KNUTSFORD driver Oliver Webb stood on the podium’s top step for the first time this year on Sunday to celebrate a class victory in the World Endurance Championship’s penultimate round.

He was part of German outfit ByKolles’ line-up for a six-hour race in Shanghai, completing two stints behind the wheel.

“It felt great to be back up there spraying the champagne again,” said the 25-year-old.

“To take a win is a major boost for us heading into the final round.”

ByKolles, for whom Webb shares driving duty with Simon Trummer and Pierre Kaffer, had failed to finish in half of the 2016 season’s previous races.

The trio felt optimistic after setting faster lap times than their LMP1 class rivals Rebellion Racing during practice.

Webb was the fastest from his team in qualifying, although they started the race in China behind their foes.

He completed an opening stint on old tyres before handing over to Kaffer and then Trummer.

The latter brought the car home, trouble-free, after the Knutsford ace’s second spell in the cockpit.

He said: “We’ve worked so hard this year and have been on the receiving end of plenty of bad luck.

“Everybody knows the challenges we’ve faced with reliability, and I’m so pleased for everybody that we’ve realised our potential at last.”

The concluding round, in Bahrain, takes place later this month.