Steller Motorsport is not present at the Media Day but for a very positive reason.
The team, which holds paid entries in both GT3 and GT4 took delivery of their brand new 2020 spec Audi R8 LMS GT3 just yesterday and are prepping the car for a planned public appearance as soon as this weekend.
The team is planning to race the GT3 alongside last season’s double race-winning GT4 Audi. Drivers are, as yet, unannounced and unconfirmed with Steller still in a position to negotiate with interested parties ahead of confirming their full-season package.
Interested parties should contact Max Daymond:
info@stellermotorsport.com
01280 848001
Speedworks Toyota Plans Coming Together
Representatives of a number of entries without their cars present at the Media Day are walking the paddock and assessing the form!
Amongst that group are a group from Speedworks who are prepping their return to the British GT Championship with a Toyota GR Supra GT4, the first of its kind to campaign in the UK, the first Toyota since Steller’s in-house developed GT86 that last raced in 2018 and the first Supra to be entered since Maxspeed had a couple of abortive attempts to get their troublesome RZ Supra into a race in 2006.
The 2020 effort is set to be a whole different kettle of seafood.
The team is due to take delivery of their car within the week, Speedworks BTCC star Tom Ingram has already sampled the TMG-run test car but neither full-season British GT driver, Sam Smelt or
James Kell has yet had that opportunity.
That will come with some private testing soon after delivery with other days possible before its public debut at Oulton Park.
Barwell All At Sea!
Barwell Motorsport was not present at the Media Day but with good reason, with the team out testing ahead of the season but with one of their cars is yet to arrive back at base in the UK after the Dubai 24 Hours after significant shipping delays!
The Surrey-based squad expect the Huracan in the next 24 hours, 6 weeks in a sealed container after the somewhat soggy race meeting in the Gulf will no doubt make for a substantial rebuild before the 2020 European season gets underway.
In more positive news the team are also set to confirm their second driver squad for British GT later this week. More of those TBAs set to be filled!
McLaren Numbers Booming
After seeming numerical domination in previous years from Aston Martin it seems that the tables have turned in favour of McLaren, no fewer than 12 are listed as full-season entries across both classes with 10 of those present at the Media Day – just the incoming 2Seas GT3 class 720s are not present today.
TF Sport Confirm Caroline and Vaughan in #97 GT4 Aston
British F4 Champion Jamie Caroline and Porsche Carrera Cup GB runner-up Daniel Vaughan join forces to compete TF Sport’s Championship line-up in the championship-winning #97 Aston Martin Vantage GT4.
21-year-old Jamie Caroline made a one-off appearance in British GT last season with a focus was on a full-season entry in GTs very much the target.
Dan Vaughan kick-started his car racing venture in Radical Sportscars back in 2013, before moving up to the Porsche Carrera Cup GB in 2018 where he scored three victories. Endurance GT racing has always been a target of 23-year-old Vaughan’s and he is confident he has the combination to achieve a strong debut season.
Tom Ferrier, TF Sport Director: “I think both Jamie and Dan are superb, young and exciting talents. Just like we did with Ash and Tom last year, we will give them all we can and despite there being an extremely competitive field in British GT once again this year, they should be fighting for the championship in their first season.”
Jamie Caroline #97: “It’s a pleasure to be part of TF Sport and work with Tom, they’ve got a proven successful record in global GT racing. My goal is to have a long career in GTs, so this is the perfect platform for me to build upon. Even though I drove the McLaren GT4 last year, there’s a huge difference between that and the Aston so I’ve got a lot to learn, but I’m convinced that we have the perfect combination to finish high up in the standings.”
Dan Vaughan #97: “There’s a lot to learn and get used to as I haven’t driven a car with traction control or ABS before, but I’ve always wanted to get into GT’s and this was the perfect team, series and class to go for. The whole package was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down and sharing the car with someone like Jamie means we’ve got a good chance to achieve some great results in this first season.” Tolman Motorsport and the McLaren Automotive Driver Development Programme (DDP) have confirmed the driver pairings for the 2020 British GT Championship.
Michael Benyahia from the USA and Swiss driver Alain Valente will share the #4 Tolman Motorsport McLaren 570S GT4, with Brit Katie Milner and Sydney-born Harry Hayek partnered in the sister #5 entry.
Tolman Confirm Driver Pairings
Both Tolman Motorsport McLaren 570S GT4s were present at the test but dd not run, the team did, however, take the opportunity fro confirm their 2020 driver pairings, once again utilising emerging talent from the McLaren Driver Development Programme.
Now in its third season, the Tolman-McLaren DDP venture continues to nurture young motorsport talent, and this year has expanded its reach beyond the UK by recruiting international drivers from Switzerland, North America and Australia.
Benyahia and Valente both began their careers in Formula 4 single-seaters but come with McLaren Customer Racing experience, having previously raced for the same team in ADAC GT4 Germany.
“I’ve raced against Alain (Valente) before in ADAC GT4 and having that experience and the knowledge that we mesh well together should work to our advantage this year,” said Benyahia. “We both have a lot of experience with the McLaren 570S GT4, but I’d say I’m still in the process of adapting from a single-seater style of driving. McLaren’s input has already sped up my progression by helping me identify areas of improvement and I’m naturally going into the 2020 season to do the best I can. I’m super-excited about this opportunity with McLaren and I’m looking forward to a great year in the British GT Championship.”
Valente said: “Michael (Benyahia) and I had a very good 2019 season racing against each other but in the same team, and we pushed each other very hard. We shared data and know each other’s strengths as a result, so I’m sure we will be a good pairing now we’re in the same car, which will be important for everyone involved with Tolman Motorsport and the McLaren Automotive Driver Development Programme. I learnt a lot last year, but this is the start of a new chapter in an unfamiliar championship. I have my goals for the season and they are what I’ll focus on achieving.
York-based Milner arrives at Tolman off the back of victorious campaigns in the Ginetta GT5 Challenge, while Hayek established himself as a race winner in Australian F4 before heading overseas to partake in the British F3 Championship.
“I think Harry (Hayek) and I have a lot to learn from each other, coming from contrasting backgrounds, but we get on really well and bring a lot of different strengths to the table, and we will work together to both improve over the course of the year. My life has changed a lot since starting with the McLaren Automotive Driver Development Programme as my sim and fitness training has intensified, and I have far fewer distractions. People have commented on the amount of progress I’ve made, and I feel more than ready to start testing.”
Hayek said: “I’m expecting 2020 to be a good year because all four of the McLaren Automotive Driver Development Programme candidates get on really well. Katie (Milner) and I have had different experiences in our careers, and it’ll be a learning year as I figure out how to take advantage of a GT car with driver aids. However, the training, team-building and assessment days have all helped us bond, and we will have each other and a lot of good people at McLaren and Tolman Motorsport to lean on for support, so I expect to see some good progression.”
