Alex O'Grady claimed the GB4 title with a run to second place in the second race of the weekend at Brands Hatch.
Needing to finish on the podium to secure the title a race early, he went one better and claimed second place after moving past Thomas Ingram Hill on the first lap. He then kept his cool to bring the car home and wrap up the championship honours.
“I feel amazing!" he said afterwards. "It was such a difficult race, just always thinking about what happens if I drop it around the back or something. And with the oil on the track I think on lap two, I dipped a wheel onto the grass on the exit and Tom nearly hit the back of me.
"It was really nerve-wracking that whole race, but I settled into it and kept it calm and I wasn’t too worried about Fred [Green] driving away, I mean he was just going for it. I just drove around and could see the time going down and I was hoping that nothing would break. We brought it home so a massive thanks to the whole team.
The Irish driver was effusive in praise for his KMR Sport team, the squad he has raced for in GB4 across the past two seasons. O'Grady's title is the team's second driver's crown, and the Gloucestershire squad's fifth title in GB4, having also won three teams' championships.
"The last two years have been amazing, and if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be racing. It’s amazing that they’ve got me to this stage.
“Kevin [Mills - Team Owner] gets so emotional when I win, and especially today. It’s a really nice environment in the team. They’re so nice to me and its really family run so it’s lovely, nice to see we’re up here and beating the other teams which have been doing this many more years than us in GB3 and everything so it’s just amazing."
O'Grady entered the final race this afternoon as the new champion, and is looking forward to the celebrations with his family members who have supported him throughout the event.
“I’ve got a lot of my family over, my auntie, my mum and my cousins too so I’ll go and celebrate with them after!”