The Century Motorsport pairing of Dan Harper and Darren Leung podiumed at the closing race of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup in Spain to be crowned 2024 Bronze Drivers’ champions.
Following Harper and Leung’s success in the GT3 element of the British GT Championship in 2023, the English team decided to retain the pair for the European Sprint Cup – and their decision was handsomely rewarded.
In Sunday’s 60-minute battle, the pair played the points game by competing at a pace and a rhythm to cross the finish line third in the division to take overall honours in their BMW M4 GT3 by nine and a half points.
In glorious sunshine, they shadowed the Barwell Motorsport Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 of their title rivals Rob Collard and Sandy Mitchell to get the job done at the 2.89-mile Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona.
Rutronik Racing’s Dustin Blattner and Dennis Marschall were third in the Pro-Am standings on 69 points, helped by a first maximum score at the controls of their 992-generation Porsche 911 GT3 R on Sunday.
The bulk of Saturday’s rain-affected opener was spent behind the safety car when the No.57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG made contact with the No.66 Tresor Attempto Racing Audi at Turn One on the opening lap, causing the latter to burst into flames before coming to a stop.
When the race finally went green for the final three laps, Leung sat fifth in class but gained two places due to the Barwell Motorsport Lamborghini falling behind him and the SKY Tempesta Racing Ferrari spinning off the track following contact – a godsend after a tough qualifying session in which Harper’s best effort was marked red for exceeding track limits, meaning a starting position of 26th.
“Back-to-back champions – British GT champions last year and now champions in the Sprint Cup Bronze Class this year – I am just over the moon for Darren and the whole team,” said Harper.
“It is an amazing result for everybody and I am just so happy at the end of what has been a tough year for us. To be able to bring home a second title in the space of two years racing together feels pretty special.
“This season, the Bronze Class has been really strong, with Sandy and Rob and also Jonathan (Hui) in the Ferrari at times, and towards the end of the season, Dennis and Dustin with the Porsche, which has been really fast.
“It has not been easy, but we gathered up the points when we needed to in order to become champions.”
Meanwhile, Kesh’s Jon Armstrong secured a career-best result at the final round of the FIA European Rally Championship in Poland.
He started the Sunday leg in seventh but a hat-trick of scratch times – including the rally-ending Power Stage – elevated him and co-driver Eoin Treacy to second in their Motorsport Ireland-backed Ford Fiesta Rally2.