Kent's Tom Emson and his team-mate Tom Lebbon have won the International GT Open Drivers’ title - in only their second year in the series.

Emson and Lebbon finished fourth last year, but achieved five wins and three further podiums this season, racing a Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO to win by a single point.

It’s a major success story for Emson of Etchinghill, near Folkestone, while his Elite Motorsport team just missed out on securing the team championship by 26 points after the final event in Barcelona last month.

Emson said: “It finished closer than we’d have liked it to be, but we maximised everything we had in what has been a great season.”

Team owner Eddie Ives said: “To win the International GT Open Drivers’ Championship in only our second year in the series is an incredible achievement, and I couldn’t be prouder of the two Toms and everyone at Elite Motorsport.

“They’ve both driven exceptionally well throughout the season, taking five wins and showing great determination to fight for the title right until the very end.”

Qualifying for the first race in Barcelona proved unfortunate for Lebbon, who clocked the fourth-fastest time before he pitted for tyres.

Having set a personal-best time in the first sector, a second red flag stoppage occurred with just four minutes remaining. With his original time now only 13th quickest, Lebbon secured the 10th fastest lap on his sole flying run when the session resumed.

Elite’s fortunes didn’t improve in the 70-minute race one, Lebbon hitting the barrier side-on at the second corner on the first lap.

He went off track and into the gravel to avoid a multi-car collision, dropping to the back of the field, causing a safety car period.

Racing resumed with Lebbon 29th, and he had clawed into 17th before pitting for Emson with 36 minutes gone.

With all compulsory pit stops completed, Emson lay 18th, taking the chequered flag 14th, ninth in the pro class, finishing under full course yellow conditions after another eventful GT Open Saturday.

Emson started the 60-minute race two the next day from seventh around the 2.9-mile track, the No.17 duo now just six points ahead in the drivers’ championship but, with their title contenders in pole position, the team title was now out of Elite’s grasp after the previous day’s results.

Emson ran eighth, pitting to Lebbon with 35 minutes to run-and he lay fourth with all driver changes completed. The final 15 minutes were nerve-wracking with Lebbon dicing over third - a position the Ferrari needed with their rivals still leading.

At the chequered flag, Lebbon came third as he held off the winning team’s second car, driven by McKenzy Cresswell, who had won the GT4 European Series Driver and team titles with Elite the previous weekend.

Owner Ives added: “Barcelona was an incredibly tense weekend and, although Saturday didn’t go our way, the team regrouped and did everything possible to give the drivers a chance on Sunday.

“Tom and Tom delivered when it mattered most, managing the pressure brilliantly to secure the points they needed.

“A huge thank you to everyone at Elite and Ferrari for their hard work and commitment.”