Storms Steal Podium from Smith & Plowman at Donington Decider

On performance alone, Mark Smith and Martin Plowman looked set to sign off their British GT Championship campaign with a podium at Donington Park – only for a sudden change in weather to undo the #9 Paddock Motorsport McLaren’s strategy in the closing stages.

Despite the setback, the pair still secured a top-10 finish and banked eighth-place points, a result that underlined just how far the team has come across the 2025 season.

A weekend of promise

Smith arrived at Donington off the back of a quadruple victory in the GT Cup, and quickly showed his speed again with an eye-catching pre-qualifying run that placed him fourth fastest overall. Qualifying proved more complicated, with a red flag and headwind disrupting the team’s setup plans. A splitter issue added to the challenge, leaving Smith and Plowman 11th on combined times.

Fighting through the chaos

With setup tweaks made before the race, Smith started Sunday’s two-hour finale in changeable conditions. Rain showers swept across the circuit as the field ran on slicks, but once the balance came to him, Smith charged forward. A series of bold moves lifted him to seventh before handing over to Plowman at half distance.

Fresh slicks and a slick pit stop propelled Plowman into the top five as the pit cycle played out. He then produced a standout move on Aston Martin star Jonny Adam to take fourth and began reeling in the Orange Racing McLaren for third.

But with rain looming once again, Paddock rolled the dice and switched to wets. In cruel fashion, the rain quickly disappeared, leaving Plowman to nurse overheating tyres to the finish. He crossed the line 10th, later classified eighth after two non-scoring cars ahead.

Building momentum

Although the podium slipped away, the team took plenty of encouragement from its performance.

Smith said:

“That race felt like I drove three different cars – the one at the start, the one in the wet, and the one when it dried out! Once I got into the rhythm, the car was fantastic. Plowey was incredible on slicks in the rain – I don’t know how he held on. We made the right calls as a team, but the weather just didn’t fall our way. Overall, it’s been a really strong season.”

Plowman added:

“It’s bittersweet to come so close to a podium and miss out, but we showed the progress we’ve made. Racing with guys like Jonny Adam and fighting at that level proves we belong here. The team has worked so hard and we’ll take the positives into the winter and be ready for 2026.”