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<body> <Table Width="550" border="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" cellpadding="0"><TR><TD Width="35"><IMG SRC="//www.totalmotorsport.com/images/spacer.gif" WIDTH="35" HEIGHT="1"></td><td> <CENTER><Table border="0" width="100%"> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="5">PRIVILEGE INSURANCE BRITISH GT CHAMPIONSHIP</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2">01/10/2001</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="4">TMS Awards 4</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="3">Newcomer Of The Year</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><img border="1" src="Storage/ds%204NewcPRI.jpg"></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="1">  </FONT></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2">Marino Franchitti<BR> <BR> An undercurrent of envy met the announcement that the young Scot had landed a seat with the Porsche GB supported Parr Motorsport.<BR> <BR> His performances throughout the season alongside Kelvin Burt in the #53 911 GT3-RS have, however, silenced any doubters. The pair have finished all but one race (a holed radiator at Castle Combe being the only DNF) and have often totally dominated the GTO race, even on occasion challenging the leading GT runners.<BR> <BR> Whilst Burt has been mighty since the start of the season, Marino has been learning fast and now matches his partner's pace lap for lap.<BR> <BR> As you would expect he is a confident young man but not too proud to pay a debt of gratitude to those who have helped him out this season.<BR> <BR> “Kelvin has been awesome, mega! The great thing about this season has been our ability to communicate; no secrets and a preference for the same kind of set-up on the car have been huge bonuses all year.” Parr boss Paul Robe came in for an honourable mention too: “Paul and the whole team have been wonderful ambassadors for the Privilege Championship. This has been the best atmosphere I’ve ever worked in. The cars look great and we can race them hard knowing that they’re not going to let us down. At the start of the season, I’d never have believed that we could have done so well. I’ve played my part for sure, but then so have the rest of the team, Michelin included.”<BR> <BR> So a British Championship title first time out for Franchitti. Does he see his future in Sports / GT racing, or does he want to follow in big brother Dario’s footsteps? <BR> <BR> “I’d like to go and have a crack at the ALMS, preferably in an LMP675 but a GT drive would suit me fine. Allan McNish has shown that the old style career ladder can be blown sky high if you have enough ability, so no doors should be permanently closed to me at my age.”<BR> <BR> McNish indeed has played a part in Franchitti’s progress this year; again Marino was generous in his praise for his fellow Scot.<BR> <BR> “Allan was very much my guru at the start of the season, I saw him last week again at Rockingham and he’s faxing me a map of Road Atlanta with his advice for PLM.”<BR> <BR> The Road Atlanta map refers to the next outing for Marino. He will share the MSB Racing Ferrari 360 at Petit Le Mans next week with Ralf Kelleners and.....Kelvin Burt! The pair truly seem to spark well off each other: as Marino bubbled over with enthusiasm about the race and the potential for a good finish, the wise counsel of Burt interjected with “there are four very quick BMWs and at least three very fast Porsches, a finish in the top six or seven would be a wonderful result.”<BR> <BR> Whether this pair have a future together beyond Petit Le Mans remains to be seen, but they have given Privilege GT Championship crowds great value for money all season. Who knows, perhaps we have seen the start of something truly special with the emergence of Marino Franchitti - Privilege British GTO Champion, 2002. <BR> <BR> One more award to be announced on 2 October. <BR> </FONT></TD></TR> </TABLE><BR> </CENTER> <BR><CENTER><font size="1" color="#808080" face="Tahoma">Copyright ©2000-©2023 TotalMotorSport</font></CENTER> </td> </tr> </table> </body>