Archie Hamilton made a triumphant return to competitive racing as he secured two podium finishes in the opening rounds of the Porsche Sprint Challenge GB at the weekend (July 11/12).
Competing with Redline Racing in the brand-new series for Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport machines, the 29-year old blew away the cobwebs to qualify just 0.2s away from pole position at Snetterton in Norfolk.
Lining up fourth on the grid for race one, Archie was well in the mix as part of a four-car battle for the lead of the race and set competitive lap times as he tried to fight his way past his rivals. Keeping the pressure on, he claimed third place as the chequered flag fell, when a driver ahead was handed a penalty for a false start.
Things were even more hectic in race two, as Archie worked to put pressure on team-mate Ethan Hawkey in front, while defending from Alex Toth-Jones behind. All three lost significant time as Hawkey spilled coolant on to the circuit, but Archie kept his cool as both rivals retired and set about bringing the car home safely.
His persistence and maturity then paid off, as he then claimed third place on the final lap as the second-place car retired, capping a successful first weekend back behind the wheel with two podium finishes and a good haul of championship points in the process.
Archie will be back in competition over the weekend of August 15/16 as the Porsche Sprint Challenge GB races alongside the British GT Championship at Donington Park in Leicestershire.
Archie Hamilton
“I am really happy to come away from Snetterton with two trophies after a tough few months putting the programme together. We managed to do it even in these difficult times, so it is brilliant to reward my sponsors and supporters with some podium success straight away.
“Redline Racing did a great job with the car and while we have a bit of work to do over the next four weeks, to take solid points after only really having one day to test the car means we’re happy with how things went.
“I am looking forward to the rest of the year and working with my coach Dino Zamparelli and Redline Racing to push on and achieve consistent success. We are working hard to get that first win which would be an amazing reward for RhinFab Equipment by DeMichele Group, UFI Filters, and The Drivers Room who have helped me get on the grid.”
Dino Zamparelli
“It was a really good performance from Archie, and he has come away from the opening weekend with two podium finishes which is a just reward for the hard work he has put in over the past few months. Despite some rustiness getting back into it all after so long out, he listened well to those around him and is keen to improve every time he gets behind the wheel which is all you can ask for.
“He set some impressive lap times in the races and had a cool head when he went off on coolant leaked by his team-mate. He didn’t panic, got the car back on to the track, and brought it home when others might have panicked. We are already focussed on Donington Park and will see if we can go one, or even two better that weekend!”
