The Aston Martin GT4 Challenge of Great Britain got underway on Saturday (6 April) when the season-opener at Silverstone took place. And, with debutant Kevin Norville starting from pole, a maiden win for Andrew Jarman and the Best Overall Performance prize going to newcomer David Tin, it was a day of exciting firsts.

Qualifying took place amid cold and cloudy conditions. The session was headed by the #27 Norville/Lockie car, which set an impressive pace throughout the thirty minutes of qualification. Their quickest time, a 1:00.80 was enough to put them on pole by just under a second; a fine performance for the new pairing which resulted in Kevin starting his first GT4 race at the head of the field.

As if to herald the start of the 2013 Aston Martin GT4 Challenge, the sun came out just in time for the race to begin on Saturday afternoon, bathing the packed-out paddock in very welcome warm glow. The lights went green at just after 2.25pm and 2012 Challenge winner Olivier Bouche took the lead, the position that he and team-mate, TXM Recruit-sponsored Andrew Jarman were to maintain for each of the one hundred minutes.

James Walters, senior sales manager at Aston Martin Racing comments: “This season was set to be the most exciting yet, and if Saturday is anything to go by, we’re certainly on course for a great year. The series, supported by Dunlop tyres and QuickSilver Exhausts, is proof that drivers with no or little racing experience can come along with a few friends and have a great racing experience.”

First time racer Kevin Norville comments: “Saturday was off the charts for me with three trophies and two podiums. This is what I’d hoped for over the course of the season in total and perhaps realistically loaded towards the end. To do that on my first ever day was amazing – it was exactly one month to the day after Aston Martin Racing handed over the new Vantage GT4 car to me!”

The winner of the Silverstone Best Overall Performance award was David Tinn, who impressed Aston Martin Racing with his driving, especially knowing that his only previous experience was at track days. For his efforts, Tinn wins a free entry into the Aston Martin Centenary Le Mans Parade and a VIP hospitality invitation for the famous 24-hour race.

James Walters adds: “David Tinn tested the Vantage at last year’s Aston Martin track day. He then came to our prospect test day in February to try the GT4 and started his first event on an ‘arrive and drive’ basis with Stratton Motorsport. We were particularly impressed with how quickly David took to driving the GT4. He and teammates - fellow newcomer John Dickson, who has raced historics for a number of years and fellow racer Zak Mercer - showed that together they could be a formidable force in the series.

“Alongside a busy day of racing, Stratstone Amersham’s fantastic sales display of Aston Martin road cars gave our guests and spectators plenty to look at and with food and drink at the Aston Martin VIP Race Centre it was a great day out for everyone. Roll on Oulton Park!”

The next round of the GT4 Challenge of Great Britain takes place at Oulton Park on May 11th. Anyone interested in hospitality passes to attend as a spectator/guest or competing in the race on an ‘arrive and drive’ basis with Stratton Motorsport should go to www.astonmartin.com/gt4challenge for further information.

Race Classification

Aston Martin Racing is the motorsport arm of Aston Martin. In 2013, it will contest the FIA World Endurance Championship with its Vantage GTE. It also has customer teams competing in major championships around the world in its Vantage GT4, GT3 and GTE cars, which all share a bonded aluminium chassis and fundamental engine design with Aston Martin's road-going V8 Vantage.

Follow the team's progress at www.facebook.com/astonmartinracing on Twitter using @amr_official and on the website www.astonmartin.com/racing.