International GT Open racer Michael Lyons, and Italian team-mate Matteo Beretta, secured a brace of hard earned top four GTS Class finishes at Jerez in Spain over the weekend, 15th/16th June, to stay firmly in the title hunt at the midway point of the 2013 season.Rounding out the event an improved fourth in the GTS standings, just seven points shy of the class points lead, the consistently strong pairing produced a series of determined performances and impressively overcame two tough qualifying sessions to maintain their championship challenge.They were two come from behind races really, explained the Felsted driver, Finishing fourth in GTS in both gives us good, solid points and we always knew it was going to be a track wed struggle at so Im not too disappointed really. To be up there in the GTS standings is where we need to be at the halfway point, were pretty satisfied with that.While happy with fourth in GTS and 10th position overall during round seven on Saturday, from 13th in class and 19th overall on the grid, 22-year-old Michael was disappointed to have missed out on a potential class podium when held up by two cars following the mandatory driver-change pit-stop.Beretta took the opening stint of the first race and, despite focusing on preserving the Dunlop tyres due to very hot track temperatures, managed to make up a few places in the AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia before handing over to Michael when the car was also put on fresh rubber.Taking the pit-stop at a point which should have fed the Briton back into clean air, the teams plans were unfortunately spoiled when two McLarens, which should have served lengthier stops due to time penalties from the previous round, failed to do so and emerged in front.Despite the delay, Michael was able to work his way through into sixth in GTS and 12th overall prior to the appearance of the red flags due to a serious fire for the Porsche of compatriot Archie Hamilton. Post-race though, he was elevated into fourth and 10th in the respective classifications as a result of fresh penalties for the two errant McLarens.In round eight on Sunday, Michael took the opening stint and from 13th in class and 18th overall on the grid he fought his way through into the GTS top 10, despite some early contact, before handing the Ferrari over to his team-mate. Beretta then battled through into fourth in class and ninth position in the combined classification to secure another deserved haul of points.There was some contact in the second race when I got squeezed, fortunately it left just bodywork damage though so we were lucky there, explained Michael, Our qualifying should have been better but the race pace was good, all in all Im pretty happy to come away with the results we did.We should have challenged for the class podium in race one if our strategy had worked, we saved a fresh set of tyres for my stint but I got boxed in by the two McLarens. They held us up badly and although they were penalised after the race, that didnt help usif wed had the clear track we should have after the pit-stop as the team planned, we would have been in much better shape.Michael will return to racing on UK soil for the fifth event of the 2013 International GT Open with rounds nine and 10 of the season taking place four weeks from now, on 13th/14th July, at Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit in Northamptonshire.Provisional 2013 International GT OpenGTS Class Standings (after Rd8):4th Michael Lyons/Matteo Beretta, 22pts

Provisional 2013 International GT Open Standings (after Rd8):12th Michael Lyons/Matteo Beretta, 36pts