Optimum Quickest Again in British GT Pre-Qualifying at Brands Hatch
September 26, 2026(Above: The #77 Optimum Motorsport McLaren 720S GT3 EVO driven by Morgan Tillbrook and Ben Barnicoat)
Ben Barnicoat, driving the #77 Optimum Motorsport McLaren 720S GT3 EVO, set the quickest time round the Brands Hatch GP circuit with a 1:23.503 on his seventh lap. Barnicoat was less than two tenths of a second quicker than the #18 2 Seas Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO in which Chris Lulham lapped in 1:23.685. Third quickest in the GT3 category was the #63 Barwell Motorsport Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 which currently leads the drivers standings. Hugo Cook put in a 1:23.760 in the car he shares with Rob Collard.
Fourth quickest was Marcus Clutton, at the wheel of the #67 Orange Racing by JMH McLaren 720S GT3 EVO, who lapped in 1:23.894.
In the GT4 class, quickest overall was the #84 Paddock Motorsport McLaren Artura GT4 in which British racer Blake Angliss lapped in 1:31.145. Second quickest in class. And first of the GT4 PA entries, was the #27 Grange Racing with FSR Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 EVO, Darren Turner setting the quickest time of 1:31.259 in the car he shares with Daniel Lavery.
Completing the top three in the GT4 class was the #61 WSR Flexifly BMW M4 GT4 EVO, Colin Turkington lapping in 1:31.277 in the car he shares with Ernie Graham.
The first qualifying session for the British GT Championship grid at its season finale on the Brands Hatch GP circuit gets underway at 4.15pm on Saturday the 26th of September.
