Bol d'or Classic.
C'est sur le circuit de Brands Hatch en Angleterre les 07 et 09 Octobre 2011 que s'est deroulé la 7eme manche du championnat ICGP.

Resultats de la 1ere course :

Categorie 350cc

  1. Chris Bishop (GB)
  2. Ian Simpson (GB)
  3. Mike Edwards(GB)
  4. Guy Bertin (FR)
  5. Record du tour : Ian Simpson (GB)

Categorie 250cc

  1. Roy Flower (GB)
  2. Yves Hecq (BE)
  3. Peter Thorne (GB)
  4. Eric Saul (FR)
  5. Record du tour : Roy Flower (GB)

Resultats de la 2eme course :

Categorie 350cc

  1. Mike Edwards(GB)
  2. Dave Heal (GB)
  3. Chris Bishop (GB)
  4. Ian Simpson (GB)
  5. Record du tour : Dave Heal (GB)

Categorie 250cc

  1. Yves Hecq (BE)
  2. Steve Boam (GB)
  3. Steve Clark (GB)
  4. Bob Keller (BR)
  5. Record du tour : Andre Gouin (FR)

ICGP – ROUND 7 – BRANDS HATCH – OCTOBER 2011

By Mandy Jordan

The penultimate round of the championship was to be held at Brands Hatch, home to the final round of the BSBs. So was set to be a busy meeting.

Two qualifiers were scheduled for the Friday and then race 1 in the early evening, all to be held on the short Indy Circuit. The riders had dry conditions for all, and lined up on the grid with Simpson on pole, and Edwards, Bishop and Bertin making up the front row. Chris Bishop would be going flat out for the much sought after top of the podium position he had just missed out on all season. Race 2 on Sunday would be held on the full circuit, with a practice ride scheduled for Saturday.

The championship is by no means decided in the 350 section, and as usual this UK meeting had attracted some additional local talent in the form of Roy Flower, Dave Heal, and Chris Sheldon.

The riders lined up on the grid in their respective positions, and as the lights went out the riders jostled and parried their way into Paddock Hill bend en-masse, with Simpson, Edwards and Bishop all determined to get to the front. The riders were lapping in around 51 seconds, so this 14 lap race was going to be fast, furious and over very quickly.

The three front men continued to battle at the front, with Bertin, Heal and Hart circulating as a trio next. By lap 6 as the back markers were coming round past me, the front riders were already snapping at their heels. Peers-Jones, Hoffman and Hecq also circulating as a trio changing places constantly as they charged up the straight. Midway through the race and Simpson was just holding onto the lead with a determined Bishop and then Edwards hot on his heels.

Edwards came past Bishop for 2nd position, with Simpson still just ahead, but next lap Simpson and Bishop were ahead of Edwards and stretching the gap. Bishop finally made his move on Simpson on the penultimate lap and took Simpson on the inside of the bend just before the straight and kept the lead to the checquered flag. Simpson fractions of a second behind him taking 2nd position, with Edwards 3rd. Bertin, Heal and Hart coming over the line next.

In the 250 section Flower (26) having a one-off ride with the series took top podium position with Hecq who has already secured first place in the overall championship, coming in 2nd, struggling over the line with a missing foot rest! Thorne came over the line 3rd, with Saul and Gouin seconds behind them.

The expected hopes of Alan Carter disintegrated before Race 1 when during qualifying in his haste to secure a quick time early in the practice he rode round the outside at clearways and got onto the dirty part of the track and lost control of his bike, injuring his hand and foot and ending his weekends racing.

Saturday evenings practice session was held later than planned in gloomy conditions, most riders finishing their practice early due to the diminishing light.

Early Sunday morning the heavens opened and the paddock awoke to puddles and dark clouds overhead. The ICGP race was to be the first of the day, with only a BSB practice session ahead of them for the track to dry out. As the riders did their sighting and warm-up laps they could see and feel that the conditions of the track were still wet in places and slippery on most of the bends. They came round into their grid positions and very quickly the lights went out for the start. En-masse but slower and more cautiously they all headed off into Paddock Hill bend. Bishop had the mother of all slides but incredibly kept it upright. Just coming out of Druids the back snapped round on Simpson and he slid and crashed through his own screen, taking Bertin with him onto the grass, but both riders stayed upright and re-joined the race. Meantime Edwards and Heal were dealing with the conditions well and headed the pack with Bishop 3rd and RPJ 4th, Bertin had swiftly made up ground and was lying 5th, with Hecq, Hart, Flower and Knight all ahead of a recovered Simpson.

By the end of Lap 1 the podium positions were set and the three riders maintained their places to the checquered flag with Edwards leading the way convincingly from Heal and then Bishop. Bertin retired with mechanical problems on lap 4 and Simpson took 4th place from him. Knight rode a good race and finished 5th. Hoffman continued his consistent season and finished 6th after over-taking Hecq for the last few laps. Peers-Jones lying 6th after lap 1 played leapfrog with Hecq for a few laps, with Hecq finally taking 7th position and RPJ 8th.

Dondaine, Tennstadt, Levieux, Gougy and Flower all suffered with the wet surface on the first laps with Tennstadt losing control at Druids and Flower at the Graham Hill bend. Gouin who had been looking assured of another 2nd place podium with the 250’s lost control of the bike coming up to Druids on the last lap.

Next and final round will be on the ex-GP circuit at Jarama in Spain the last weekend of October.