MATTY STORMS TO SILVERSTONE 500 PODIUM
Matty enjoyed a silverware-laden return to the British GT championship on Sunday afternoon, with a third-place finish in GT4 at the series blue riband Silverstone 500 race.
Racing in the series for the first time since 2017, Matty and co-driver Ross Wylie delivered an eye-catching performance during the three-hour endurance event at the home of British motor racing in their first event as a driver pairing.
Starting from fourth on the grid, the first hour of the race saw Wylie at the wheel of the Valluga Racing Porsche 718 Cayman with the Scotsman’s stint ending running first in GT4.
With a minimum pit-stop time of 165 seconds plus an additional 14 thanks to their status as professional drivers, the class lead was surrendered, but Matty was able to quickly regain the top spot with some searingly quick laps ahead of the lead car pitting for its own driver change.
Requiring a minimum of three driver changes over the course of the race, Wylie took the wheel of the AL-2 Teknik UK supported car for a further half-hour before handing back to Matty in the closing stages.
Resuming sixth, pit stops from drivers ahead put Graham up to third on the road and running at a pace that put the second-placed Century Motorsport BMW within striking distance.
Behind, however, the recovering Steller Motorsport Audi was on a charge.
Having qualified on pole position with a lap more than a second faster than the next best, an early spin had put the car well down the order.
Chasing down Matty, Sennan Fielding was up to his bumper with 20 minutes of the race remaining and whilst the Northumbrian defended manfully, that proved to be just too long a timeframe with the position surrendered with five minutes remaining.
A post-race time penalty to the Century car elevated Matty and Wylie back onto the podium and a result that could yet improve further still, pending a yet to be heard appeal relating to the series’ first meeting of the year back in April that could see the Valluga pair elevated again.
Speaking post race, Matty said: “I got everything I wanted from today’s race – second place is so good, and I can’t thank everyone enough – Ross, the Valluga team and of course, AL-2 Teknik UK, because without its support, I wouldn’t be in the Porsche”,
“Driving it for the first time was a steep learning curve but I couldn’t be happier. We can all be very proud of what we achieved.
“My first stint was a long one and very hot work but we were battling the entire race and running at a more than competitive pace.
“The fight with Sennan was a good one and I don’t think I’ve been congratulated as much on a defensive drive where I lost the position!
“I’m looking forward to getting back out with Valluga and Ross at Donington later this month, but now I’m completely focused on next weekend in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB round at Brands Hatch with Redline Racing.”
Matty is next in action in the British GT championship over the weekend of May 28/29