Rochester-based Team HARD, led by ex-BTCC racer Tony Gilham, has confirmed its driver line-ups for the 2018 British GT Championship after previously announcing it would campaign two 2017-spec Ginetta G55 GT4s for the season.
The team will field a Silver and a Pro-Am, pairing with the intention of going for both titles in the GT4 class.
In the #88 car ex-VAG Trophy driver Ben Wallace will partner with the young German driver Nick Worm in the Silver pairing. Wallace finished third in the 2017 VAG Trophy and has had experience in the Ginetta when he contested three rounds of the British GT Championship in the latter half of last season. Nick Worm will be making his debut with both Team HARD and in GT racing in 2018 after contesting the 2017 BRDC British Formula 3 Championship.
In the #34 car Anna Walewska, previously with Century Motorsport for the past two seasons, will partner with Team HARD young development driver Callum Hawkins-Row. Walewska finished third in the GT4 drivers standings in 2016 but struggled to replicate that pace in 2017. Hawkins-Roe has a years’ experience in the Ginetta G55 GT4, having contested the 2017 Britcar Endurance Championship alongside Angus Dudley, finishing third in the GT4 class and fifth overall, beating many of the GT3 class entries in the process.
After a frustrating 2017 in the British GT Championship, Team Principal Tony Gilham is looking forward to a strong showing this season.
“we’re very excited about this season,” said Gilham. “We had a great debut in 2016 culminating in the team championship. 2017 wasn’t the best year for us so we’re looking to come back this year with a very strong line-up. We’ve got what we consider to be both strong Silver and Pro-Am pairings so we’re going to go for both titles.”
Ben Wallace is looking forward to the opportunities that a full season in the premier national GT series will offer him.
“I’m really excited and looking forward to the new season,” said Wallace. “I’m going to learn as much as possible, keep my nose clean and hopefully get some good results out of it. I haven’t had too much experience working with Nick (Worm) but I have high hopes that we’ll have some good results”
Nick Worm is also excited about his move into GT racing.
“The British GT Championship is a very prominent series with a lot of strong competitors and and enthusiastic fans so it made my decision to join Team HARD, in the end, quite easy,” said the young German, who was also considering a season in the Audi TT Cup at the start of 2017. “My objectives for the season are getting to know GT cars in general, to maximise points and get a high position in the championship.”
In the Pro-Am pairing Anna Walewska is aware of the strength of Team HARD and also the pace of her driving partner.
“I’ve raced against Team HARD in the British GT Championship so I know what they can do and I know that they can put a competitive car on the grid,” said Anna. “A bonus for me is my partner Callum Hawkins-Row, a driver who is pretty rapid. I want to be challenging for the front – that’s where the goal is set – and I don’t think it’s unreasonable with the pairing and the car we’re in this year. I will be carrying University of Bolton branding on the car but it will be re-branded as the National Centre of Motorsport Engineering so it’ll be quite exciting to launch NCME for the year.”
Team HARD development driver Callum Hawkins-Row is looking to continue the momentum he built in the 2017 Britcar Endurance Championship.
“As a pairing we are going to grow and are going to be very strong,” said Hawkins-Row. “Obviously we want our overall podiums along the way and we want to do the best we can in the overall Championship. but that Pro/Am title is calling us.
The 2018 British GT Championship opens at Oulton Park on March 31 – April 2.