BGTC: Brands Hatch: Jeremy Metcalfre preview

JEREMY METCALFE -- BRITISH GT BRANDS HATCH GP PREVIEW

Equal third in the 2008 Avon Tyres British GT Championship standings with 10 rounds of the season completed, Hampshire's Jeremy Metcalfe heads to Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit this coming weekend, 12th/13th July, aiming to continue his impressive debut sportscar campaign with yet another podium result -- and preferably his second win.

Claiming a superb second place finish during the most recent race at his local track, Thruxton near Andover, just over a week ago, the 20-year-old from Fleet is hungrier than ever to climb back onto the top step of the rostrum and sees the challenging GP layout at Brands Hatch in Kent as an ideal opportunity to achieve his aim.

Already a race winner in 2008 thanks to a stunning performance at Knockhill in April, Jeremy and CR Scuderia team-mate Luke Hines head into the final four rounds of the championship with their sights set on pressurising the Viper Competition Coupe of series leaders James Gornall and Jon Barnes.

Ahead of the weekend's action, Jeremy said: "I'm really looking forward to racing the Ferrari on the Grand Prix layout at Brands, it's a fantastic circuit and ought to be a strong track for the team as it should suit our cars well.

"The second race at Thruxton was great and although I was happy to take another podium with the runner-up spot, I really wanted the win and I think we did have a chance to challenge for it had circumstances worked in our favour a little better. It was a pretty good weekend overall though."

Confident the CRS squad will be strong this weekend at Brands Hatch, Jeremy and his team-mate need to ensure the championship leading Trimite Brookspeed Viper is less than 20 points ahead in the standings at the conclusion of round 12 on Sunday to keep the title battle alive into the penultimate meeting of the year at Silverstone in mid-August.

"Behind the Viper of Gornall and Barnes we're next in the championship and we'll be fighting hard to make sure the title chase stays open into the first two-hour race of the season at Silverstone", added the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC) Rising Star, "I'm confident we'll have a good chance to do that, hopefully things will work out well for us."

The Avon Tyres British GT Championship runners will have a 75 minute practice session at Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit on Saturday, 12th July, at 09.00 with qualifying set to follow at 13.05. The first of the weekend's races, round 11, will then commence at approximately 16.45. Round 12 is scheduled for Sunday, 13th July, at 14.15.

Television coverage of rounds nine and 10 from Thruxton, meanwhile, will be screened on Freeview, digital satellite and cable channel Motors TV on Saturday, 12th July, at 18.00,while Channel 4 will broadcast footage onSunday, 13th July, at 07.30.Please check listings for further details regarding replays on Motors TV.

-credit: jeremymetcalfe.com