that the team told that it was his fifth-in-class place that we needed to secure second place in the championship! It's been a phenomenal season and I'm looking forward to celebrating."