Duckhams Yuasa Racing claims seventh victory as overall title fight goes to wire

Duckhams Yuasa Racing took its seventh victory of the season in the British GT Championship’s GT3 Silver-Am class, as the team returned to Donington Park at the weekend (September 7/8).
 
With that result also bringing home a third overall podium, the Garage 59-prepared McLaren GT3 Evo remains in the overall title fight – just one of three cars able to take the honours – with one race left to run.
 
Having wrapped up the Silver-Am title last time out, at Snetterton in July, all focus now went on the overall championship. In qualifying Shaun Balfe put in a good lap to finish second quickest in class, but Adam Smalley suffered a puncture and was unable to challenge for pole position when the times were combined.
 
Shaun started the two-hour race, as the Am driver, but having had a tough first lap was stuck in a big train of cars through the early stages, doing well to grab positions when cars came together ahead. He then went on the charge, gaining two more places – including the class lead – running fourth overall halfway through his stint.
 
At the mid-race mark, Adam took over the McLaren, fourth overall and second in Silver-Am, setting the fastest lap of the race as he made the most of his fresh tyres. He continued to lap quickly, catching the class leader ahead, before a Full Course Yellow and Safety Car period. The race resumed with two minutes left, and under Adam’s pressure, the car ahead went off, handing him an overall podium and the class win.
 
The final race of the 2024 British GT Championship season takes place at Brands Hatch over the weekend of September 28/29, where victory could propel Duckhams Yuasa Racing to the overall GT3 Drivers’ title.

Adam Smalley
 
R - 2, R - 1 (GT3 Silver-Am)

G – 8, R – 3 (Overall)
 
Championship:

GT3 Silver-Am Championship: 1 (237 points)

GT3 Drivers’ Championship: 3 (128 points)

“I think we maximised what we had across the weekend. Qualifying was tough as Shaun got a lot of traffic in Q1 and I had a puncture in Q2, so we started a little further back overall than we’d wanted to be, but we knew we had a good race car. In the race, Shaun had a mega first stint after a difficult first corner, where he dropped back to 11th. He kept his nose clean, had great pace, and brought us back up to P4.
 
“We had a clean pit stop, I went out, and the car felt amazing. I set the fastest lap of the race and got right on the back of P3, but we had the Full Course Yellow and Safety Car. I had a good restart, got us up to third, and on the last lap almost took second. It’s nice to say we’re still in the overall championship hunt going to the final round where I and everyone else will be giving it our all and, fingers crossed, we can round off an amazing year.”

View photos from the race here