P2 and P7 for Burton in the Porsche at the Final Meet of the Season
It was a mixed weekend at the 8th and final meeting of the season at Brand Hatch GP circuit for Gus in the Porsche.
Burton was P1 in qualifying until the penultimate lap when Kiern Jewiss pipped the time to take Pole on the grid for Race 1. So P2 on the Grid, but still the front row. An excellent start by Gus saw him get in front of Kiern at thew top of Turn 1, but Kiern fought back up to Druids and got P1 back from Gus. The race was then interrupted almost immediately as 4 cars went off coming out of Graham Hill and there was a safety car for 7 or 8 laps. The race started again and Gus stayed at P2 only for a collision that say Will Martin spin on Paddock Hill to exit the track at 95mph backwards – hit the tyre wall and ended up a tree, with part of the car resting on the Marshall’s hut. Luckily no-one was injured; Will or the marshalls. Red light immediately, of course, and all cars went back to the grid. It took a while to get Will down from the car, which was at 45-degrees and around 10 feet off the ground. A big round of applause from the spectators and pit lane as he walked away – a testament to the quality of these Porsche GT3 Cup cars. The race was called, and the result stood with Gus in second place. The car was eventually lifted down and taken back to the paddock. His team worked so hard and managed to get it ready for the second race! At the podium, race winner Kiern pulled out ball number 4 for the reverse grid line up in the second race.
Race 2 saw Gus start in P3, with Charles Rainford on Pole after finishing 4th in the first race. Adam Smalley was P2 and Kiern Jewiss was in P4 after winning the first race. The race started and the front four stayed as is until entering Druids hairpin where Kiern hit the inside of Gus and sent Gus wide at the top. Gus re-entered the race at P7 and it continued with 3 more contacts for Gus on the way round only for this race to also be yellow flagged and a safety car deployed. With the car off needing time to get recovered from the gravel, the race finished behind the safety car. P7 for Gus in the last race of the season.
Gus finished 4th in the overall championship, which is excellent for his first season in the Porsche and such terrible luck in the first 3 meetings of the 8-meet season. Only a few points behind Adam Smalley in 3rdplace and Will Martin in 2nd. Kiern was champion. Gus did win Rookie championship, though, which just shows how well he did in his first season in the Porsche Carrera Cup car. A thoroughly enjoyable season (from the 4th meeting onwards!).
Onwards to next season!