It’s been a busy week for the British GT championship. No less than six cars have been confirmed for the season as plenty of teams have still yet to reveal their plans with just over a month until Oulton Park.
News
➤ One of the youngest pairings of the 2023 season comes from R Racing and their Aston Martin Vantage GT4. Josh Miller returns for his second campaign with the team whilst Seb Hopkins moves over from Team Parker to join last year’s title contender.
➤ 2018 overall champions, Optimum Motorsport are set to embark on their first full-season British GT campaign since 2020 with a brand new McLaren 720s GT3 Evo. McLaren stalwart Rob Bell will lead the charge whilst class debutant, Mark Radcliffe will embark on his first outings in GT3 machinery. Radcliffe has plenty of prior experience, mainly in Carrera Cup GB and two seasons in the Porsche Supercup along with a one-off outing in the Valluga Motorsport Cayman GT4 last season.
Optimum returns to British GT with Radcliffe, Bell and 720S GT3 Evo
➤ Shortly after their GT3 announcement, Optimum followed through with a GT4 entry. The popular McLaren Artura GT4 being their weapon of choice. 2022 race winner, Jack Brown will be partnered by the Porsche Sprint Challenge runner-up, Charles Clark. Brown has spent the past two seasons running in GT4, including two class victories. Clark meanwhile has been announced as a BRDC Rising Star in what will be his first competitive outing in anything other than a Porsche.
➤ Paddock Motorsport have confirmed a second entry for the 2023 season. Tom Rawlings will return to the team alongside Kavi Jundu who made his series debut at last year’s Donington Decider. Jundu competed within GT Cup last year securing multiple podiums in class. Rawlings meanwhile competed with Century Motorsport in 2022 but also competed in GT Cup back in 2021 with Paddock Motorsport themselves.
➤ Garage 59 and Sky Tempesta have teamed up to enter two cars in this year’s championship. Both teams will utilise the new McLaren 720s GT3 Evo and will be overseen by Garage 59. The Garage 59 entry sees Alex West / Marvin Kirchhofer make a full-season crack at the title after their narrow defeat in last season’s Silverstone 500.
The Sky Tempesta entry sees familiar faces return to the series. Kevin Tse / Chris Froggatt will team up once again having swapped their trusty Mercedes for the ever-popular McLaren.
Garage 59 and Sky Tempesta Racing announce British GT collaboration
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➤ Enduro Motorsport has been spotted testing at Oulton Park during the week with one of their GT3 McLarens. Not only this but the outfit has confirmed plans to run in GT Cup again this year and is set to be early title favourites amongst strong competition. No news has been heard so far regarding any British GT campaign however.
https://twitter.com/GTCUP/status/1631233275694817280
➤ Barwell Motorsport is going for pro-am glory in this year’s GTWC Europe Endurance cup. 2020 British GT champion, Rob Collard is joined by 2021 British GT champion Dennis Lind and multiple British GT race winner, Adam Balon.
https://twitter.com/BritishGT/status/1631629536096837635
➤ Much like Enduro, Century Motorsport has also been out testing this week. Oulton Park and a rather damp Silverstone were their choices. A fully black bare carbon car currently continues its winter tour of the UK before being wrapped in its final race livery ahead of the season opener in just over a month’s time.
https://twitter.com/DanHarperRacing/status/1631575422554062850
➤ Also at a damp Silverstone was One Motorsport and their retro-liveried Mercedes AMG GT4. Michael Broadhurst / Ed McDermott getting the laps in before their assault on this year’s championship.
➤ Team Abba have also been spotted testing this week. Sporting a chrome green livery, the fan favourites are yet to announce any of their 2023 campaigns but their trusty first-generation Mercedes AMG GT3 still lives to fight another day.
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