21st birthday podium for Andrew Richardson in Knockhill Ginetta GT Supercup

Andrew Richardson celebrated his 21st birthday in fine style as Grantham-based race team Richardson Racing added more silverware to its ever-growing collection during the latest rounds of the Michelin Ginetta GT Supercup at the Knockhill circuit in Scotland.Buoyed by an impressive showing at Snetterton earlier in the month - where he clinched two top three finishes and broke the lap record - Andrew continued his charge up the G55 standings with a fourth podium of the year, which came on the same day he turned 21. There was also further success for the team in the G50 class with a double victory for Mark Davies helping him maintain his points lead.After a difficult start to the season - where a series of issues not of his or the teams doing had knocked him out of championship contention - Andrew went into the weekend eager to maintain a strong run of recent form that had seen him rocket up the G55 standings in the previous two rounds.Qualifying sixth, Andrew was then faced with an extra challenge for race one when rain arrived at the circuit prior to the start. Making light of the conditions, Andrew made up one place on the opening lap before battling ahead of Hunter Abbott on lap four. Having lost time behind Abbott, Andrew found himself nearly four seconds away from the podium places but set about closing the gap with a series of impressively quick lap times. Heading into the final lap, Andrew had closed right up to third-placed Nathan Freke and as the pair went into the final corner, Andrew made his movediving up the inside and then beating Freke in a race to the line to secure his place on the podium by just 0.040secs.The second race on Sunday morning started with Andrew aiming to repeat his podium result, but his hopes of a top three finish were ended on the opening lap when contact from rival Jake Hill left him with a damaged right rear wheel and knocked the tracking on his car out of alignment. Dropping to sixth when the contact took place, Andrew battled on with his ill-handling car and was rewarded with sixth place, still setting a best lap time just three-tenths of a second away from the fastest lap despite the damage sustained.The final race saw Andrew start from sixth and he avoided being caught up in a start-line accident that caused the race to be red-flagged. When the race was then restarted after a delay, Andrew made up places to fourth on the opening lap and then held his position all the way to the flag, matching the pace of the leaders and battling throughout with Hill to pick up his third top six result of the weekend.Andrew has now moved up another position to sit fourth in the championship standings ahead of the next two rounds of the season at Rockingham next month.Knockhill is a unique circuit when it comes to getting the car set-up right and the team did a great job, Andrew, who turned 21 on Saturday, said. When the weekend started, we were probably about half a second off the pace as we hadnt been here before, but by the end of it, we were right on the pace and one of the quickest cars out there.Although I hoped to qualify higher, we had a strong car in the wet for Saturdays race and it was also strong in the dry on Sunday. We really got it dialled in and we seemed to get stronger as each race went on.Race one was really good and I proved how good the car was to catch up with the top three and I was pleased to make the move on Nathan stick to get on the podium. Race two was frustrating as the contact didnt need to happen but weve come away from the weekend with three top six finishes and have moved up to fourth in the standings, which is another indication of our pace.In the G50 class, Huddersfield-racer Davies was left to fly the flag alone for the Richardson Racing squad after sponsorship issues again sidelined Louise Richardson for the weekend.Qualifying on class pole in eleventh place overall, Mark continued his recent run of dominant wins to take the G50 victory for the eleventh timeleading from start-to-finish, posting the quickest lap and also finishing ahead of three of the more powerful G55 machines.Another comfortable victory followed in race two to further strengthen his championship lead but the weekend would end in disappointing fashion when he was forced to retire from the final race of the weekendmarking his first DNF of the campaign.Although he got away well when the lights went out, Mark was unsighted when the G55 of Tom Ingram failed to move at the start. Despite jumping on the brakes and trying to take avoiding action when the driver in front suddenly swerved to avoid Ingrams stricken car, Mark was unable to stop himself slamming into the rear of the stationary machine, putting both out on the spot and leaving his G50 extensively damaged.Despite that, he was able to climb from the car uninjured and will now aim to return to winning ways at Rockingham to increase his 115 point championship advantage.The car was really strong in the first two races despite the different conditions and we were comfortable out front, he said. I think it would have been the same in race three if it hadnt been for the accident at the start and we could have taken all three wins again.At the start, I had no idea that Tom hadnt moved and suddenly the car in front of me swerved and I had nowhere to go. I jumped on the brakes but it was too late and I couldnt avoid him. It was a big hit but Im feeling okay.Further information on sponsorship opportunities with the Richardson Racing team are available by e-mailing info@richardsonracing.co.uk


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