The inclusion of the name of Warren Hughes amongst the names whose driver rankings were under review for the 2023 season had already alerted the DSC Editor to the potential that the multi-title winning Warren Hughes might have plans afoot.
And today the first part of that storyline crystallises with the news that the 2005 Le Mans 24 Hours LMP2 winner, 2011 Speed Euroseries Champion and 2012 British GT GT4 Champion is to join the entry for the 2022 Intelligent Money British GT Championship finale at Donington Park.
Warren is set to join Stewart Proctor in the #5 Greystone GT McLaren 720S GT3, replacing Stewart’s son Lewis who has been called up to drive for Beechdean AMR in the same race.
Now Silver-ranked Hughes’s arrival ensures that the Prosource-supported McLaren 720S GT3 will continue to run in the Silver-Am class in the two-hour race on October 15-16.
Warren has coached Lewis Proctor for several years and brings vast experience to the Silverstone-based team.
A UK champion and international race-winner in single-seaters, he claimed several victories in the British Touring Car Championship before switching full-time to sportscars in 2004 where further titles and wins came his way in GT and prototype machinery.
Donington will mark his first appearance in British GT since a one-off drive at the same circuit in 2020 in a GT4 McLaren.
Warren Hughes said: “I’m excited to be back racing in British GT, having spent the past few events with Greystone GT in a coaching capacity with both Stewart and Lewis (Proctor). I’ve known Mark (McLoughlin, Team Principal) and Tim (Mullen, Sporting Manager) right back to when we were all involved with McLaren and there are plenty of other familiar faces on the team too. It’s such a kind gesture from Stewart to ask me to drive in recognition of the work I’ve put in with both himself and, through the McLaren Driver Development Programme with Lewis over the past years. As Lewis moves on to another opportunity this weekend, I’m getting a fantastic opportunity. I haven’t driven the McLaren 720S GT3 since the tail end of 2017, just before the customer-car programme really kicked into gear, so it’ll be nice to get back behind the wheel and see what we can do.”
Mark McLoughlin, Team Principal, said: “I’m thrilled to welcome Warren to Greystone GT as the latest pro driver with a sparkling CV in motorsport. While we wish Lewis the very best of luck as he takes another opportunity at Donington, it was important to have a strong driver alongside Stewart. In Warren we have the best Silver option around; a Le Mans 24 Hours winner and British GT champion who’s already spent a few race events with us in a coaching capacity and who knows Stewart and the way he drives extremely well. We’d like to finish the season with a strong result to make sure Stewart finishes as high up the Silver-Am points table as possible and I’m sure Warren will be a great addition to help us do that.”
