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The season finale is at the Algarve circuit in Portugal on 12th/13th September

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GCR Taste Success at Zolder

After a thrilling second race at Zolder in Belgium on Saturday 22nd August, Team GCR and their driver Tom Dunstan achieved a podium finish taking 2nd place in the FIA GT Championship.

Dunstan, driving the car on his own, at a circuit he had never seen before this week and in only in his fourth race in the Championship put in an incredible performance to lift the team,which has had more than it’s share of troubles in recent weeks. After the race Tom said, 'The race was fantastic! It's been a very long wait to get this far. We didn't decide we were coming here till last Saturday. We dropped a differential in this morning's race; the boys have worked non-stop until I came in. I jumped in the car and we went and it all worked and this just makes it all worth it!'  It wasn't all plain sailing for the team however. Qualifying proved difficult especially when the Ginetta G50 driven by former GCR driver and championship leader Joe Osborne, paired with Nigel Moore, out-qualified Dunstans for both races. Hampered by a lack of testing, due to a funding shortfall, GCR were nevertheless very satisfied with 6th for Race One, and 3rd for Race Two.

Race One saw Tom on orm. At the rolling start Tom moved from his 6^th place grid slot to 3rd by the first corner getting the jump on the G50 of Osborne and Moore. Dremas of a podium evaporated when, sadly,  Tom was forced to retire early on with mechanical problems as a bolt sheared, causing massive damage to the car's drivetrain.

The team immediately swung into action and carried out swift remedial work to get the car ready for Race Two where the combination of Dunstans driving and the teams hard work were rewarded with second place. .

Heat played a factor and hydration for Tom was as important as it would be for any other driver. Tom confided, 'Well, we have a drinks system in the car and that gets me the fluids I need. Ultimately, though, the drinks tube leads to my helmet, and the temperatures are so high that the first few sips can taste like a cup of hot water without the tea bag!.'

Team Principal, Robin Sherwood, was passionate about the weekend's events, 'Tom has performed absolutely flawlessly, as has the team, and I'm extremely proud of everyone. Just when you think there's no more left to give, our guys find an extra gear. Two weeks ago we had stopped racing in Euro GT4. One week ago we re-committed to the championship and it's not going to come as any surprise that this can leave you on the back foot slightly. Not only have we recovered but we've proven our credentials with aplomb! I'm going to say it yet again: it's our people and our culture that make the difference. They're just brilliant!'

Engineering Principal, Mark Stokes, was also upbeat, 'We've enjoyed everything about this weekend. The support from Ginetta has been fantastic but we run our own races, and we're delighted to be finishing our racing in Belgium this year in this way. The crowds have been great and the support we get really does make a difference. Amidst family and friends, the marshals have also been great and we really appreciate their support too. The whole team is utterly focused, and to get this recognised through a podium finish is wonderful.'