The 21 year old and his team-mate Colin White had a dramatic start to the season over Easter weekend at Oulton Park, with a huge fire causing substantial damage to their Ginetta G55 GT3. A fantastic effort from Ginetta and the IDL Racing with CWS team though meant a new car was built in time for Rockingham.

The weekend didn’t start to plan for the team, with a power-steering problem halting their progress in qualifying. The issue meant the two drivers were unable to complete the number of laps required during the session, meaning they were left demoted to the back of the grid for the race.

The two hour encounter started with White behind the wheel, and a fantastic run saw him take the car from 31^st on the grid up to an impressive 12^th place before the mid-race pitstop. Unfortunately an electrical problem during the driver change cost the team 40 seconds though, meaning Sharp took to track at the bottom of the top 20.

With a lack of running prior to the weekend meaning the car wasn’t fully optimised for the longer encounter, Sharp wasn’t able to push the car forwards as much as he’d hoped to during the second half of the race.

The Ginetta GT Supercup graduate showed great potential though, holding pace with the lead cars for a large part of the stint, before a developing misfire forced him to coast the car home, finishing the race 15^th overall.

Tom Sharp: “Myself and Colin were very impressed with the balance and feel of the new car. Unfortunately mechanical issues pushed us to the back of the grid and it was always going to be difficult from back there. All we wanted from the weekend was a finish and we achieved that. Towards the end of the race, the pace in the car was strong and I was able to hold onto the lead car despite being a lap down, so that gives us confidence heading into Silverstone.”

The next round of the 2013 British GT Championship takes place at the home of British motorsport, Silverstone, on the 25/26 May.

Written by Simon Paice. Image by Jakob Ebrey Photography

21 year old Sharp has joined the British GT series this season, sharing a Ginetta G55 GT3 with Colin White under the IDL Racing with CWS banner. The Ginetta GT Supercup graduate headed into the traditional curtain-raiser over Easter weekend at Oulton Park aiming for a positive start to the season after a tough winter’s testing.

The mechanical woes that blighted the team’s pre-season returned in qualifying though, with throttle issues leaving them a fair way down the order. Sharp went on a charge in race one, with some great pace putting himself and White on the cusp of a top ten finish, before a brief encounter with a tyre stack dropped them down the order to fifteenth.

The second race didn’t start to plan for Sharp, with brake fade restricting his progress through the field. The race then went from bad to worse when White took the wheel, with an exhaust fault causing the car to catch fire in a big way. Fortunately White was able to emerge unscathed, though the same couldn’t be said for the car, which was left completely gutted.

Tom Sharp: “On the whole it was a disappointing debut for us, we have struggled with reliability through testing and unfortunately we were unable to eliminate those issues in time. On the upside the pace is definitely in the car and that gives us confidence for the remainder of the season, and at least the race two fire has given us some quite incredible on-board footage!”

The team are now in a race against time to build practically a brand new car ahead of the next rounds of the 2013 British GT Championship on the 5/6 May at Rockingham International Speedway in Corby, Northamptonshire.

Written by Simon Paice. Image by Jakob Ebrey Photography

The accolade sees Tom endorsed by the BRDC as one of the brightest young prospects in British Motorsport, following his successful two seasons in the Michelin Ginetta GT Supercup, where he took nineteen race wins on the way to two top three championship finishes.

Tom Sharp: “I’m honoured to have been selected to be a part of the programme and to have been selected as one of the brightest young talents in the sport. I am looking forward to taking full advantage of what the programme has to offer.” 

Now in its sixth year, the SuperStars programme assists its members with training programmes and workshops on all aspects of professional motorsport, including help with physical and mental training, career guidance, team building skills, sponsorship advice, PR and marketing and motorsport seminars and workshops with BRDC members.

More information on the BRDC can be found at: http://www.brdc.co.uk/

Written by Simon Paice. Image by Jakob Ebrey Photography.

About the MSA Academy

As the governing body of all four-wheel motor sport, the Motor Sports Association has a duty of care to its young licence holders. The MSA is committed to investing in the training and development of young drivers and has created the MSA Academy framework for this activity.

Under the direction of the MSA’s Performance Director and 2001 WRC champion co-driver Robert Reid, the Academy creates a development pathway that takes competitors from the entry point as young as eight years of age up to national level and ultimately onto the world stage. It provides training, advice, guidance and information for talented young competitors through a series of programmes, including MSA Performance Master Classes, the Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence and the MSA Team UK national development squad.

Yet, as well as creating future champions, the MSA Academy also underlines the MSA’s commitment to the education of young drivers and to providing a safety net at every level for those that ultimately don’t make the grade as world class competitors.

Live on ITV4, the Woking driver charted third, fourth and first place finishes at Norfolk’s Snetterton Park circuit, results which suggest time is running out for the rest of the Ginetta field.

Sharp currently leads the Ginetta standings on 528 points by almost 100 points. Veteran Carl Breeze, expecting to make inroads into Sharp’s lead at his home track, was unable to catch Sharp and remains someway back on 433. Tom Ingram, who failed to finish the meet’s second race, falls to third on 418.

Sharp has led the Ginetta standings for the entirety of the current season, winning nine of the seventeen races held so far this year and remaining the only driver in the top ten to finish every race.

However, recent drives have seen Sharp employ an increasingly measured strategy in his bid to secure the 2012 Michelin Ginetta GT SuperCup title. After five wins in the opening six races, of late, Sharp has concentrated on earning points, not prizes.

Speaking on VCARS.co.uk, Sharp noted:

“Truthfully, I’m really trying to drive as intelligently as possible. I know that over the course of the season, it’s not always the driver who wins the most races that wins the top prize. I’m also acutely aware that there is a whole field of drivers who’ll do anything to ensure I don’t win this trophy and, as a result, I want to keep my mistakes to an absolute minimum. I’ll take the wins when they come but I dearly want to win the Ginetta GT SuperCup and the only way I can do that is to, metaphorically and literally, keep my rivals at arms’ length.”

The Michelin Ginetta GT SuperCup travels north next. On the weekend of August 25^th/26^th, Knockhill in Scotland will host Round 18, 19 and 20. The final three circuits are Rocking, Silverstone and Brands Hatch.

Tom Sharp

VCARS: Tom, you finished third, third and first this weekend – talk us through your races.

TS: As usual, it was eventful. During qualifying on Saturday I was going really well before clipping a tyre bail on the apex of a particularly quick corner. It was frustrating because, after testing on Friday, the track moved the tyre bails in a foot or so and there were a number of drivers who suffered the same fate as I did. That minor collision knocked my tracking out – the direction the wheels actually point – which meant I was qualifying with, in its simplest terms, a car not pointing straight. I just did my best to qualifying as high up the grid as I could.

VCARS: You eventually qualified in seventh and raced to third. What was your thought process during that first race?

TS: It’s a tough one. Obviously, I wanted to score as many points as possible but I couldn’t risk going off the track and not finishing. I just pushed it as far as I could and, fortunately, managed a podium in the first two races. It was exciting to know I HAD to drive quite aggressively, which is my style anyway.

VCARS: In the third race, you started second on the grid and eventually won – how was that different?

TS: Completely. I managed to beat Colin White into the first corner and had to fend off his challenge for the rest of the race – I had to drive as ultra-defensively because I ‘flat spotted’ a couple of my tyres. This happens when you break a little too sharply, skid a touch and leave a graze on your wheel. This one was no bigger than a 50p piece but still really affected performance. The car was rattling all over the place on the straights and I really struggled to keep Colin at bay and retain the lead throughout the race, I was just hanging on for 15 laps.

VCARS: On the subject of hanging on, before the weekend, you led the Ginetta standings on 91 points, now that it’s down to 85 points is that any cause for concern?

TS: Absolutely not. If I lose six points every round for the next five, that’s 30 points and I’m champion. I’ve always said that the lead we’ve earned as a team gives me the opportunity to control how I drive and not be overly aggressive unless completely necessary. Croft was another test – starting seventh and just trying to ensure we scored points. It’s one I think we passed.

VCARS: Snetterton up next on August 11^th, how are you feeling about the Norfolk track?

TS: To be honest, Snetterton used to be a little bit of a boring circuit – long straights and really not much going on. However, shortly before we raced there last year they reinvented the circuit and created a really exciting place to drive. There’s a lot of twist and turns in the in-field which makes it a great place for spectators. I’m really looking forward to it.

VCARS: Great. Away from racing, you work alongside your Dad at his engineering firm – been up to anything interesting?

TS: Yeah. Last week we worked on the infrastructure for London Aquarium’s Shark Experience. I was working on some beams over the top of the tank for the bulk of the week. There’s something quite disconcerting about looking down and seeing seven or eight sharks below you for the whole working day. When the job was finished we actually went underwater in the shark cage – it’s pretty unsettling but they looked tame when you were up close. That doesn’t mean my heart rate didn’t jump a little. A bit like doing 160mph in a Ginetta!

VCARS: Thanks Tom, and good luck at Snetterton.

Tom Sharp is sponsored by VCARS. Our cars are nationwide. At www.vcars.co.uk you can search and compare prices from both independent and franchised dealer networks. Service excellence and value is guaranteed!

After five rounds, the results maintain Sharp’s lead at the top of the Ginetta GT SuperCup standings. The 20-year old driver is on 460 points, 85 clear of second placed Tom Ingram and 96 clear of third placed veteran Carl Breeze. Catch all the action from Round Six of the 2012 Ginetta SuperCup from Snetterton on Sunday August 11^th on ITV4 from 11am until 6pm.

After four rounds, the results maintain Sharp’s lead at the top of the Ginetta GT SuperCup standings. The 20-year old driver is on 358 points, 91 clear of second placed Tom Ingram and 105 clear of third placed veteran Carl Breeze. VCARS.co.uk caught up with Tom to talk about his mixed feelings ahead of the race and get his thoughts on the Ginetta season so far.

VCARS: You’re racing at Croft on Sunday, how are you feeling about taking to the track and about the way the season is shaping up?

TS: “While I’m looking forward to it, I’ve got mixed memories of Croft. Two years ago, it was home to my first Championship win. However, it was one of the hardest races I’ve ever endured – I led from the front for most of the race and toward the end was passed by Stephan Hodgetts. I managed to get back ahead of him and ran out winner – it was brilliant to secure my first win on the Ginetta programme.

Last year was a disaster. In qualifying, I was penalised for a tyre change and started at the back of the grid. In the race, I drove quite aggressively and managed to get up to third. But, because of focussing on getting through the field, I missed another penalty. I had three laps to come and drive through the pits. It wasn’t until the sixth lap that I saw the flag and eventually reached the pits shortly after. I was allowed to re-join the race but by that time I was toward the back of the field again! Nightmare, it cost me nine Championship Points and possible even the Ginetta title. To compound matters, I crashed in the second race. So I’ve had a pretty mixed experience at Croft to say the least.

In terms of the challenge that Croft poses, much like the last time out, at Oulton Park, Croft is a pretty narrow track so passing is at a premium and qualification on the front grid is really important. There are more spots to pass on than Oulton but you’ve got to really plan ahead.

Elsewhere, the best part about Croft is that there are often decent crowds. While I’m racing I’m totally focussed on what’s going on on-track, but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying the atmosphere before and after.”

VCARS: You’ve got a comfortable lead at the top of the Ginetta SuperCup standings, but who do you think will pose the main threat over the remaining rounds?

TS: “Well, clearly, Tom Ingram is the main threat. Tom is the only driver, other than myself, to have won races this season so he’s showed he poses a threat. Carl Breeze has been around the block so many times that it’s impossible to ignore his challenge. Also, I think if you’re looking for an up and coming driver who might make inroads into the rests of the field, Josh Wakefield began the season really well and is a really talented young driver.”

VCARS: Away from Ginetta, you’ve just returned from your first trip to Le Mans, how was that?

TS: “Yeah, I’ve been looking forward to visiting Le Mans since I was a little boy and, to be honest, it was everything I’d hoped it would be. I’ve just never seen so many people in one place before – the atmosphere was incredible. It’s steeled my appetite to race there one day.”

VCARS: Out of interest, you’re around cars a lot, what do you drive?

TS: “I’ve got a Land Rover Defender that used to belong to my dad. If I could chose a car to drive right now, I’d plump for a Fiesta ST. I know it’s probably a surprising response for a racing driver but I’m trying to be practical and realistic on what I could afford. If money was no object? A Ferrari F40 – well, we can all dream.”

VCARS: Good luck this weekend Tom, we’re dreaming of a great ride on your behalf. We’ll be rooting for you.

TS: Cheers.

Catch all the action from Round Five of the Ginetta SuperCup from Croft Circuit Sunday 24th June on ITV4 from 11am until 6pm.

In Race 10 and 11, Sharp finished third and fourth at a damp Oulton Park. VCARs Driver Tom Sharp After four rounds, the results maintain Sharp’s lead at the top of the Ginetta GT SuperCup standings. The 20-year old driver is on 358 points, 91 clear of second placed Tom Ingram and 105 clear of third placed veteran Carl Breeze. VCARS.co.uk caught up with Tom to get his reflections on the Oulton Park race.

VCARS.CO.UK So, you’ve won eight of the first nine races and finished second in the other. Third and fourth in Race 10 and 11, are you disappointed with that?

TS: No, I’m really not. Last year at Oulton Park, I finished 12th and 9th. I still have a healthy lead over the rest of the field, so this is not a time to panic. Look, I really, really tried to win the race, I’ll always do that, but it just wasn’t to be. Oulton Park is very twisting, turning track – similar in some ways to Monaco – and as such, the race is won or lost in qualifying. In my qualifying laps, the track went through a number of different weather conditions – from wet to greasy to dry. We’d set our tyres to be perfect in the wet after two laps and were ready to record a really fast time but the track got a little drier and we just couldn’t get round quick enough to get further up the grid. It’s just one of those things.

VCARS.CO.UK You finished third on Saturday and fourth on Sunday. You started third on the grid and early in the race were clearly trying to get past second placed Carl Breeze. Do you regret being so aggressive? In attempting to get past Carl, Hunter Abbott nipped in and relegating you to fourth where you stayed for the rest of the race.

VCARS Tom Sharp

TS: There are people who suggest my driving style is a bit ambitious but it’s just the way I drive. I didn’t get into motor sport to just plod around the track. I want to make things as exciting as possible and win races with style. Sometimes, like at Oulton Park, I might pay a price for that but when people watch me race, I want them to be excited. It might be my age but if you can’t be an aggressive driver at 20-years old, when can you be?

VCARS.CO.UK On the subject of plodding around, you and Hunter got stuck behind Carl Breeze for the bulk of the race. He really slowed things down, could you not get past him?

TS: No, and it wasn’t for the wont of trying. Carl drove an intelligent race, really slowing things down into the corners so neither Hunter or I could get around him. We couldn’t generate the downforce needed to get pick up speed and get around Carl. That what experience gives you I suppose, the knowledge of what to do when your car isn’t as quick as your competitors and Carl did that to perfection.

VCARS.CO.UK It’s the Crofts circuit in a fortnight, how are you feeling about that?

TS: Crofts is where I won my first ever Championship race, so it’s a special place for me. There’s a lot more overtaking opportunities so it’s more exciting for spectators and drivers alike.

VCARS.CO.UK How will you prepare for that race?

TS: Well, in some ways the preparation starts this week. I’m off to Le Mans on Wednesday as a guest of Ginetta. Le Mans is my long-term objective so I’m really excited about the opportunity to see the track first hand.

VCARS.CO.UK So you’ll be in France tonight just a short while after tonight’s game, huh? Well, everyone has an opinion on the score, what’s yours?

TS: I don’t think it’s going to be good. I’ll be watching, obviously, but the very best I think we can hope for is a draw. Any more than that will be a big surprise. But here’s hoping. Tom Sharp is sponsored by VCARS.

Our cars are nationwide. At www.vcars.co.uk you can search and compare prices from both independent and franchised dealer networks. Service excellence and value is guaranteed! Catch all the action from Round Five of the Ginetta SuperCup from Croft Circuit Sunday 24th June on ITV4 from 11am until 6pm.

VCARS’ 20-year old driver Tom Sharp has had an incredible start to the 2012 season, winning all but one of the opening nine races and finishing second in the other. After last weekend’s Oulton Park practice session, VCARS caught up with a Tom to see what he learned about the track and his car, and what his thoughts are on the weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix.

VCARS: You’ve had a few days to think about Oulton Park, what are your thoughts ahead June 9^th’s race?

TS: You know, I really enjoyed familiarising myself with the track but more than that, I think Ginetta were the main beneficiaries of last weekend’s testing.

VCARS: How so?

TS: Well, Ginetta are a pretty forward-thinking organisation and to try and make the races even more exciting they were looking at making some changes to the differential ratio.

VCARS: Woah, hold on a second there, you’re going to have to explain that.

TS: The easiest way to think about a differential is to think about how power is transferred to the track. If you change the differential ratio power gets to the wheels at different rates. Simply put, the shorter the differential ratio, the more power (and thus speed) gets to the wheels more quickly. What you might lose is actual top speed, but a closer differential ratio allows you to get to your top speed more quickly.

VCARS: Okay, so if that’s the case, closer differential ratios work best on winding tracks?

TS: Absolutely. Which is why we were trying out the new settings (which would be on offer to all Ginetta cars) at Oulton Park – a particularly winding track.

VCARS: Sound perfect.

TS: In theory yes, but the additional power created by close ratio often affects the balance of the car so you struggle with  traction, particularly on the rear end. A factor which meant we were actually losing time around the track so I think Ginetta are going to look again at differential ratios – a part of the engine set up which really should change track to track.

VCAR: On the subject of winding tracks, we’ve just enjoyed the Monaco Grand Prix. Is that a track on which you’d like to race?

TS: Well, yes, of course. It’s not my ultimate dream, that’s Le Mans, but who could pass up the chance to drive on such an iconic track? As well as F1, there’s GP2 and GP3 races, I’d love to race in one of those. I’ve never even been to the circuit but it looks incredible.

VCARS: What do you think the key is to winning in Monaco.

TS: Well, clearly, it’s so difficult to overtake that qualifying is as important as on any other circuit on the F1 calendar. It’s so tight. I think there’s Monaco, Singapore the European Grand Prix in Spain that are street circuits. Often it’s a case of a mis-judgement and you’re going backwards with no back wheels. It’s really tough to concentrate for such a long time in such demanding conditions – you’ve got to take your hat off to those F1 boys. What they’re doing is superhuman.

VCARS: Who do you root for?

TS: Well, I know VCARS get on very well with Jenson Button so you’ll be pleased to hear that I support McLaren all the way. I grew up in Byfleet very close to Woking which is home to the McLaren HQ. I used to pass it every day on the way to work and even did my work experience there. Whether it’s Lewis or Jenson, I’d just always like to see McLaren take the chequered flag.

VCARS: Us too.

Tom Sharp is sponsored by VCARS. Our cars are nationwide. At www.vcars.co.uk you can search and compare prices from both independent and franchised dealer networks. Service excellence and value is guaranteed!

Catch all the action from Oulton Park on 9^th June by watching live coverage on ITV4 from 11am until 6pm.

Article provided by Tom Sharp / Vcars.co.uk

www.vcars.co.uk Driver Tom Sharp is at Oulton Park today, for a spot testing ahead of Round Four of the Ginetta GT SuperCup. 20-year old Tom has had an incredible start to the 2012 season, winning all but one of the opening nine races and finishing second in the other (one… two… geddit?).

Just back from a holiday in Turkey, www.vcars.co.uk caught up with a suntanned Tom to find out how he’s feeling about getting back behind the wheel.

www.vcars.co.uk: Why are you testing today?

TS: “Look, any track time is important but given that there’s such a big gap between the Ginetta GT SuperCup Round Three at Thruxton (28th April) and Oulton (9th June), it’s doubly important. Today is a general testing day which means any race-ready car can come along and make sure everything is right ahead of the June meet. We’re here really to try and establish where we need to be for our qualifying lap and to get the car ready for three lots of sixteen laps in the Round Four’s races proper.”

www.vcars.co.uk: What sort of things will you be looking at?

TS: “Well, clearly we can’t change the engine, all Ginetta GT SuperCup cars are identical in that respect. We can look at how our tyres perform and how we can calculate fuel accurately. Plus, for me, it’s a chance to really re-familiarise myself with the track. Oulton Park is a track I’ve never won on but, ironically, it’s one I really like driving on. Of all the tracks on the Ginetta GT SuperCup series, it’s narrow, it really undulates and the lap length is pretty long so there’s a lot to concentrate on for long periods.”

www.vcars.co.uk: You’re leading the Ginetta GT SuperCup by quite some distance, how does that affect you mentally?

TS: “The way I, and my team, are looking at things, is that the lead allows us to drive a little more steady, not take so many chances; we know that we don’t have to keep winning race after race. I’m not saying I won’t be trying to do exactly that but I won’t be putting myself in difficult situation to do it. It’s more about maintaining what we’ve got than going out and trying to blast everyone off the track. Plus, we’re only at Round Four of ten round, it’s still quite early in the season and so much can happen, I won’t be taking anything for granted.”

www.vcars.co.uk: On the subject of stamina, are you keeping yourself fit away from Ginetta?

TS: “I’m working hard on my physical fitness with a personal trainer twice a week and once alone. To be honest, it’s not massively important in Ginetta as the races are comparatively short and the cars comparatively light. I’m really trying to build strength and stamina for my long-term objective of racing sports cars. Racing sports cars over longer time periods will obviously push your body further and if/when that chance comes along, I want to be ready.”

www.vcars.co.uk: Thanks for your time Tom, and good luck at Oulton.

TS: “No problem, cheers.”

Tom Sharp is sponsored by www.vcars.co.uk. Our cars are nationwide. At www.www.vcars.co.uk.co.uk you can search and compare prices from both independent and franchised dealer networks. Service excellence and value is guaranteed!

Catch all the action from Oulton Park on 9th June by watching live coverage on ITV4 from 11am until 6pm.