The 2020 Intelligent Money British GT Championship was launched at the season-opening Media Day at Snetterton on March 3. Having previously announced a capacity 35-car grid, Championship Manager Lauren Granville, speaking at the day’s press conference alongside MSV’s Jonathan Palmer and British F3 Championship’s Kiern Jewiss and Piers Prior, was delighted at the interest shown in GT3 for the coming season.
“19 GT3 cars was a really pleasant surprise,” said Lauren Granville. “We knew interest was going to be strong when we opened entries in October 2019. By the 11th of October we were able to say that slots were being filled very quickly and GT4 was subsequently wait-listed. In 2019 we had 15 cars (in the GT3 class) and today we have 19 with seven manufacturers in GT3 and six in GT4 which just shows the success of multi-format racing in British GT.
The success of GT3 and the reduction in size of the overall grid has meant that GT4 entries total 16 for 2020 in contrast to the 21 that competed in the opening weekend at Oulton Park in 2019. Was Lauren Granville concerned at the lower GT4 numbers for 2020?
“No, not necessarily. Whenever you look at the GT3 entry list and how it’s made up, you have Tom Canning, reigning GT4 champion, stepping up to GT3 from GT4 and also the Pro/Am crews Fletcher and Plowman and Jones and Malvern – all stepping up from GT4 so it proves there’s a ladder there.
“GT4 remains very competitive with the Pro/Am and Silver classes within (the category). If you look at the entry list for GT4, it is full of quality teams. They’re proven race winners and championship winners so we have a very strong GT4 grid.”
2020 also sees the entry of a new title sponsor for the championship as well as new supporting series on the package. Does this mean that the British GT Championship is flourishing?
“Yes, I have to say British GT is in very good health and we are delighted to welcome on board Intelligent Money as title sponsor as well as co-headlining with British F3 and a good partnership with MSV. We are delighted to add Clio Cup UK and the Porsche Sprint Challenge, also adding to the package, which is great news. We’re in for a really good season!”
The opening weekend for the 2020 Intelligent Money British GT Championship takes place at Oulton Park over the Easter weekend of April 11 – 13.
