Harper and Leung record "unreal" British GT Championship result
The BMW M3 GT4 duo defied the odds to become the third different winning pair of the Intelligent Money-backed competition after three rounds.
It also moves them seven-and-a-half-points clear of Beechdean Motorsport’s Andrew Howard and Ross Gunn and 2 Seas Motorsport’s Ian Loggie and Jules Gounon who are provisionally tied for second.
A visit to the top step of the podium seemed a remote possibility as Leung stared from eighteenth on the grid – a position that was determined by their Free Practice 2 times.
That was due to Saturday’s qualifying session was abandoned by race stewards due to persistent rain and large areas of standing water around the Northamptonshire track.
However, strong stints by both Leung and Harper elevated them up the field and crucial overtakes by Harper in the closing stages – including the all-important move on Barwell Motorsport’s Sandy Mitchell through Brooklands – led to wild celebrations in the pit garage as the latter took the chequered flag.
“That was unreal – I can’t believe it to be honest considering how everything has gone all weekend,” said BMW M Works driver Harper, who is having a go at trying to win the British title for the first time.
“I am just so happy for Darren and the team because it has been so much hard work all over the winter period – we have tried so hard – and now we have the car in a really good window, it’s great to drive.
“To start down in eighteenth and to go on and win it, I can’t believe it to be honest – it was totally unexpected – but the car was flying and Darren drove brilliantly. In my last stint I tried to get as many overtakes done as I could and to win, I just can’t believe it. A massive thanks to Century and to BMW.
“Bonkers is the best word I can find to describe the day,” he added. “We knew we had the pace in the car and just needed the chance to show it. Darren, the team and BMW have done an amazing job.”
Harper and Leung’s reward for earning a breakthrough GT3 victory at the third round of the British GT Championship’s blue riband Silverstone 500 was getting their hands on the historic RAC Trophy.
