FRONT-RUNNING Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia driver Rory Collingbourne added to his already impressive tally of podium finishes during the third event of the season at Suzuka in Japan.

Off the back of a fabulous double podium during the previous meeting at Chang International Circuit in Thailand, the 19-year-old from Newport was again in the mix for silverware throughout at Suzuka.

Collingbourne, part of the Veloce Sports management stable, is now third in the championship alongside teammate Australian Ben Gersekowski.

“There was a lot to get my head around and the first few laps made me double think,” he said. “It was quite tough and especially with the target times we were aiming for.

“The simulator work I did before going to Suzuka really helped and after a few laps I was the quickest driver in the team, which was nice to achieve. I’m very happy with the performance we showed.

“We had no radio communication throughout the whole event, so that made things a lot harder on track to plan strategy.

“We only had 30 minutes testing before qualifying, so there was a lot to learn in a short amount of time, and it was the first time the team had been to the track.

“With 19 corners, set-up was key and we worked hard to give ourselves a front-running car.”

Making good progress during free practice, the Leipert Motorsport teammates headed into qualifying targeting a slot on the first three rows of the grid.

And they achieved their aim with Gersekowski lapping fifth fastest for the race one grid, with Collingbourne doing likewise for race two.

The Australian took the opening stint for round five and maintained position all the way to the driver change at the end of lap 11.

Collingbourne got into the Lamborghini Huracan and, after a great pit-stop by the team, emerged in third when the race order settled.

Lapping competitively, the first year GT racer took his third outright podium of the season.

With rain arriving ahead of round six, officials decided to start the race behind the safety car with Collingbourne taking the opening stint.

When racing proper got under way on lap three, rookie Super Trofeo ace Collingbourne was held up behind the fourth-placed car which didn’t anticipate the start.

That enabled the top three to break away, but as the race evolved the Welshman began to apply more and more pressure.

Circulating two seconds per lap quicker than the car ahead, Collingbourne closed to within just a few tenths and then moved up into the top four when pit stops began to be served.

Pitting at the end of lap nine, Collingbourne gave the Huracan to his teammate who held fourth place.

Driving well to keep his pursuers at bay, Gersekowski didn’t put a wheel wrong, but after mistakenly catching the pit-lane speed limiter on the steering wheel in the heat of battle on the penultimate lap, he lost vital momentum and slipped to fifth.

“I’m so happy with how things are going this year, everything is moving in the right direction with options already opening for next year, so things are looking good," added Collingbourne.

“We’ve got a bit of a break now until the next round at Fuji (August 19-20), another track I can’t wait to race at for the first time.”