OLIVER Webb stood on the podium at the end of his debut race in the World Endurance Championship on Saturday.

The Knutsford driver, part of newly-formed Swiss outfit Team SARD Morand, was behind the wheel for the first and final stints of a six-hour race at Spa in Belgium.

Together with teammates Pierre Ragues and Zoel Amberg, he finished third.

"It's fantastic to be back racing and a dream to be on the podium in our first outing," he said.

"The team has given us a car that is well set-up and quick straight from the box.

"We'll only get stronger from here on in."P

Webb showed strong pace during qualifying, which ended with his LMP2 class machine on the grid's front row.

The 24-year-old started the race, making his intentions clear with a move on the opening lap to take the class lead.

After completing a double stint, he was second.

Ragues and Amberg steered the car to fourth during their respective stints, interrupted by a longer pit-stop than planned to deal with a drop in fuel pressure.

Webb returned to the cockpit for the final session, capitalising on a chance to claim third when a rival ran into trouble.

He said: "We were unlucky with a technical issue early on, but the team did a great job to get us back out there without losing much time."

The series resumes next month at the Le Mans 24-hour race.