An inspired decision to start on wet tyres was the key to a superb maiden Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup victory for Tom Hibbert in the second race at Brands Hatch.
Hibbert’s win came in one of the most action-packed races of the season, with worsening weather conditions and different tyre strategies mixing up the field.
In the title battle, Tom Wrigley and Will Burns emerged from tense races in eighth and fifth respectively, meaning Wrigley holds just a seven point lead heading into the final round.
It was Burns who started the race from pole position courtesy of his victory in the earlier encounter, but a slow launch dropped him to third behind the fast-starting Carl Boardley and Hibbert.
Hibbert was into the lead by Hawthorns though and went on to build a lead of nearly seven seconds in just two laps – though that was cut short by the introduction of the safety car.
A busy start to the race had seen Jamie Orton the first victim, with slight contact with Wrigley in the braking zone for Stirlings sending him sliding off circuit and into the gravel trap.
At the same corner on the next lap, a spin for Colin White led to him hitting Fraser Robertson before making contact with the barriers, with his G55 left stricken on circuit.
With Hibbert’s lead wiped out, he led Boardley, Burns and Reece Somerfield away at the restart. The latter was also on wet tyres, meaning he swiftly worked his way into second.
Realising that any contact could severely hamper his title chances, Burns was slipping back meanwhile, losing a spot to Boardley and then later Jack Mitchell at Surtees.
Championship leader Wrigley was having worse luck behind meanwhile, with contact from Callum Pointon under the safety car causing rear end damage to his G55.
With that damage affecting the balance of his car, he was powerless to prevent himself losing ground to Rob Gaffney, Pointon and Jack Bartholomew as the race progressed.
One of those places went back to him however as series debutant Bartholomew became the latest driver to get caught out at Stirlings, spinning on the exit kerb and hitting the barriers.
That brought out the safety car once again, but when the field lapped the circuit behind it, the heavens opened and the decision was made to bring the race to a premature end.
That handed Hibbert his maiden victory, while Somerfield returned to the podium for the first time since the Brands Hatch season opener in April.
Boardley meanwhile continued his strong run of form with a third podium finish in four races, taking the flag ahead of Mitchell, Burns, Gaffney, Pointon and Wrigley.
Mark Davies finished up ninth at the flag, having pitted on the green flag lap to switch to wet rubber, with Ben Green and Jamie Stanley completing the eleven Pro class finishers.
In the AM category, with newly-crowned class champion White not finishing, it was David Brooks who climbed from the back of the grid to take victory ahead of Robertson and Chris Ingram.
Full race results can be found here.
