Just three weeks after his huge accident at
Oulton Park, Hunter Abbott returned to the track at
Knockhill as the Rob Austin Racing team secured victory in the latest rounds of the Avon Tyres British GT Championship.
The team only secured a replacement Ginetta G50 two days before the Scottish race weekend with Abbott taking the track for the first time since the accident during Saturday morning practice and then qualified third on the GT4 grid for the first race of the weekend. Team-mate, and team boss Rob Austin, went even better to then secure pole for race two.
Abbott then battled into the class lead during his stint in race one before handing the car over to Austin who successfully brought the car home for a dream first class win in the series.
Austin then led from pole in race two and the team looked set to secure a double win, but the team was forced to withdraw when he made his mandatory pit-stop after the brake lights on the G50 failed.
"Until a couple of days ago I wasn't going to race at Knockhill due to back problems after the crash at Oulton, but I decided I wanted to come back as soon as possible," Abbott said. "This win is the dream come back from one of the scariest crashes in motorsport for a number of years. It's a great result for myself, Rob, the team, Ginetta and our sponsors, Alcosense and Onkyo.
"When I got in the car this morning, which was the first time in a race car since the crash, it was a roller coaster of emotions, but once I was out there I was fine, I just built up the pace a lap at a time. Everyone has been very supportive during this difficult time, helping me to come back this weekend. I'm very pleased that I was able to perform and help take the win."
