LMS Round 1 Circuit de Catalunya Spain

LMS Round 2 Monza, Italy

LMS Round 3 Spa-Franchorchamps, Belgium

LMS Round 4 Nurburgring, Germany

LMS Round 5 Silverstone, Great Britain

ACO Extra Event Shanghai

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LMS Round 1 1000 Kms of Catalunya

The development of the JWA over the winter was severely tested at the first LMS event in Barcelona in early April. The team had almost doubled in size as we were to run a brand new Aston Martin Vantage alongside last years successfully campaigned Porsche 997 GT3RSR. JWA were not the only team to be running two different cars as Farnbacher had a Ferrari/Porsche mix just a few garages up the pit lane.

Aston Martin Vantage GT2

A fine looking vehicle delivered to Barcelona by Aston Martin Racing. This chassis X02 a development car supplied as an interim measure while the actual race car was being finished. Drivers this weekend were Alan van der Merwe a former F1 test driver with Honda, Stephane Lemeret from Belgium with a great GT pedigree who cut his teeth in one make racing, finally Danish touring car ace Michael Outzen. This was the first time these drivers had worked with each other and with JWA and it has to be acknowledged how professional and team oriented they went about their job. It was great to work in such a team that gelled really well.

The Aston's first run in practice was a little delayed as a fuelling issue was sorted out. But thereafter the car ran as well as can be expected first time out. No major issues but some handling problems attributed to a change of tyre construction. It did look and sound great. The drivers were all well matched and the car was just outside the top eight in all three free practices and in qualifying the steady hand of Alan van der Merwe slotted the car into ninth.

Much thought and detail was invested in getting the best out of the car for the coming race but this all came to nought when a minor engine malady during Sunday morning warm up ruled the Aston out of the race. We will certainly be back .

Porsche 997 GT3 RSR

Usual driver and car owner Paul Daniels was joined by finnish pairing Mikael Forsten and Markus Palttala. Mikael is better known as a horseman but he was certainly not bad with over four hundred horses beneath his right foot.

Another great team developed here over the weekend with Markus the professional just having to cede to his countryman Forsten the title of quickest in the car and thus the chance to qualify and start the race. The car was still in 07 spec and thus suffered a little from lack of speed in comparison to the front running cars but a race long battle with the lead JMB Ferrari and the two Spykers led to a great eighth place and a first 2008 championship point.

A great team effort earning 1 point - but the icing on the cake came with the publication of the Michelin Energy Endurance Challenge where JWA finished 3rd overall. Prize giving at the next race!!

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LMS Round 2 Monza, Italy

With the delivery of the Aston delayed beyond the start of the Monza event JWA very relucantly decided to travel to Monza with just the Porsche. What a great weekend we had - probably our most competetive weekend yet, however the results do not mirror the effort or the promise.

The driver line up was great - Paul Daniels again joined by Markus Palttala and newcomer to JWA Tim Sugden, his first time in a 997 RSR! The car was in great form - the new 08 gearbox and suspension having been fitted post Barcelona. The free practice showed perfect progression as the team worked on setup for the race - Practice 1 sixth in class, practice 2 fifth in class and in practice 3 fourth in class. The set up for qualifying just worked against us as the temperature on track rose more than expected thus the JWA porsche only managed 7th place but we knew that we had a very good set up for the race.

We must make mention of the giant strides being taken by car owner Paul Daniels who for the first time had lapped Monza quicker than his great rival Lars-Erik Nielsen. Much to the delight of one of Lars' own team who won a tenner! Paul then went even quicker in Sunday morning warm up just failing to get into the 1 minute 53s.

The race start saw Markus tag onto the train of GT2 cars in P7 and as the first round of pitstops the excellent Dunlop tyres were left on to do a double stint and Markus stayed at the wheel saving at least 17 seconds and putting the JWA porsche up into P4. Lap 52 and Markus was in to hand over the car to Tim Sugden. Tim was now a little out of sync with the other GT2 runners but as the 3rd hour ended we were P2 and just 31 seconds down on the Narac/Lietz Porsche on which we were gaining at about three tenths per lap. Another double stint on tyres and driver before Tim handed over to Paul who immediately hit a problem picking up a right rear puncture on his out lap. Back into the pits for a new set of tyres and back to the race. This delay dropped the JWA Porsche back into the gaggle of following Spykers and JMB Ferrari at the tail of the points scoring positions.

The JWA car still had one more stop to make and it was to be Palttala to take the car to the finish which he was doing in style until a damper problem surfaced shortly after the pace car period for Stephane Ortellis accident. A 20 minute pitstop to sort the damper saw the car just failing to keep the recovering Lieb/Davison car behind but you have to take the chequered flag to finish these long distance races so we did - finishing ninth. It was to be later sitting in the airport that we heard that our decision to take the flag had paid dividend when the leading IMSA Porsche was disqualified and the leading Spyker declined to take the flag promoting us to P7 and 2 points.

Our position in the Michelin Energy Endurance Challenge was also compromised by our long pit stop - 20 minutes of unburned fuel counting against us placing us 26th with only 14 points. This reverse dropping us from 3rd in the overall standings to 9th but still the leading GT2 car. Spa is only two weeks away so we will be very busy in the workshop!

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