Matt Payne concluded his European Le Mans duties for 2022 with JMW Motorsport today, the team finishing the 4 Hours of Portimao with a seventh-in-class result.
Driving with Giacomo Petrobelli and Sean Hudspeth, the team left their best qualifying of 2022 until the last event, qualifying second among the LM GTE class, missing top spot by just .02sec. Despite the good qualifying result, this only saw the team start 30th on the overall grid with two classes ahead.
Petrobelli was given the reigns for the start in the JMW Ferrari 488 GTE EVO, the field all electing for slicks on a damp surface. Unfortunately for the team, contact at the start for the Italian saw him fall to the back.
From here, the rest of the race was catch up. All three drivers put in solid stints, however, to come home in 27th overall, the seventh highest-placed LM GTE.
The 4 Hours of Portimao concluded the European Le Mans Series for 2022, JMW Motorsport finishing seventh in that also.
Payne took to social media this evening to share of his experiences, also recognising the commitment the small team has put in to competing on a big stage.
“Portamao, what a drivers track! Mega job by the team at Round 6 of the European Le Man Series,” he shared on Facebook.
“P2 in qualifying, best result in the 2022 series. It was an intense race, It started in mixed conditions and Giacomo had contact at the start and our race changed to 4 hours of catching up.
“P7 at the finish. Overall super result for the season, P7 for JMW Motorsport in the 2022 GTE European Le Man championship. It’s a small team and we don’t have the budget or the resources of the bigger teams. Thanks to everyone at JMW Motorsport enjoyed the ride with you guys this year.”
With his European duties fulfilled, Payne will return home for a weekend off before going again on the Gold Coast in Super2. That rest, however, is much deserved after a hectic month, in which he also turned 20.
“It’s been a very busy 4 weeks on the road. Europe twice and Bathurst. Total of 14 plane flights – Really looking forward to getting home,” he said.
Header image: Matt Payne (Facebook)
