Tech 9 and Team Modena were left frustrated by an engine problem on the Lamborghini Gallardo that forced both teams out of the second Avon Tyres British GT Championship race of the weekend.

The Tech 9 car had been forced out of race one following an accident for Leo Machitski but was then unable to take the start of the second race when the team discovered a problem with the engine on Sunday morning, while the Team Modena car of Ben de Zille Butler and Guy Harrington retired in race one when its engine let go.

The sister car of Adam Jones and Piers Johnson had finished race one but then suffered an engine failure after taking the chequered flag which put both cars out of race two.

"We've spoken to the other team who are running a Gallardo GT3 race car and they have exactly the same problem,” Team Modena team boss Graham Schultz said. "They have put an endoscope down the bore to have a look and they are seeing the same as us, it seems we all have the same problem, and we need to talk to our suppliers.

"This is an unusual circuit where you are at speed with a side-load on the car for much of the lap, and that seems to have shown up a weakness in the GT3 race car engine when racing under these conditions."

Johnson and Jones had taken fourth place in race one, despite starting down in 15th place on the grid. Johnson completed a solid first stint before pitting behind the Safety Car and the team was able to return to the track in second place after surviving the melee that emerged on pit lane as all bar one of the cars still running in the race elected to pit at the same time.

Although he lost position to both the Team Trimite and ABG Motorsport Vipers, Jones managed to hold of the Aston Martin of Michael Bentwood to take the flag in fourth place.

"We've been blocked in the pits before, but it was absolute chaos today,” Jones admitted. “If one person does not park where they should do, the car behind is then out of position, and we were left with nowhere to stop. It could have been a disaster, but for once it worked out in our favour, it was a good call by the team.

"I lost a place to a Viper early on, but they are very quick and this is the fastest circuit in the country. We had a good battle with the Aston Martin, he was good in the high-speed corners, but we were better on the brakes, it was an enjoyable battle."