Tekno Autosports driver Nathan Morcom says he has no regrets after an exclusion proved a major blow to his Australian GT Championship title hopes at Highlands Park.
The 24-year-old was stripped of his victory in Race 1 for punting title rival Klark Quinn out of the lead on the final lap.
Morcom had been reeling in the Darrell Lea McLaren before he made contact at the Turn 11 hairpin.
Victory would have handed Morcom the championship lead heading into the decider, but he was instead relegated to the back of the grid for Race 2 with a 12 point deficit.
Despite the blow, Morcom fought hard to lead the final race during the pitstop cycle, but fell to seventh with a wounded McLaren 650S.
Klark Quinn finished third which was enough to claim a third championship by 52 points.
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Reflecting on the Race 1 incident Morcom, a two-time GT sprint race winner this season, says he would have tried to pass Quinn given the opportunity again.
“We are all going for championships, so if you don’t try you are never going to know,” Morcom told Speedcafe.com
“If I had it over again I would still go and try.
“I’m not really disappointed (to miss out on the title).
“It is my first year in Australian GT so I’m over the moon for coming second, and it is also the first year for Tekno Autosports, they’re pretty rapt for second place too.
“I tried my hardest out there. I went from last to first before the pitstop.
“We got bumped early in the race by a driver that went a bit too late on the brakes which broke our diffuser in half.
“It cost us speed throughout the race and it gradually got worse.”
Morcom, however, is still in contention to claim the inaugural Australian Endurance Championship title which will be decided in Sunday’s Highlands 101 finale.
Driving alongside Grant Denyer, the pair hold a 107 point lead over Klark Quinn, who is the nearest challenger now that the second-placed Walkinshaw Racing Porsche has been withdrawn.
CLICK HERE for more on Walkinshaw’s crashed Porsche.
A total of 220 points are available tomorrow with 10 allocated to each qualifying session followed by 200 for the race win.
“We are still going for the Australian Endurance Championship so we hope to get at least one out of the two,” added Morcom.
“To go out as bridesmaid in the Australian GT and go out to fight for the Australian Endurance Championship title, I couldn’t ask for anything better in my first year.”
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