Last-lap drama brings Maiden win in Jordan celebration meet

Driving the ex-riccardo Patrese Brabham BT49D-18, Historic Formula One rookie Christian Glasel became the fifth winner in six rounds of the FIA Thoroughbred Grand Prix Championship at Donington Park on September 3.

The 27-year-old German snatched the lead from Steve Hitchins’ ex-Nigel Mansell Lotus 91-10 with a brave lunge in heavy traffic within 200 metres of the chequered flag of the BEA Systems Trophy race, highlight of a programme celebrating 10 years of the Jordan Grand Prix team. Glasel’s manoeuvre was not the major drama on the last lap though. Spaniard Joaquin Folch had his elusive maiden TGP win in the bag until the Cramer Curves when, with an eight-second cushion to the duelling Hitchins and Glasel, he tripped over debutant Philipp Brunn’s Lotus 81B.

Folch recovered to finish fourth, behind the six-wheeled Tyrrell of Martin Stretton, who is now dose to his second ‘TGP title. Williams trio John Wilson (FW08-09), Aaron Hsu and Steve Allen (FWO7B-07 and 08 respectively) were next. Stretton takes a 10-point lea to the TGP finale at the Niirburgring Eifel Klassik on September 29-October 1, where a three-lap demonstration on the Nordschleife will be a feature. James Denty christened the ex-Jock Russell Lotus 70 Formula 5000 car, newly restored by his father Peter, with a superb victory over Bobby Bell’s BRM P153 in Donington’s Classic GP race for cars built up to 1972. The Surtees TS9B of John Bladon beat Frank Lyons’ TS9 (see sidebar) into fourth place. MP