Yorkshire, UK-based Optimum Motorsport are set to move into the sports prototype racing market in 2022 with confirmation that they will enter the Michelin Le Mans Cup LMP3 class with a single Duqueine D08 for Mark Crader and Alex Mortimer.
2007 British GT Champion Mortimer has been competing in the Michelin Le Mans Cup since 2019 alongside fellow Brit, Crader, the pair moving up to LMP3 after taking the 2018 European Radical Masters Supersport Championship.
It’s the first foray into LMP3 for Optimum after multiple seasons with championship-winning success in GT4 and GT3 machinery, most recently with multiple winning efforts featuring the McLaren 720S GT3 under both the Optimum banner and for customer team inception Racing.
The #20 Duqueine’s livery has been inspired by the original blue and black Optimum Motorsport colours (above in 2017), and incorporates an eye-catching geometric pattern across the front and sides of the car.
Alex Mortimer: “After three enjoyable years in Michelin Cup, we’re excited to start a new season with Optimum Motorsport who’ve performed incredibly well in a variety of categories and championships.
“Shaun runs an extremely professional operation so we’re looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together in 2022. Michelin Cup has grown in strength and depth every year that we have competed in it, and we expect that trend to continue next year.
“Mark and I have the capability to run competitively against our peers inside the championship, we want to draw on our three years of LMP3 experience to push our way as far towards the front of the grid for 2022.”
Mark Crader: “I’m happy to be racing with Optimum in Michelin Le Mans Cup next season, having had a great experience with them in 2020 racing in Silverstone.
“We had a bit of misfortune in 2021, so we are hoping that a change of team will bring us a change of luck.”
Shaun Goff, Team Principal: “Next season is set to be one of our most exciting years to date. Optimum Motorsport is going from strength to strength and when the opportunity was there to work with Mark and Alex again, it was a no brainer.”
The Optimum pairing move from a customer arrangement with Nielsen Racing under the Grainmarket Racing banner in previous seasons.
