Tom Onslow-Cole announced on Midweek Motorsport yesterday evening that he is to race at next weekend’s TOTAL Spa 24 Hours in the PGF Kinfaun Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3.
In the fifth round of the British GT Championship held at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit last weekend, Onslow-Cole – in the Milltek-Sport-liveried Strata21 V12 Vantage GT3 – recorded the fastest time of the two one-hour races in just his third race lap of the 7km-long track.
Tom will now join John Gaw, Phil Dryburgh and regular team-mate Paul White for the Spa 24 Hours.
“The grid is extremely competitive and this is probably one of the biggest races of my career so far – the pressure is on,” he comments. “After a successful weekend at British GT, I’m confident the pace is there, but making it through a 24 hour race is a totally different challenge, one I’m ready to take on with my team-mates.”
The team will contest the Pro-Am class of the race and, although outweighed by the competition in their Pro to Am ratio, Onslow-Cole is hugely positive about this opportunity.
“Phil and Paul are both safe hands and are among the top Am drivers in the UK,” he adds. “Paul is extremely experienced in endurance racing and that will be invaluable during the 24-hour race.
“John is a fantastic team-mate for me to have – he’s really quick on-track and his strategic expertise is something I’m looking to absorb.”
Although racing together at Spa 24 Hours, Onslow-Cole and Gaw are in rival teams in this season’s British GT Championship. But, it’s not the first season the pair has raced against each other; they both contested the Renault Clio Cup together back in 2005, the year before Tom won the championship by a record-breaking 119 points aged 19.
“It’s great to be in the same car as Tom at Spa 24 Hours,” commented Gaw. “He’s done a great job in British GT so far this year and had an impressive run at Spa last weekend. We drove together in Britcar last year alongside Paul and made a strong team, so I’m sure we’re going to have a good weekend.”
