Photo: BritishGT.com / Jakob Ebrey Photography
The premier national GT Championship arrives at the home of British motorsport on June 9 – 10 when the season reaches the half-way point with the Silverstone 500, Round Six of the 2018 championship.
A packed 36-car grid will contest the blue-riband event of the year – a three-hour race on the Grand Prix circuit – with 14 entries in the GT3 class and 22 in the GT4 category
There are a number of changes to the entry lists from Rounds Four and Five at Snetterton. In the GT3 category, the #8 Team ABBA Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3, piloted by Richard Neary and Adam Christodoulou makes a welcome return to the championship, Richard Neary having said earlier in the year that business commitments would prevent a full-season campaign.
Ricardo Sanchez joins Blancpain GT Series teammate Struan Moore in the #24 RJN Motorsport Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3. Sanchez who won the first international GT Academy competition in 2314 is competing in the Blancpain GT Series in 2018 with GT SPORT MOTUL team RJN as well as gaining experience in prototypes with SPV Racing in the Michelin Le Mans Cup.
Sanchez is delighted to have been given the opportunity to drive in Round Six.
“I wasn’t expecting to get this opportunity – I can’t wait to make my debut in the British GT Championship,” said Sanchez. “Thanks to Bob (Neville), Grupo INDI and RJN for this fantastic opportunity. It really is perfect – I know the car, I know the track and I know my team-mate – I’m really excited to see what Struan and I can do.”
The #101 Balfe Motorsport McLaren 650S GT3, drive by Shaun Balfe and Rob Bell, is returning for Silverstone after damage sustained at Rockingham prevented its appearance at Snetterton.
In the GT4 class Basil Rawlinson replaces Ben Norfolk in the #22 Invictus Games Racing Jaguar F-TYPE SVR GT4 while Paul Vice takes over from Steve McCulley in the sister #44 entry in moves agreed at the season’s outset.
Ben Wallace, driver of the #88 Team HARD with Trade Price Cars Ginetta G55 GT4, will welcome a new team-mate for Silverstone when Alex Reed takes over from Josh Jackson.
“I am delighted to be returning to the British GT Championship and I will do my utmost to achieve a big result in the Silverstone 500, as a thank you to Tony Gilham and Team HARD for this amazing opportunity,” said the 20-year old Horsham-based driver who finished third in the 2017 British GT GT4 category with Lanan Racing.
Team HARD Team Principal Tony Gilham is equally excited at Alex Reed joining the team for Silverstone.
“We are very proud and excited to welcome Alex to the Team HARD family for the next round of the British GT Championship at Silverstone,” said Tony Gilham. It’s the longest race of the year and one that we hope to achieve the best results of our season so far.”
“We have had a frustrating year up to now and will be looking to build on the potential that we have within the team and, also, with the pace and experience that Alex will add to our line-up. He is a proven talent and, having competed against him over the last couple of season, we are very much looking forward to what we can achieve together for the coming weekend and beyond, as we look to the future.”
Qualifying for the Silverstone 500 gets underway at 15:25 on Saturday June 9 with the lights going out for the race at 13:10 on Sunday June 10.
