BANBURY-BASED Aston Martin Racing won the GTE Am class of the FIA World Endurance Championship Six Hours of Silverstone.

Drivers Pedro Lamy, Paul Dalla Lana and Mathias Lauda stormed to victory after qualifying on pole for the season-opener.

The trio also narrowly missed out on a podium in the GTE Pro class in Northamptonshire.

AMR team principal John Gaw said: “It’s the perfect start to the championship campaign.

“We have some work to do to achieve our objectives in the Pro class – our focus will remain undiminished.”

Aston Martin have four other teams in the championship.

In the Blancpain Endurance Series, Chipping Norton driver Sean Walkinshaw finished seventh in the Pro Cup class at Monza, Italy.

Alongside teammates Craig Dolby and Martin Plowman, the trio bounced back from 15th in the opening round of the sprint series in Nogaro, France.

Walkinshaw said: “I think we had the pace to be on the podium, but I’m still happy to get a good finish.”