EDGE driver Dean Macdonald and Greystone GT scored a maiden overall International GT Open podium result in a thrilling finish at the Red Bull Ring that went down to the wire.
Debutants James Kell and Dean MacDonald, having shown strong pace all weekend aboard their Pro-class McLaren 720S GT3 Evo, delivered the third-place result with a last-lap effort that had the Silverstone-based celebrating in the pit garage.
Sitting 11 seconds away from the podium positions with 10 minutes of Sunday’s hour-long race to go, James lay fourth overall, but the Morpeth racer began catching the cars ahead.
Continuing the speed shown by co-driver Dean during the opening stint, James set the fastest final sector of all with just three laps to go.
With James aware that the car ahead was due to receive a post-race five-second penalty, he entered the final lap just under 6s behind; the Greystone GT team holding their breath collectively in the pits.
Just 5.3s away from his target entering the final sector, a sensational run through the last three corners moved James and Dean onto the podium by just 0.2s once the penalties were applied.
Twenty-four hours earlier, in far colder conditions, the pair finished sixth overall from 10th on the grid; this time factory McLaren driver Dean, from Kelty, driving the anchor leg and executing multiple overtakes along the way.
The next round of the International GT Open takes place at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain, on September 27-29.