Sussex racing champion Mark Sumpter battled on without a clutch to take sixth place in the penultimate round of the British GT Championship at Brands Hatch last Sunday.

In the morning qualifying session on Saturday, Sumpter's co-driver Shaun Balfe drove the Paragon Porsche-backed Porsche 911GT3RS and ran well on the front-running pace to post sixth best time in GTO.

In the afternoon session Sumpter, from Five Ashes in East Sussex, went out to try to improve their position but the warmer conditions meant that times were not generally any better.

In the race, the 26-car grid made a superb sight around the tight Indy circuit and Balfe was soon racing hard in a fierce contest for sixth in class with the similar cars of Adam Simmons and Tony Littlejohn.

Having deposed Simmons with a brave move into Paddock Bend, Balfe lost his advantage with a spin at Clearways.

With a safety car period prompting a rash of pit stops Sumpter, the reigning GTO class champion, rejoined to continue the battle but immediately knew he had a problem.

He said: "I pulled away but only had the clutch until the end of the pit lane."

From then on, Sumpter had to nurse the car home to make sure of vital points in their bid to finish in the top three in the championship.

His efforts netted sixth place, which was even more important as arch rivals Steve Hyde and Richard Stanton retired after their TVR Tuscan R spun.

Sumpter added: "We don't seem to have any luck. I had to brake a bit earlier to make sure of getting gears, and it was worth staying out."

Colin McRae blasted the world rally bosses for the 'silly games' they have forced leading drivers to play.

Scotland's McRae, fourth in the New Zealand Rally behind Hyundai's Kenneth Eriksson of Sweden, criticised organisers for the extraordinary conditions on yesterday's leg.

A date change from winter to spring has ensured the New Zealand Rally is a gravel event where road 'cleaning' is critical for success or failure.

Later runners were easily able to outpace the leading drivers who had been forced to go out earlier in the day.