Yasser Shahin and Garnet Patterson will join Optimum Motorsport for the 2026 British GT season-opener next week on 25-26 April, the Silverstone 500.
The Australian duo will share driving duties during the three-hour enduro in the #3 McLaren GT3 Evo, as Mike Price and Callum Macleod are competing in the PalmaVela Regatta yacht race.
Shahin has a formidable racing record with a 24 Hours of Le Mans class victory and vice-champion status in the FIA WEC’s LMGT3 competition, along with two GT World Challenge Australia titles.
He partnered with Patterson previously in GT World Challenge Australia and the Asian Le Mans, and it was earlier this February at the Bathurst 12 Hours when this opportunity to replace Price/Macleod at Silverstone arose.
Shahin said: “It’s always extremely enjoyable to be on a GT grid, and what better place to be than an iconic circuit such as Silverstone?
“Vying for the coveted RAC Trophy makes it even more special.”
Whilst Shahin is competing in the FIA WEC opener this week in Imola for Manthey, Patterson is fresh off a second-place finish in last week’s ELMS opener in Barcelona for United Autosports’ #23 McLaren LMGT3 entrant.
His double stint brought home the team’s impressive comeback from 12th on the grid, with the help of his teammates Michael Birch and Wayne Boyd.
Patterson added: “It’s great to reunite with Yasser at Silverstone as part of Optimum’s GT3 line-up for British GT’s season-opener.
“Yasser and I have had strong results together in the past, and I really enjoyed being part of Optimum’s team at Bathurst earlier this year, so I’m looking forward to bringing everything together for the UK’s blue riband GT race.”
They both make up one of Optimum Motorsport’s three full-season GT3 entries, with former McLaren factory ace Ben Barnicoat paired in the #77 with Morgan Tillbrook, and reigning GT4 champions Marc Warren and Jack Brown in the #90 car.
Image courtesy of Optimum
