Middleton ends year with a Super victory

Ashington’s Stuart Middleton (second left) and team-mate Jack Bartholomew (second right) celebrate victory in the final race of the 2019 Lamborgini Super Trofeo Europe Series in Jerez, Spain and (inset), Middleton in action

HIGHLY-RATED North East racing driver Stuart Middleton enjoyed a successful conclusion to his maiden season of GT3 action in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe at Jerez in Spain - with a double podium and victory in the final race of the 2019 campaign.

Ending third in the championship with 125 points - just 14 points shy of the title - Ashington-based Middleton and compatriot Jack Bartholomew started the Jerez event with third place in round 11.

They then stormed to their third win of the year in round 12 later in the day.

In total, the team-mates raced to eight podium results during a very competitive campaign.

The Bonaldi Motorsport pairing also contested the Lamborghini Super Trofeo World Finals at the Spanish track – featuring the very best drivers and teams from the European, North American and Asian championships.

In race one, North East Caravans, Steel and Jelly and Spine Opticssupported racer Middleton took the flag in 10th position after Bartholomew was caught up in a luckless opening-lap incident which dropped him well outside the top 20.

In race two, the duo combined to deliver a strong sixth place.

British Racing Drivers’ Club Rising Star Middleton said: “It was a fantastic way to end the championship with another win, great to finish the season as we started.

“It has been a really tough year, a lot to learn in my first year in GT3 in what has been a very competitive Super Trofeo season and with the level of skill very high.

“Walking away with more silverware is always a good thing.”

The teenager added: “We have had to work hard, the hardest I ever have, to finish in the top three of the championship.

“While it would have been nice to be a bit closer to the top I did everything I could.

“The Lamborghini is a completely different car to anything I have driven before – the power level, the brakes and the way the car is so sensitive to any changes – so I am happy with how I have adapted to the new challenge.”

He went on: “We just did not have the budget to test ahead of this weekend and most of the other teams had a couple of extra days at Jerez.

“So I don’t think we did a bad job overall in the last two races of the championship and the World Final, especially as it was a new track for me.

“Our car was not quite there in the World Final races but we are still very satisfied with our own performance.”

■ WATCH out for a special end-ofyear feature on Stuart Middleton in Grassroots Sport over the festive period.