Darren Turner: Podium on British GT Debut

Darren Turner claimed a podium finish at Silverstone this weekend with a typically-entertaining guest drive in the Beechdean-Barwell Aston Martin DBRS9 GT3 car in the Avon Tyres British GT Championship. He and his team-mate, Andrew Howard, took third place in today’s two-hour race.

As a works driver for Aston Martin Racing, Darren has tested the DBRS9 on many occasions but this is the first time he has raced it and his first time in the British GT Championship.

“I received a call a few weeks ago to see if I was interested,” he said. “I had the weekend free and fancied a go, so of course I said yes.”

The weekend got off to a tricky start when Saturday’s qualifying session didn’t quite go to plan. One of the British GT regulations states that each driver must complete three timed laps in the qualifying session. Andrew went out first and did his laps but then as Darren left the pits for his run - with new rubber bolted on – another competitor spun at the end of the pit lane, completely blocking it. By the time Darren got out on the track the ever-threatening summer shower had started and that was that. Andrew would have to start today’s race from 15th place on the grid.

On a sunny Saturday at Silverstone Andrew got away well and passed three cars on the opening lap, moving up to 12th. He did a great job and was up to eighth by the time the pit stops began. Then it was Darren’s turn.

“I managed to overtake a few more during my run,” said Darren. “We were right up the order but then Simonsen’s Ferrari and Westbrook’s Porsche caught me just as my tyres went off and I had to let them go. This dropped me to fourth but then Westbrook conked out just before the line and we bagged a podium finish.”

“It was a fun weekend and I enjoyed it a lot,” said Darren after the race. “I’m glad Andrew and Beechdean-Barwell got a good result as they worked hard for it. I would be very happy to do another British GT race in the future as I thoroughly enjoyed this one!”