Blancpain GT Asia: Aditya Patel & Mitch Gilbert suffer tyre blowout from lead

After a podium finish in Race 1 of the Suzuka Blancpain GT Asia series weekend on Saturday, Aditya Patel and Mitch Gilbert were at it again on Sunday in Race 2 of Round 3.

Starting on the front-row, Gilbert in the #86 OD Racing Audi maintained second place behind pole-sitter Alessio Picariello (with Jeffrey Lee) in the #7 J-Fly by Absolute Racing Audi.

With much of the race during the first part interrupted with cautions, the Top 2 stayed put with a change behind as the #999 GruppeM Racing Team Mercedes' of Maximilian Goetz (with Hunter Abbott) slotting itself in third, having started fifth.

The treacherous conditions posed a difficult challenge for the drivers, but Goetz cleared Gilbert to take second in his pursuit to catch Picariello.

With pit window open, both dived straight as Abbott in the Mercedes emerged in front of Lee in the Audi. But both Abbott and Lee were soon passed by Patel, who charged through after taking over from Gilbert.

The lead remained short-lived, though, as a spectacular tyre blowout in his left rear on the start/finish straight with 15 minutes on the clock ended Patel's race.

It was then the #999 of Abbott winning from Silver class winners #66 Vincenzo Sospiri Racing SRL Lamborghini of Sandy Stuvik & Nicolas Costa, while #7 Audi of Lee & Picariello.

After three rounds in the championship, the Indo-Malaysian pair sits third in the overall standings with 76 points, as Abbott leads with 94.

In the Silver class, #5 Audi Hong Kong's Marchy Lee & Shaun Thong (113) leads Patel & Gilbert (83) by 30 points.

The 2017 season now heads to Fuji during the August 19-20 weekend for Round 4.

[Image courtesy: Blancpain GT Asia]