Triple Eight Race Engineering has shuffled the pack ahead of next weekend’s penultimate British GT race of the year at Brands Hatch (30/31 August).
The #88 and #888 BMW Z4 GT3s will see driver squad changes as Lee Mowle is joined by Ryan Ratcliffe in the #88, the 20 year old making his GT3 racing debut as part and parcel of his role as Triple Eight Driver Development (TEDD).
Joe Osborne meanwhile moves over from #88 to #888 to partner Derek Johnston, with Luke Hines standing down from the team.
Ryan Ratcliffe:
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for me,” says the Llanelli ace who celebrates his 21st birthday on the eve of the Brands Hatch meeting (29th August).
“I wasn’t expecting to get to drive in British GT3 this year, but the team have been really happy with my progress. I think if I’d started the year in the car without all of the TEDD work I’d be hopeless; the journey I’ve been on has been that significant. This is now a great way to evaluate myself properly against the rest of the field.”
The move to partner Mowle in the final two races is a temporary one, and the reigning GT4 champion is keen to display his talents and attract some attention from gentleman drivers looking to compete next year.
“With the misfortune that Lee and Joe encountered earlier on in the year, I’m now in a relatively low-pressure situation to build up my GT3 race experience and finish the year sharp, ahead of next season. I intend to make the most of the opportunity; I’ll definitely be using it as a shop window to show what I can do. British GT is ideally where I see myself racing next year.”
Speaking of Brands and Donington, Ratcliffe adds, “They’re both circuits that I like a lot, but I’m coming into the final two races against drivers who’ve been racing these cars all year. If we can get a decent result in the race, I’ll be chuffed to bits. Donington in particular has great memories for me, it’s where I took the GT4 title and a good race there in GT3 will seal what has been a really rewarding year for me.”
Ratcliffe’s team-mate for the final two races of the British GT season, Lee Mowle is no stranger to the progressive 21-year-old’s abilities.
“Ryan’s a great lad and a quick driver. We weren’t short of interest in driving the car in these final two races, but for me it made sense to give him (Ryan) an opportunity to show what he can do. The pressure is off and I think it is set-up nicely to give him a platform to display his talents. TEDD has been a big success in its first year and we now have several drivers working with us, young and old, all with the right attitude and a desire to push-on. If Ryan can help me get some points finishes at Brands and Donington, I think as a team we’ll all take a lot of satisfaction from that.”
Derek Johnston meanwhile is looking to combine with Osborne to salvage a race win after early season promise faded in the wake of a penalty that he and the team thought heavy-handed, and which cost him 27 championship points.
“It wasn’t a flash in the pan move (to ask Luke to step down) and I gave it a lot of thought. I really want to push for podiums in the final two races and get something out of the year. I think with Joe alongside me, I stand a really good chance of making that happen. I want to thank Luke for all of his help, I regard him as a mate and we’ve had some good times together this year, but the results don’t match up with where I believe I should be with the car.”
Joe Osborne:
“It’s great news. I have a real loyalty to Lee and want to help him achieve a win in the series as we’ve worked together for so long, but to race with Derek in these last two weekends will be a blast. While I’ve been on the other side of the garage to Derek this year, I’ve picked up a lot about him.
“He’s not like many gent drivers in terms of style and is far more instinctive, which I think is part of the reason he’s so quick; he’s a real racer. The final two races are on circuits that reward a ballsy driver, and with qualifying reliant upon both driver’s times I can see us being at the front when it matters on the Saturday and the Sunday.”
The team will, of course, be joined by a third BMW after Jody Firth and Warren Hughes signed just a couple of weeks ago
