Jonny Adam secures top 10 finish in season opener at Monza

Adam was part of the Garage 59 team that crossed the line in ninth place - seventh in PRO class - which was the highest finishing position for the new Aston Martin Vantage GT3.

With heavy rain falling before the three-hour race, the drivers had to do battle on a fast but slippery race track, taking a gamble on tyre choice at every pit stop.

The race started behind the Safety Car as the conditions were unsafe for almost 50 GT3 cars to hit turn one at Monza flat out.

Once it pulled in the race was on and the first stint can only be described as bruising for Adam, who started the race in the #59 Aston Martin.

After being passed off the track and hit twice, the Fifer was in 15th place when he pitted to hand over to Andrew Watson.

The team gambled on sending Watson out on slick tyres while the track was still damp.

He kept it neat, tip-toeing around and was just starting to enjoy a much drier track when the Safety Car came out again and took away his advantage.

When Côme Ledogar took the wheel of #59 for the final hour the Aston Martin was in 23rd position. The team played it safe and put him back onto wet tyres as it was starting to rain again and this decision paid dividends.

Ledogar crossed the line in ninth place overall, crucially ahead of all the other Aston Martin Vantage GT3s.

Afterwards, Jonny Adam tweeted: “Solid result in tricky conditions. Top job Garage 59 and my teammates. Nice points to start the championship.”

The next Blancpain GT Series race for the Garage 59 team is at Silverstone on May 12.