Impressive Silverstone test is encouraging for new boy

The Chipping Norton team continued its strong preparation for the GT4 European Series Northern Cup with another encouraging test at Silverstone.

Fagg impressed on his first dry weather outing in the team’s Nissan 370Z car on Friday.

With just under three weeks remaining until the opening event of the 2017 championship, SWR’s first in endurance competition, team and driver have been ramping-up their testing mileage at Silverstone’s National Circuit.

Fagg, who moves into the GT4 European Series Northern Cup with SWR after graduating from the Ginetta Junior Championship, gained his first experience of dry-weather running at the wheel of the Nissan and produced very good pace on the slick Pirelli tyres.

Team owner Sean Walkinshaw ventured out onto track in the Nissan GT4 initially to conduct some initial set-up work. After a few laps, the newly confirmed Super GT competitor handed the Nissan over to Fagg who then remained behind the wheel for the rest of the day.

Walkinshaw said: “We were really happy with Friday’s test and Charlie’s lap times, especially considering it was his first time on slicks in the GT4 car.

“It was a very encouraging day and great for the whole team to be able to get some important dry data.

“All of the mileage up to now has been in the damp or wet, so we’ve made some good steps and improvements with our dry set-up now too.”

From 17-year-old Fagg’s perspective, he was particularly happy with the consistency of pace achieved throughout the test day and also the high standards of preparation for which SWR has become renowned.

Fagg said: “After my first few laps in the car I was ready to push on as the level of grip available from the car gave me the confidence to do so.”

Fagg’s maiden season in endurance competition with SWR will begin over the first weekend in April at Misano in Italy with the championship coming to the UK at Brands Hatch in early May.