British GT Championship – Howard & Hawkins charge to Donington podium with Beechdean AMR

Beechdean AMR scored their best result of the 2024 British GT Championship season with a stirring run to the Silver-Am class podium and a top-10 overall finish at Donington Park on Sunday.

Drivers Andrew Howard and Jessica Hawkins, who started from the back of the GT3 field in their #97 Aston Martin Vantage GT3, produced the goods when it counted during an often-chaotic race to secure third place in the category.

While their class podium matched the result achieved at the High Wycombe team’s last visit to Donington in May, their overall finish of seventh – ahead of a number of cars in the Pro-Am category – marked their best of 2024.

Such a result looked unlikely after Saturday’s wet qualifying session, in which Howard and Hawkins combined for sixth spot on the Silver-Am grid and 16th overall; a legacy of inconsistent track conditions in practice as rain came and went throughout the day.

Heavy rain on Sunday morning affected warm-up, but a miraculous change of conditions meant that when the lights went out to begin the two-hour race, they did so on a bone-dry circuit.

Coming off the high of four dominant GT3 wins from four races on a guest appearance in the GT Cup at Silverstone three weeks earlier, Andrew was in determined mood.

The two-time British GT title-winner made up two spots on the opening lap and wisely kept himself away from a number of aggressive rivals to reach the mid-race pitstops 10th overall and fourth in Silver-Am.

Following a superbly-drilled pitstop and driver change, Hawkins joined the circuit for what would be her first-ever dry race stint in GT racing.

Despite having not raced since the previous Donington visit in June – owing to #97’s first-corner elimination at Spa and the team’s decision to miss the Snetterton event – she instantly found her rhythm.

Staying within touching distance of the podium spots, the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team Driver Ambassador seized her chance to gain a position on the penultimate lap and brought the Vantage home to huge cheers from the team.

One round remains in the 2024 British GT Championship; the season ending on the iconic Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit on September 28-29.

Andrew Howard said: “It’s been a tough few months for us in British GT so it’s great to be back on the Silver-Am podium and to come home seventh overall after starting last. As ever, the whole team has delivered at the highest level and even though we weren’t the out and out fastest today, we were there at the end that’s what counts in motor racing.”

Jessica Hawkins said: “It feels great to be back on the podium, especially after a tough day on Saturday. I’m very happy that we’ve brought home a strong result for the team, who’ve put in so much this weekend. I haven’t done a race stint since here in May and it feels like such a long time ago so I do think I came into the weekend on the back foot a bit. Getting to the podium and getting closer to the pace is really good. It’s nice to see things coming together.”