Brit GT: Cheshire squads join GT4 class

Cheshire-based teams Speedworks Motorsport and ABG Motorsport have confirmed plans to race in the British GT Championship’s GT4 class this season.

Speedworks will enter a Ginetta G50 for team principal and co-founder, Christian Dick, and Lotus Elise Trophy front runner James Stanley.

“It’s a natural step up for me after my success in the Lotus,” said Stanley, who won 11 times in the LET in 2009. “The Avon Tyres British GT Championship is an international-level series with a good reputation. I’m confident that it is the best place for me to take the next step in my career.”

Dick raced the Ginetta twice in British GT last season having finished third in the one-make G50 Cup in 2008.

"It's a great move for the team to be racing in a major international championship, and we take a lot of confidence into the season after our performances last year,” he said. “It's a competitive series with a lot of strong drivers and teams, but Speedworks has had an enormous amount of experience and success in running the Ginetta G50, and Jamie is a strong driver, so we hope to be fighting for race wins and the title."

Meanwhile, ABG Motorsport, which will also run a works-backed Chevron in the GT3 class, has confirmed that it will enter a KTM X-Bow in GT4 for Scottish Formula Ford champion Rory Butcher and GT Cup racer Benjamin Harvey.

"I am glad to have it all sorted because it is still only March,” said Butcher, who will be making his GT racing debut. “We have testing sorted - we'll be going to Spa, Oulton Park and Rockingham. It is a great feeling to be so organised. It is a massive opportunity for me and a step up. This is going to be a tough year but I am really looking forward to the challenge."

The GT4 category, which struggled for numbers last season, will boast at least seven cars for the season opener at Oulton Park on Easter Weekend.

Team GCR and Team Osborne Racing are both set to return with Ginettas, while Piranha Motorsport will field a Lotus 2-Eleven and ProMotorsport a Nissan 350Z.

Watch the British GT Championship on Motors TV (Sky Channel 413, Virgin Media 545) in 2010.


Andy Wilkinson