DARREN Turner is celebrating after winning the European Le Mans Series GTE Championship.

The Banbury-based driver and Beechdean Aston Martin teammates Andrew Howard and Alex MacDowall needed to win the last round at Estoril, Portugal, and bank on championship leaders JMW Ferrari not finishing.

Despite only qualifying eighth, it all fell into place for the team, who went on to win the race, while their title rivals failed to complete the four-hour race.

MacDowall started the race and, having been lower down the order, was able to watch on as his rivals endured a confused start.

He took the lead and Howard sustained the team’s advantage, before the safety car came out during Turner’s stint.

Surrounded by other cars from other series, he described the restart as “chaotic”.

Turner added: “Our lead was reduced to zero, so I had Rui Aguas’s Ferrari on my tail for a while.

“Once I got clear of the traffic I was able to pull away and then I think he was hit, so I just got my head down to build the buffer up again.”

Turner then handed over to MacDowell, who built a healthy lead and took the chequered flag for victory and the championship title.

JAMES Hall’s championship hopes lie in tatters after he was forced to retire from round seven of the Kick Energy Championship at Pembrey.

The 15-year-old, from Witney, and co-driver Simon Bradley came into the event looking to make an assault on top spot, but were plagued with technical difficulties in Wales.

Hall and Bradley lost ten seconds in stage one after locking the front wheels, pressing on to finish the stage in fifth.

But their hopes came to an abrupt end just a quarter of a mile into the second stage as their progress was halted by a gearbox problem.

“I’m not just disappointed for myself, but also for Simon and the rest of the team,” said Hall.

“I’m now going to focus on Cadwell Stages (round eight, November 20) and prepare for the event like never before, to try and regain some points.”