Akhil Rabindra notches top-ten finish in Race 1 at Circuit Paul Ricard

Akhil Rabindra, a 23-year-old Bengaluru-born racer and the only Asian to seal an Aston Martin Racing Driver Academy spot earlier this year, helped AGS Events earn a P8 finish in the Pro-Am category at the Paul Ricard Circuit in France on Saturday.

The AGS Event-duo comprising of Gilles Vannelet and Aston Martin Academy Driver Akhil Rabindra was behind the wheel of No. 69 Aston Martin Vantage AMR.

Thirty-four cars competed for the pole position at the Circuit Paul Ricard track in the FFSA French Championship this weekend. Rabindra and his teammate Vannelet, who drove an Aston Martin Vantage AMR, clocked 2:14.708 minutes and qualified P3 in Q1 before Rabindra finished in 2:14.773 minutes to qualify at P11 in Q2. They grabbed P5 in the combined qualifying race with an average best lap time of 2:14.740 minutes.

The AGS Event duo completed 26-lap in Race 1 in 01:01:03.433 hrs to finish P8 in Pro-Am category and P15 overall. They were gunning at P3 at the starting before receiving a drive-through penalty to slip down. Winners Cauhaupe and Lavergne of Silver Marcedes AMG took the chequered flag at 01:00:04.640 hrs.

After the race, Rabindra said, "After our last race, we are much relieved to have successfully reached the finishing line. But we can't afford to be complacent as there's more to improve before the next race. The entire team is working tirelessly to improve the car and now the onus is us, the drivers to reciprocate on the circuit."

( With inputs from ANI )