Rob Collard and Hugo Cook will return to the British GT Championship this season with Barwell Motorsport, renewing a partnership that proved one of the strongest combinations in the GT3 field during 2025.
The duo will once again share Barwell’s #63 Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 as part of the team’s multi-car assault on the championship, with their sights firmly set on mounting a sustained title challenge. Backing for the entry comes from Collard Group, J&S Accessories, ESS Electrical Switchgear Services and Dama Fortuna Premium Tequila.
Although last year marked their first season racing together, circumstances meant it was far from straightforward. Collard missed the opening round following a medical procedure, leaving Cook to begin the campaign alone. Despite that setback, the pairing quickly emerged as front-runners once reunited, claiming victory at Oulton Park and adding four further podium finishes.
That late-season consistency proved decisive. Cook finished runner-up in the overall GT3 Drivers’ Championship, while Collard recovered to fifth in the standings despite his early absence. The result maintained Collard’s remarkable British GT record, having now won the title in every full season he has contested, including championship successes with Barwell in 2020 and 2024.
Reflecting on the year and the opportunity ahead, Collard believes the foundation is firmly in place for a renewed title push. “The delayed start last year put me seriously on the back foot,” he explained, “having no pre-season at all and missing the first round, so I went in cold – but despite that we still enjoyed a really strong year. Hugo still managed to finish second in the championship, and if I hadn’t missed the season opener, who knows… perhaps we could have gone one better together.”
Collard also highlighted the strength of his partnership with Cook and the continued competitiveness of the Lamborghini platform. “Hugo is superb to work with. He’s seriously quick, listens and adapts, and we’re always learning from each other. Barwell prove year on year they’re the best in the game, and the Huracán GT3 still has the pace to win races. If you can win races, you can win championships.”
Cook arrives into the new campaign buoyed by further experience gained on the European stage, having impressed in the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup with Barwell Motorsport alongside Sandy Mitchell. Regular points finishes against factory-backed opposition underlined his rapid development.
“I’m really excited to be back in British GT this season and to be sharing with Rob again,” said Cook. “Joining Barwell last year was the best decision I’ve made in my career. I learned a huge amount, not just in British GT but also racing against top-level pro drivers in Europe, and that experience has made me a much better driver.”
The 2026 season, Cook insists, is about applying those lessons from the outset. “Winning the championship is definitely the aim. We have the right team, the right car and a great driver pairing. I believe we have all the ingredients to really go for it.”
Barwell Motorsport team principal Mark Lemmer echoed that confidence, pointing to the continuity within the squad as a key strength. “Considering the challenges they faced last year, Rob and Hugo soon became a standout pairing,” he said. “They know each other well now, they know the championship, and they know how to win.”
Lemmer also praised Cook’s trajectory and Collard’s enduring competitiveness. “Rob is a class act and one of the strongest Ams in the business, while Hugo is a real rising star. He progressed massively across both British GT and GT World Challenge Europe last season, and I’ve no doubt he’s going places.”
With Duncan Cameron and Matt Griffin already confirmed in Barwell’s sister #55 Lamborghini, and a further British GT crew still to be announced, the team is shaping up as a formidable force heading into the new season.
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