Sean Edwards obituary: 1986-2013

The 26-year-old Briton's name sits atop the points table in the Porsche Supercup, a series in which he had won races each season he had contested since his debut in 2008, with two races remaining.

He had also claimed a first big endurance racing victory this season with Mercedes in the Nurburgring 24 Hours in May.

An ultra-successful season in 2013 had started with a second consecutive victory in the Dubai 24 Hours and included victories in the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany and, on the other side of the Atlantic, in the GTC class of the American Le Mans Series.

Edwards, who was the son of 1970s grand prix driver Guy, made the transition into GT racing with selected outings in the British GT Championship in 2005 after a short single-seater career.

That year was a prelude to a full campaign in the inaugural FIA European GT3 Championship with the Tech 9 Porsche squad in 2006, which he won with a run of end-of-season victories together with Phil Keen.

A season in the FIA GT Championship, also with Tech 9, was followed by a move into the Supercup in 2008 with Konrad Motorsport, Edwards winning on home ground at Silverstone and then Spa on the way to fifth in the points.

Edwards did not have a full programme in 2009, but returned to the Supercup in 2010 with the Tolimit squad. It was with this team, now racing as Project 1, that he was enjoying his most successful season in 2013, three wins leaving him at the head of the points going into the final two rounds in Abu Dhabi.

Two victories in Dubai and then the triumph at the 'Ring with the Black Falcon Mercedes team proved that Edwards was much more than just a Porsche specialist.

Edwards had one start at the Le Mans 24 Hours to his name: he raced a ProSpeed Porsche in 2012 in the GTE Am class.