Jem Hepworth secured her second overall top-ten finish and third point-scoring result in the Silver class at Monza in the GT4 European Series, navigating a chaotic weekend and continuing her strong rookie season.
RAFA Racing Team driver Jem Hepworth had another positive weekend in the GT4 European Series powered by RAFA Racing Club at Monza, where she secured her second overall top-ten finish and third point-scoring result in the Silver class, competing against one of the world’s most competitive GT4 fields.
In her rookie season, Hepworth returned to the #81 McLaren Artura GT4 after a two-month summer break since Hockenheimring, where she had shown improvement, particularly in qualifying, finishing near the overall top ten. Her breakthrough had come one round earlier at Spa Francorchamps, where she scored points in both races, including a remarkable fourth-place finish in Race 2, where she led overall for most of her stint.
Despite some bad luck in previous rounds, Hepworth and her teammate Cameron Lawrence remained consistent top-ten contenders heading into Monza, where they aimed to build on their positive momentum.
Lawrence set the fifth-fastest time in FP1 with a 1:54.867, just three-tenths behind the overall pace-setters. In FP2, Hepworth delivered a strong performance, recording a 1:55.016 lap, which placed her ninth overall and eighth in the Silver class, underscoring the team's potential for the weekend.
Hepworth handled the first qualifying session, showing solid pace and positioning herself 16th overall and 12th in the Silver class with a 1:54.871 lap. Lawrence took over in Q2, briefly topping the charts before finishing P4, with three McLarens in the top four.
Hepworth started from P16 overall and managed a clean start through a hectic opening phase that saw multiple cars running off track and an eventual safety car deployment. She maintained P12 in class after several competitors, including Gedik's BMW, Xavier's Porsche, and Faria's Aston Martin, were eliminated. After the restart on lap 4, she gained a position to move up to P11.
Settling into her pace, Hepworth defended well from Hellsten's Porsche and caught up with the #31 Porsche ahead. On lap 10, an incident at Ascari involving the #16 Mercedes and #74 Aston Martin brought out another full-course yellow and delayed the pit window opening.
Once the race resumed with 30 minutes to go, Hepworth executed some impressive laps, overtaking Gabbay and breaking into the top ten in class. Staying out as other Silver class cars pitted, Hepworth climbed as high as P6 before making her pit stop on lap 14, from P7 in class and 11th overall.
It was a strong first stint for Hepworth, holding her own in the highly competitive Silver class. Lawrence then took over for the final leg of the race.
Lawrence rejoined in P9 in class but lost ground and fell to tenth after being passed by Gabriele Piana and Signoretti. A late-race safety car was triggered by an incident involving Rafa Martinez and Navarro’s Porsche, and the race finished under caution.
Hepworth and Lawrence thus secured a top-ten finish overall and in class, their third top-10 in Silver, earning valuable points. Hepworth also stood on the podium as the top rookie of the race.
On Sunday, with sunny conditions, Lawrence started from fourth overall in the remaining RAFA Racing McLaren, as team owner Rafa Martinez was unable to compete after his car, collected at the first chicane, sustained heavy damage in a Saturday incident.
Lawrence had a challenging start and dropped to seventh after being overtaken by the Mustang of Signoretti. The action was soon interrupted by a safety car following Bottemanne’s off at the second chicane.
After the restart, Lawrence regained sixth when Josh Miller’s Aston Martin ran deep into the first turn. He passed Nico Verdonck in the #1 Mustang before Verdonck was involved in a collision with Moller Madsen’s Porsche.
A second safety car came out following a crash at Ascari between Homlund and Gudet. Lawrence used the restart on lap 9 to overtake Signoretti for fifth, though both cars made contact and the McLaren sustained some damage but could continue.
Under pressure from two WimmerWerk Porsches, Lawrence dropped to P7 by lap 12. Staying out longer before the pit window, Lawrence climbed to third overall before pitting on lap 16. Hepworth rejoined in P11 in class after a longer pit stop, with the team falling to P16 by the end of the pit window.
Once in her rhythm, Hepworth gained time, closing in on the Borusan Otomotive BMW ahead. With 10 minutes remaining, the #31 Porsche spun at Ascari, bringing out another Full Course Yellow. Following the restart, Gustavo Xavier’s crash at Parabolica prompted another safety car with just five minutes left.
The race resumed for a brief green flag period, but a major crash on the main straight caused the race to finish under caution. Hepworth, navigating the chaos, lost several positions and ultimately finished P18 in class, P23 overall.
Despite the setbacks in a very chaotic and disrupted second race, the team fought hard and gained valuable experience from their battles throughout the weekend.
Despite a couple of contacts with no fault of their own that influenced the car's performance in a very chaotic and disrupted second race, Lawrence and Hepworth fought hard and gained valuable experience from their battles throughout the weekend.
"This year has been about development and growth for me as a driver. I’m proud of my progression this year, especially looking back on my stint on Saturday."
"I can’t thank my team RAFA Racing Team enough, without them none of this would have been possible and I am forever grateful for this opportunity. A big thank you as always to Cameron Lawrence - my co driver/coach and the best team mate, super proud to share #81 with him."
The final round of the season will take place at the Jeddah Street Circuit in Saudi Arabia on 29-30 November, which the GT4 European Series powered by RAFA Racing Club will visit for the first time. Hepworth and Lawrence currently sit 17th in the drivers' standings with 14 points.
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