The Simpson Motorsport Ginetta G57 (#4, Steve Tandy / Bob Berridge / Mike Simpson / Charlie Robertson) has claimed victory in the PROTO division at the first-ever Hankook 12H SILVERSTONE after a fighting drive, while the ROFGO Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 (#31, Roald Goethe / Stuart Hall / Daniel Brown) has secured overall GT honours.

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Simpson Motorsport’s weekend got off to a tumultuous start when its main chassis was damaged beyond repair during Thursday’s free practice session. In a brand new car sent overnight from Ginetta Cars’ headquarters in West Yorkshire, the P2 prototype weathered changeable conditions to secure both the P2 class and overall PROTO victory. The G57 completed 278 laps of the Silverstone Arena Circuit en-route to victory.

GT and A6-Pro honours meanwhile marked ROFGO Racing’s first class victory in the 24H SERIES powered by Hankook, following a stellar performance in the wet. Despite nursing a broken diffuser after an early collision with PROsport Performance, the ROFGO Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 would leapfrog the Forch Racing Porsche 991 GT3 R shortly after three-quarter distance. The British team dedicated their class win to the late Henry Hope-Frost, the revered British motoring journalist who sadly passed away this weekend.

Completing the A6-Pro podium was the GRT Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini Huracán GT3, which gambled on slick tyres during an early wet weather stint to keep itself in contention. Further back in 4th was the Bohemia Energy racing with Scuderia Praha Ferrari 488 GT3. Despite leading 37 laps outright during the opening five hours, the Czech-based team would fall foul of boost-pressure regulations early on Saturday morning and would be penalised two laps as a result.

📷 Creventic

A6-Am honours were secured by the Car Collection Motorsport Audi R8 LMS, a welcome result for the German outfit after its sister #33 entry was forced to retire with a terminal steering imbalance and a broken clutch. Close behind in 2nd was the Attempto Racing Lamborghini Huracán GT3, while reigning 991 class champions PROsport Performance Mercedes-AMG GT3 completed the A6-Am podium.

Further back in the PROTO division, the Krafft Racing Norma M20 FC meanwhile would survive a hefty on-track shunt – and a couple of errant spins – to claim not only CN1 class victory but also 2nd in the PROTO division rankings.

991 class honours meanwhile would go to the IDEC SPORT RACING entry, which would just pip both Porsche Lorient entries, the #65 991-I Cup leading the sister #64 over the line.

📷 Creventic

A titanic tussle for SPX honours would eventually go to the Speed Lover Porsche 991-I after a sensational run against series debutants Fox Motorsport. Indeed, the two teams were split by just 90 seconds after five hours of racing, the Audi R8 LMS GT’s pace only dropping as the rain and temperatures continued to fall.

Reigning Champions of the Continents Herberth Motorsport had looked a strong contender for victory as the race ticked past half distance only for a trip into the gravel and a ripped water pump belt costing the team almost 30 minutes of clean-up. The Ram Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 meanwhile would fail to make the start at all, terminal engine failure halting the British team’s weekend early.