New Malden’s Tom Onslow-Cole is hoping a podium finish at the Hankook 24 Hour Dubai race is just the tip of the iceberg for him in 2015.

The 27-year-old racing driver played a key role in British endurance team Ram Racing’s recovery from 30th position in the early laps to claim second place overall in the Middle East.

Onslow-Cole helped qualify the team’s Mercedes SLS AMG GT3 machine in fourth place and drove the penultimate leg of the race to hand over to team-mate Adam Christodoulou for the final hour with the team in second.

It was the former Brooklands College student’s first race for the Silverstone-based outfit since agreeing a deal with them in December.

Onslow-Cole was in the KPM Racing team that finished 43rd overall – but second in the diesel touring cars class – in the same event 12 months ago, having quit the British Touring Car Championship in 2013.

That performance was the beginning of a mixed year in a Strata 21 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 in the British GT Championship, that brought a best finish of fourth.

But the Milltek Sport sponsored ace is hoping for better this year.

“To stand on the Dubai 24 Hours podium is fantastic,” he said.

“I started my endurance racing career here 12 months ago and I’ve never looked back.

“It was a great way to kick start a year that is already looking really good – I can’t wait to make my 2015 season announcement.”