Tim Schrick “falls in love” testing Chevron GR8
German racer and TV presenter, Tim Schrick said “I’ve fallen in love,” testing the award-winning Chevron GR8 Challenge Car at Donington Park circuit this week.
Tim was testing the thoroughbred GR8 ‘Gran Rapida’ race car – the first new GT Chevron race car since the original race winners created by Derek Bennett during the 60′s and 70′s – for European TV show, Turbo Automagazin, on Sport 1, and for an article in roadmagazine.co.uk.
The talented, German, lightweight race ace soon got to grips with the talented, British, lightweight racer GR8, in perfect dry conditions on Donington Park’s 1.953-mile National Circuit, doing a best lap of 1m19s – “not at full throttle for a whole lap.” The test and TV filming took place at an RMA Track Day, with a plethora of high performance supercars and modern and historic race cars on track. Undeniably, the GR8 was the quickest car out on circuit, in Tim’s and Chevron racer, Jordan Witt’s capable hands.
After his test in the GR8 Challenge Car, Tim Schrick said: “I’ve fallen in love with this car. It’s so beautiful to drive. It’s such a nice car, and right up my street, as a racer. The grip levels are amazing. And the little car is so stable, with a stiff, direct and totally connected steering feeling. It feels very nimble, and it’s so loud and exciting inside, with a very, very nice sound from the Cosworth two-litre engine. You have 260bhp on tap and even here with these great cars on track, you can play with anyone, and not get beaten.”
He continued: “The car is so light, it’s amazing. It feels very, very stiff, which usually makes a car hard to find the limit in, but this is not the case with the Chevron, where it is very easy to know where the limit is and hold it there. It is a very, very fast car in the corners and offers really late, hard braking, with a really good feeling for the driver. The Hewland (JFR five-speed sequential) gearbox is so fast also, with an autoshift at 8,250rpm, so you waste no time at all between gears, up or down shifting. It’s just on it.”
Tim summarised: “The Chevron GR8 is a real, true race car of course. Chevron has used the best partners for suspension, brakes, engine and have created an amazing chassis… making a perfect race car package. It is very affordable too, I think. The seating position is like a Formula car, with its laid back seat; sitting so very low in the small car. It’s so loud, fast and a lot of fun. I have fallen in love with this car. It’s such a beautiful car to drive.”
The Chevron Racing team also brought along a stunning, freshly finished B19 Works car – a brand new, 2011 car, re-built to the same exacting standards and design that Chevron-founder, Derek Bennett had for the original in 1971. This model is powered by a Cosworth FVC 1790cc engine and comes with a Hewland FT200 gearbox, finished in a bright orange and black race livery. It costs £125,000 (+ VAT). Tim was deeply impressed with this “Old timer classic,” spending time away from the TV cameras to discuss the specification and re-build process with Chevron team members. The Chevron B19 will also feature in the Turbo Automagazin TV program and Road magazine article, both due to air later this Summer.
Chevron said: “The TV filming and Road article were great to be involved with and it was fabulous to meet Tim Schrick and see him so enthusiastic about the Chevron brand, and our race cars. We are really pleased Tim enjoyed his time behind the wheel of our new race car, the GR8, and also admiring the re-built classic Chevron B19. The GR8 has all the great Chevron DNA and heritage, but with a modern interpretation, specification and equipment, to give a 21st Century race car experience, which Tim really got. The GR8 was designed by Paul Brown and Lester Allen (of Bentley and Aston Martin fame) and is based upon the beautiful Chevron B8. We’re delighted to have seen the GR8 recognised by Evo Magazine as their ‘Track Car of the Year’ in 2010, beating a very competitive and distinguished field. And this high praise from a racer of Tim Schrick’s international standards – on a car designed, developed and brought to the race scene in under nine months – just gives us further confidence we are getting things right, as our results in the British GT Championship do, where the GR8 (GT4 class) is beating cars in the GT3 class. It’s been a great launch for the new GR8 Chevron brand and we look forward to more great race results and media praise in the months to come. And we have lots of exciting projects in the pipeline too.”
The Chevron GR8 is available in Challenge Car and GT specification, from just £55,000 (+ VAT in EU) and £70,000 (+ VAT) respectively. And, for retro racers, the Chevron B19 Works Car is available from £80,000 (+ VAT), plus engine and gearbox costs (there are several specifications available).
For more information on the Chevron brand and race cars available, visit the Chevron Racing website at chevronracing.com.
