MARK SMITH STARS ON GT CUP RETURN WITH PODIUMS AND VICTORY FOR PADDOCK MOTORSPORT AT DONINGTON PARK

Mark Smith made a successful return to the GT Cup Championship at Donington Park over the weekend, delivering a standout performance in the Paddock Motorsport McLaren 720S GT3 with two podium finishes and a race victory across a dramatic weekend of racing.

The event saw Smith compete in challenging summer conditions, with temperatures pushing into heatwave territory around the Leicestershire circuit.

From the opening qualifying session, Smith showed the pace of the Paddock Motorsport McLaren, securing a P3 starting position after finishing just two tenths away from pole.

In Saturday’s Sprint Race, Smith immediately made his move, passing Peter Erceg’s Audi to move into second place before the race was neutralised by a safety car. Despite the interruptions, Smith maintained position to bring the McLaren home second overall, securing an all-GT3 podium finish.

The afternoon Pitstop Race saw Smith take control of the race, making a superb move around the outside at Redgate to grab the lead. He built a strong advantage before the mandatory stops, but a late charge from the recovering Audi with the Pro driver behind the wheel saw the lead battle go down to the final corners, with Smith narrowly finishing second after a last-lap pass.

Sunday brought further success, with Smith continuing his strong pace in qualifying to line up third on the grid.

In the Pitstop Race, Smith once again found himself battling at the front. After shadowing the leading BMW through the opening stages, the Paddock Motorsport driver closed in during the final stint and made a decisive move into the Melbourne Hairpin to take the lead. From there, Smith controlled the race to secure a superb GT Cup victory on his return to the championship.

The final Sprint Race ended in disappointment when Smith was forced out after contact while passing a lapped car, resulting in heavy contact with the tyre wall.

Despite the unfortunate ending, Smith’s guest appearance proved a major success, with the Paddock Motorsport McLaren 720S GT3 showing race-winning pace throughout the weekend.