MONZA, Italy — As former world champion Lewis Hamilton took the checkered flag here to claim victory for Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 team last week, he made it one of the most successful weekends for McLaren. That was actually McLaren's fourth victory of the weekend following multiple successes in GT championships. Lapidus Racing competed in the ultimate endurance challenge at the Spanish Circuit de Catalunya for the 15th running of the 24H Barcelona, which forms part of the same series as the renowned 24H Dubai race. Starting from fifth on the grid the MP4-12C GT3 made a strong start and built a commanding lead as night fell. An unscheduled stop saw the team drop to third, but once back on track, it quickly caught the leaders and regained the lead in the early hours of the morning. As the clock reached the 24-hour mark, the striking orange and white liveried 12C GT3 crossed the line to take the title having completed a grueling 640 laps, equaling a distance of nearly 3,000 kilometers. The achievement marked the first win for McLaren in a 24-hour race since the McLaren F1 GTR took the title at Le Mans on its debut in 1995. At the Circuito de Navarra in Northern Spain, the French-based ART Grand Prix team secured pole position with the 12C GT3 in the FFSA French GT championship, before going on to claim victory at the Spanish circuit. In Round Six of the Avon Tires British GT Championship at Silverstone, two teams entered with McLarens. The United Autosports team started fifth on the grid, while British GT Champions, Apex Motorsports lined up in 14th. Apex took the lead early in the race, but a stop-go penalty following the first mandatory pit stop forced it to relinquish its lead, allowing United Autosports' 12C GT3 to hit the front. As the race ended the red-white-and-blue McLaren crossed the line with a comfortable margin over the chasing pack and completing the weekend's triple victory for the McLaren GT customer teams. — SG
