Blackthorn Aston Martin Claims Maiden Victory at Spa

In a gripping display of endurance racing, Blackthorn’s Giacomo Petrobelli and Jonny Adam clinched their first victory of the season at Spa-Francorchamps, dominating the fifth round of the British GT Championship. The duo drove the #7 Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo to victory under scorching conditions, with track temperatures reaching 49 degrees Celsius.

Starting from pole position, Petrobelli quickly established a commanding lead, ultimately finishing with a substantial margin of over one minute ahead of the competition. Adam’s win marked his 20th British GT Championship victory, significantly boosting the pair’s title hopes. They now sit second in the championship standings with 87 points, just two points behind the leaders, Charles Dawson and Kiern Jewiss from 2 Seas Motorsport, who maintained a slight championship lead at 89 points.

Optimum Motorsport’s #77 McLaren 720S GT3 Evo, driven by Morgan Tillbrook and Marvin Kirchhöfer, secured second place after successfully navigating through challenging mid-race circumstances. Kirchhöfer, displaying impressive pace, executed a masterful overtaking maneuver on the reigning champion Rob Collard, finishing just a point behind Blackthorn in the standings with 86 points. Collard’s pairing in the #1 Lamborghini, despite facing early challenges, ultimately placed third, while Barwell’s #78 Lamborghini rounded out the top four.

The race was characterized by early drama, including a significant incident involving Simon Orange in the #67 McLaren, who crashed into the barrier after losing control. Though he returned eight laps down, the mishap highlighted the high-stakes environment of the event.

In the GT4 category, the #71 Century Motorsport BMW M4, driven by Ravi Ramyead and Charlie Robertson, capitalized on a strategic choice as the lead #84 Mahiki Racing Ginetta incurred a lengthy pit stop due to mandatory compensation times. Ramyead’s penalties for track limit violations nearly cost the BMW, but they managed to secure the win with five pit stops overall, marking a significant turnaround after previous misfortunes.

Second place in GT4 went to Team Parker Racing’s #12 Mercedes-AMG GT4 team of Seb Morris and Ed McDermott, while another of their cars, the #30, finished third.

This race at Spa not only showcased the intense competition among the teams but also marked a pivotal point in both championship standings and individual driver strategies, setting the stage for an electrifying remainder of the season.

BGT Spa Results Summary:

1. 7 Blackthorn Aston Martin – Petrobelli/Adam

2. 77 Optimum McLaren – Tillbrook/Kirchhöfer

3. 1 Barwell Lamborghini – Collard/Cook

4. 78 Barwell Lamborghini – Martin/Kujula

5. 97 Beechdean Aston Martin – Howard/Wood

GT4 Results Summary:

1. 71 Century Motorsport BMW – Ramyead/Robertson

2. 12 Team Parker Mercedes-AMG – Morris/McDermott

3. 30 Team Parker Mercedes-AMG – Keen/Currie

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