There was another class podium to be gained for the #97 Blackthorn Aston Martin Racing Vantage GT3 crew at the end of today’s second round of the International GT Open Series after its mixed class grid of thirty-two cars endured a three-hour marathon around the Spa Francorchamps circuit.
Having had their individual qualifying sessions earlier in the weekend, the #97 Blackthorn crew of Charles Bateman and Jonny Adam were unsurprisingly further ahead in the order in P15 overall than the Am classed stablemates of the #14 Good Speed Racing team and their drivers Piotr Wira and Tomas Magdziarz in P22 overall.
Starting this afternoon’s single race on what was already a damp track, the rain showers soon returned around parts of the circuit on only the second time around. Bateman managed to survive an early hip and shoulder move against him into Bruxelles to narrowly avoid spinning.
Despite a drier line soon forming, the sky remained threatening as both Bateman and Wira went about their opening stint before the first FCY was called for a car off into the tyre wall at the fast Eau Rouge rise up onto Raidillon.
With the first pit window being delayed as a result of barriers repairs, it was a mad dash around the next lap for the respective Am drivers before the two Aston’s pitted for the first time. With Adam now aboard the #97, their track position soon improved from the P15 prior to the stop to P10 overall/ P3 in class.
At about the 80 minute to go mark, both starting drivers were aback aboard their #97 and #14 cars as Mother Nature continued to threaten the proceedings, but crews continued to persevere with slicks as at the start to the final hour – both Aston’s had crept up into a podium winning position.
A final stop at the half hour mark saw both second drivers back aboard for one final dash to the flag as the rain finally cleared and the track completely dried. At the end, Adam was not just able to protect their Pro-Am podium finishing position but to step up to second in class at the end but Magdziarz was sadly unable to do similar as they would eventually finish P5 within their Am class.
The next round to the season will be from Misano in about three weeks’ time when its back to the series two race format.
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