Orange Racing by JMH claimed its first overall British GT Championship title thanks to a maiden outright race victory in a sensational season finale at Brands Hatch last weekend (26/27 September).

There were emotional scenes around the Kent circuit and inside the Orange Racing by JMH garage, as Marcus Clutton and Simon Orange brought their McLaren 720s GT3 across the line to not only win their first British GT race, but also claim both the overall and Pro-Am class titles after a truly remarkable year of racing in the UK’s premier sportscar series.

The #67 car, backed by Sale Sharks, William Hare, CorpAcq, BOL Foods, Parkway England, Smith Bros. and Shoppertainment, entered the eighth and final round of the British GT Championship in contention for two titles. The McLaren crew not only topped Pro-Am, but still had an outside chance of snatching the outright series championship if cards were to fall their way.

After such a strong season, which included a famous class victory at Spa-Francorchamps in the summer, both Orange and Clutton were quick to lay down a marker when the key action came around on Saturday morning. Clutton set the third-best time overall in Free Practice, and both drivers impressed again in Pre-Qualifying to remain inside the top four.

What followed that afternoon was an exceptional Qualifying. Simon took the first of the two 10-minute sessions, and set a strong time good enough for fourth outright in GT3 – just 0.4s off the best time of Q1. Marcus then took over for Q2, and his rapid lap of 1m22.962s put him top of the times in that session, leaping the car up to third in the combined times.

Under sunny skies at the famous Kent circuit, Sunday played host to what was set to be an intense two-hour season finale. Orange started the McLaren from third on the rolling start, and immediately got his elbows out as he challenged for second place at Druids corner, having re-passed the similar McLaren of title rival, Morgan Tillbrook, for third.

From that point, the opening hour was a time trial with Orange chasing after Kevin Tse and leader Rob Collard, passing the former’s Mercedes to climb to second and put pressure on for first place. Simon soon found himself leading in dramatic fashion, as the Barwell Lamborghini of Collard spun off into the gravel at Sheene curve, giving the #67 crew the outright lead and the advantage in the title fight.

He handed the car over to Clutton for an intense conclusion to the race, leading by over 20 seconds from Ben Barnicoat – who was now aboard Tillbrook’s Optimum McLaren. The job was to keep that position for the final hour to seal the deal, and a superb and mature stint by Clutton was enough to bring the car home for the Orange Racing by JMH squad’s first outright British GT win, and with it, double title glory.

The pair overturned the biggest deficit in a season finale in British GT history (21.5 points) to clinch the overall crown, as well as confirm Pro-Am class honours also in a fitting end to a phenomenal campaign.

Jason Hughes, Team Manager: “I’m almost lost for words! We’ve all worked so, so hard for this, and it’s got better and better each time. To get the title outright; it’s absolutely superb and fair play to everyone here for the graft that they have put in, and to Simon and Marcus who have stepped up massively to take the title. We’re so proud as a team.”

Simon Orange: “You couldn’t ask for much better really! As soon as Collard went off, I knew that we were suddenly on for it, and it proved to be the case. It’s been getting better and better, and this is just absolutely fantastic. British GT Champions! I thought the overall title would be a long shot, but to manage that is fantastic.”

Marcus Clutton: “It’s absolutely fantastic. I’m so proud of everyone, and it’s quite an emotional moment for us all. To come into the championship and build up to where we are now is a really amazing story. We came into it as the outsiders, but we put everything into this weekend to see where we would end up, and we’ve come away as champions.”