The action at the penultimate round of the British GT Championship from Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit did not disappoint, with drama unfolding right from the start.
With scorching temperatures reaching 30°C in the air and over 40°C on track, the stage was set for an intense and challenging race.
In the GT3 class, all eyes were on James Cottingham and Jonny Adam, who were leading the championship and aiming to become the first crew since 2010 to secure the driver's title with a race to spare. The duo lined up on pole position in their 2 Seas Mercedes, with Darren Leung and Dan Harper qualifying 2nd in their Century Motorsport BMW.
However, before the race even began, there was controversy as Kevin Tse, Simon Orange, and Stuart Middleton took the full GP loop instead of the shorter Indy circuit on their way to the grid, resulting in drive-through penalties once the race started.
The drama continued at the first corner when John Ferguson's Ram Racing Mercedes collided with Ian Loggie's 2 Seas Mercedes, causing a chain reaction that also involved Kevin Tse's Sky Tempesta McLaren. The chaos forced the following pack to take evasive action, with multiple cars veering off into the grass and gravel to avoid the collision. Tse's McLaren had to pit to change a tire damaged in the incident, while Ferguson received a 10-second stop-go penalty for causing the collision.
Despite the chaos behind him, Cottingham managed to pull out a comfortable lead over Shaun Balfe's Barwell Lamborghini, with Leung dropping to third, struggling with his tires. Andrew Howard's Beechdean Aston Martin took advantage of the chaos to move into third, as Leung continued to battle with his handling issues.
In the GT4 class, Optimum Motorsport's Jack Brown and Charles Clark looked set to win the title, but their hopes were dashed when Clark's McLaren burst a coolant pipe after sustaining damage in the first corner incident. The resulting fluid on the track led to a high-speed excursion for Clark and ultimately forced their retirement from the race, ending their chances of sealing the GT4 title.
As the GT3 leaders encountered GT4 traffic, Balfe closed the gap to Cottingham, but the Mercedes driver managed to extend his lead once he cleared the slower cars. Ferguson, who had sustained damage in the first corner collision and served his penalty, dropped off the lead lap midway through his stint.
Meanwhile, Leung in fourth began to fight back, closing the gap to Howard in third as they navigated through the GT4 traffic. The battle between Leung and Howard ebbed and flowed as they jostled for position.
The first safety car of the race was called after 39 minutes when Richard Neary in the ABBA Mercedes collided with Mark Radcliffe's Optimum McLaren at Clearways, sending both cars into the gravel. Radcliffe managed to continue, albeit losing some time, while Neary required recovery.
Cottingham executed the safety car restart perfectly, quickly regaining the lead he had held before the caution period. The race continued with intense battles throughout the field as the drivers pushed to gain positions and secure valuable points.
But just 10 minutes before the pit stop window, disaster struck as Simon Orange's McLaren collided with Mike Price's Greystone GT Mercedes, sending Orange careening into the gravel trap at the entry to Westfield corner. The safety car was called for the second time, bringing the race to a temporary halt and shaking up the leaderboard.
Despite the chaos, Cottingham managed the restart well, maintaining his composure and holding onto his position at the front of the pack. The drivers were now only minutes away from the pitstop window, and tensions were running high as the teams prepared to make their crucial driver changes.
Ross Gunn took over from Andrew Howard in the Beechdean Aston Martin and was the first out of the pits, closely followed by Dan Harper who had taken over from Darren Leung in the Century BMW. Jonny Adam, now behind the wheel of James Cottingham's car, dropped from first to third in the pits due to success penalties incurred at the previous round, giving Gunn and Harper a chance to battle it out for the lead.
Meanwhile, Jules Gounon had taken over from Ian Loggie in the second 2 Seas Mercedes and had surged up to fourth place after a remarkable comeback from being dead last on the first lap. Sandy Mitchell, now driving the Barwell Lamborghini, dropped from second to seventh in the pits, setting the stage for an intense battle to unfold in the remaining laps of the race.
Harper wasted no time in setting fastest laps and chasing down Gunn for the lead, putting on a masterclass display of skill and determination. The tension mounted as the drivers jockeyed for position, with each passing lap bringing them closer to the checkered flag.
Just when it seemed like the race had settled into a rhythm, the third safety car of the race was called to recover the stranded Ginetta of Joe Wheeler, throwing another curveball into the mix. The restart saw the battle for third heat up as MacLeod closed in on Adam and Loggie, setting the stage for a thrilling showdown in the final stint of the race.
As the clock ticked down and the race entered its final stages, Harper closed the gap to Gunn in the battle for the lead, engaging in a fierce duel that had the crowd on the edge of their seats. The two drivers pushed themselves to the limit, trading positions and fighting for every inch of track space as they navigated lapped traffic.
In a dramatic twist, the battle for fourth place became a battle for third as Mitchell caught up to MacLeod and joined the fight for the final podium spot. However Jonny Adam started to extended his lead in third, while Harper and Gunn continued their fierce battle for the lead.
In the dying moments of the race, MacLeod was forced to retire after running out of fuel, leaving Harper and Leung to take a well-deserved victory in the Century BMW. Gunn and Howard secured second place in the Beechdean Aston Martin, while Adam and Cottingham rounded out the podium in the 2 Seas Mercedes.
With the race coming to a thrilling conclusion, 2 Seas emerged victorious in the teams' championship, setting the stage for an exciting finale at the next round at Donington Park. The fight for the drivers' championship between Cottingham and Leung would go down to the wire, promising fans another captivating showdown in the world of motorsport.
