SOUTH Warnborough racing driver Ollie Hancock stormed to yet another impressive podium following a last-minute call-up to race with Speedworks Motor-sport at Mugello.

The 27-year-old, along with co-drivers and Devon Modell and John Gilbert, finished the 24-hour international endurance series event on the third step of the rostrum.

It was Hancock’s first time behind the wheel of an Aston Martin Vantage GT4 and he was truly thrown in at the deep end, qualifying the SP3 class car despite never having raced at the Italian track before.

A strong start to Friday’s race saw Hancock work his way through the pack and up to second before a fuel surge issue halted the team’s progress, forcing them to short stint for the remainder of the first four hours.

The event’s unique format, split between four and eight-hour sessions over two days, enabled Hancock to restart the second part of the race on Saturday, climbing from sixth to third, before handing over the wheel.

Further excellent strategy and pit work from the entire team saw the Aston Martin Vantage GT4 cross the line in third.

Hancock said: “I was delighted to be given the opportunity to race with Speedworks Motor-sport and even more so to finish on the podium!

“I’ve only ever coached at Mugello with Fiorano Ferrari, so although I was familiar with the track, I had never done any flying laps there and it was my first time racing the Vantage.”