Akhil Rabindra and Ross Gunn finish sixth at the Michelin GT Challenge

Akhil Rabindra at IMSA Michelin GT Challenge

Automatic Racing team’s Akhil Rabindra and Ross Gunn crossed the finish line in sixth place at the IMSA Michelin GT Challenge at the 5.26km Virginia International Raceway. Akhil is the only Asian racing driver to earn a spot at the Aston Martin Racing Driver Academy. The duo managed to complete 48 laps in 01:52.740 hrs barring tricky conditions and multiple caution periods. The results mark the team’s best finish of the year as the squad continues to learn more each time out with the all-new Aston Martin Vantage GT4 platform.

“It’s a completely new track for me and it’s one of those tracks that you probably need a lot of running to come to grips with it, but it’s an awesome track. It’s very fast and challenging. It was a very interesting race. We started P21 and finished sixth. I do think a podium was in reach so I’m not completely happy with sixth but hopefully we’ll get that podium soon’’, said Akhil Rabindra.

However, due to thunderstorms in that area, some of the practice and qualifying sessions were cancelled on Friday. Despite the challenges, the duo never backed down. Akhil took the wheel of the No. 09 Aston Martin GT4 for the first 1:15 hrs. of the race, restarting from 21st place.

The 23-year-old Rabindra, in a matter of laps, took the seventh spot overtaking 13 drivers. He handed the car over to Gunn with 45 minutes in the race, while Abdolvahabi turned over the No. 97 Invisible Glass Aston Martin Vantage GT4 to co-driver Long. Both Gunn and Long managed to work their way forward and regardless of the unfavourable conditions, Gunn made pace to take sixth spot to end the race on a positive note.