Matt Flowers opened his Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT5 Challenge in fine style, but now he needs to make sure it continues.

The Banstead-born driver, who got back behind the wheel this season after taking a year out of the sport, finished third, sixth and eighth in the opening meeting at Brands Hatch last weekend.

It sets him up nicely for when the championship moves on to Thruxton on May 7 when it is on the undercard of the British Touring Car Championship.

Flowers, who drives with Academy Motorsport, said: “I managed to find some pace from somewhere, may be taking the year out helped or that I managed a few test days in the winter and summer.

He added: “I will need to keep at it though.

“The drivers are at different stages in their preparations, some have been practising in spring and winter and are on the pace, like me, and others will get better as the season goes on and they practice more.”

While Flowers took the podium, he admitted his true pace is down at around sixth, given his qualifying times.

He said: “I need to make sure I keep working hard to keep the pace up, I cannot spend the season hoping that someone makes a mistake and I can pick up the pieces.”