Mahiki Sport New Team Manager – And ‘Team Lotus’ Colours
The three-car Mahiki Motorsport Lotus Emira effort sees Joe Osbourne installed as Team Manager, he’ll forego his previous popular role as the British GT TV colour commentator but will step into the commentary chair previously occupied by John Watson for the GT World Challenge European the GTWorld YouTube streaming channel.
Much more from team founder and driver Steven Lake in the coming days on DSC.
Osbourne’s replacement in the British GT Championship booth has yet to be announced. The Mahiki Racing effort meanwhile forms part of a newly launched ‘Team Lotus’ rebranding of the Norfolk-based brand’s customer sport efforts.
Mahiki join Pegasus Racing for the SRO GT Cup in Shanghai and PB Racing in the Italian Championship, as well as 24H Series as the first inductees into the new brand.
Gavan Kershaw, Director and head of Motorsports at Lotus Cars, said: “Motorsport has been in Lotus’ DNA from day one, and we have hundreds of Lotus’ that compete every weekend in all forms of classic, national and international races. Team Lotus unites that passion across every level. Whether it’s GT, endurance, or grassroots competition, we’re committed to supporting teams and drivers who share our love for racing.”
Double GT4 Pro-Am champion Topham at Barwell Motorsport
The reigning champions Barwell Motorsport announced earlier this week that Drivers’ champion Rob Collard will miss the season-opening round at Donington Park due to an unforeseen medical procedure.
As a result, Matt Topham will take Collard’s place for the opening round (and probably round 2 too) and began work with Barwell Motorsport’s #1 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo 2 at the media day at Silverstone . Topham had just two days notice of the call-up, DSC understands!
More from Barwell next week on DSC.
Ferrari returns with experienced duo Griffin and Cameron
Ferrari last raced for a significant programme in British GT in 2020 with the Ferrari 488 GT3 having now arrived with the new 296 GT3 for 2025 (Sky Tempesta did field their 296 GT3 for a one-off last season).
As in that previous near full season outing, Duncan Cameron and Matt Griffin are fronting the #55 Spirit of Race Ferrari with the effort debuting a brand new 296 GT3 at the media day.
The choice of a British GT campaign in 2025 was explained by Duncan:
“Principally it’s because my son is graduating from karting to Ginetta Juniors this year and that’s on the British GT package so it means we can share the racing weekend.”
The duo have now driven each iteration of Ferrari GT3 car in British GT competition, beginning with the first-generation F430, followed by the F430 Scuderia, the 458 Italia and the previous generation of 488.
“In terms of lap time, I would say that the 296 is probably 10 seconds quicker over a lap [compared to the 430],” said Griffin in a press conference, himself the GT Cup Champion no less than 22 years ago!
“But actually, when you’re driving the car, no matter what car you drive, and this is the same with the GT4 cars, you’re always on the limit.
“And over time… in the last 15 years, they’ve come on remarkably and they’re probably closer to a prototype now than a of a standard road car.
“The first Ferrari GT3 was a Ferrari Challenge car upgraded to a GT3. The first Porsche GT3 was a 997 Cup car.
“Now if you look at the 296 Challenge compared to the 296 GT3, it’s like looking at a Ford Fiesta and F1 car.
“.. It’s just the advent of GT3 which really has supercharged the world of GT racing and you say ‘This is a golden time of GT racing’
“Five years ago it was as well, so to have GT3 as a class of all the [seven] manufacturers in it is amazing and obviously Ferrari is really special to me
“I’ve made my entire career with Ferrari.”
Porsche Cup star King trackside with Team Parker Racing
Former Porsche Carrera Cup GB champion Harry King was back on parade at Silverstone at Team Parker Racing without the presence of #66 full-season co-drivers Nick Jones and Sven Müller.
King has an established relationship with both Porsche and the team which began in 2020 when he dominated the Carrera GB championship with Team Parker.
After an impressive set of personal performances in the Asian Le Mans Series, a long and fruitful sporting relationship with PureRxcing’s Alex Malykhin came to an end with Harry being called up to join the new Verstappen Racing effort in the GT World Challenge Europe.
In addition to that, there’s another exciting, yet-to-be-announced, full-season GT berth en route and he’ll be stepping into the Team Parker racing Porsche at Spa for the British GT Championship round too, the event clashes with the Nurburgring 24 Hours and Sven Muller is otherwise engaged.
Honda NSX set for first-ever appearance in British GT
Bridger Motorsport have brought their blue #86 Honda NSX GT3 Evo 2 for its first public appearance for the manufacturer as well as the team’s first GT3 effort with Honda’s development partner, JAS Motorsport.
Championship debutants Chun Cheong Ip (who goes by his English name, Johnny) and Luke Garlick are paired up for the upcoming season in Honda’s first appearance in the championship aside from powering The GT Cup class team Wireless Lotus Elise in 2003 and a one-off appearance for the Le Mans bound Honda NSX (Mk1) at Silverstone in 1995.
The full focus of the team is to be bedding inter-team, new car, and drivers with steady running and reliable finishing the target, though Jay Bridger did confirm to DSC that the team has taken delivery of a second NSX GT3 Evo 2 (an ex Nova Race car) for a potential future expansion of the effort.
Evo M4 GT4 Makes British GT Debut
Century Motorsport are fielding a pair of Evo spec BW M4 GT4s for the season and driver Ravi Ramyead commented on the changes for the car that he will share with Charlie Robertson:
“There’s a different splitter, different lights, slightly different configuration and traction control, so it’s a bit more granular.
“I think they’ve listened to what’s going on in the world and made some small improvements.”
Ramyead is looking to take the new car, and a returning team and partnership to bigger and better things in 2025 – “Consistency pays,” he told DSC – “If we keep scoring we’ll be in the hunt.”
Road-going Supercars front the spectacle on media day
Whilst the main attention resides on the 28-car British GT grid of GT3s and GT4s, a pair of McLaren 720S cars (including one branded with DSC’s Birch Gatwick sponsors), an Aston Martin Vantage, a Lotus Emira, a Mercedes-AMG GT, a Corvette Z06 and a Ferrari 458 Italia.
This line-up of supercars will reappear again outside the hospitality of every British GT round of which there are six venues on the nine-round calendar.
Two-thousand free tickets allowed spectators to experience the host of GT3 and GT4 machinery in the paddock and on track for two long track sessions on a generally bright but blustery Silverstone day.
Amongst the British GT alumni seen in the paddock were, Silverstone’s Steve Warbuton, it’s been an astonishing 20 years since Steve shared a Cup Class Porsche in the Championship with the merging talent that was the late lamented Sean Edwards.
Also from the same era was Steve Hyde, he was taking in the paddock atmosphere with his lovely lady and paused to reminisce of days with TVR Tuscan Rs et al!
Tim Mullen’s era came just a little later and he’s now Team Manager at Greystone with compatriot Rob Bell on site as the Sporting Director of McLaren Motorsport.
Another welcome encounter was a current emerging talent, Ben Tuck, on driver coaching duties on a rare weekend away from the cockpit himself!
