The Electric GT Championship, the world’s first 100% zero-emissions GT championship, is delighted to confirm Tom Onslow-Cole and Ricardo Teixeira as the latest members of the quickly-expanding EGT Drivers’ Club.
Front-running international GT racer Onslow-Cole and former Team Lotus Formula 1 test and reserve driver Teixeira take the number of confirmed entrants for the inaugural EGT Season in 2017, which utilises the Tesla Model S, to eight.
The pair join Stefan Wilson, Vicky Piria, Dani Clos, Leilani Münter, Tom Coronel and Alice Powell in entering the ‘Age of Light’, using alternative power sources to protect future generations.
Onslow-Cole (@tomonslowcole), 29, from London, England, has enjoyed a great deal of success in both touring car and GT racing over the past decade. After winning the domestic Renault Clio Cup, he contested the British Touring Car Championship and collected seven wins and 36 podiums. Since switching to GT racing, he claimed the 24H Series GT3 crown in 2015 and has added several high-profile endurance racing victories in the series to his CV this year.
Onslow-Cole said: “I’m really pleased to be involved in such an innovative step forward in GT racing, when I first saw the announcement I knew the Electric GT Championship was something I wanted to be involved with. Currently my career in GT racing is going from strength to strength, but I believe you should always be mindful of the future in order to keep powering forwards.“
Lisbon-born Teixeira (@teixeira_angola) holds dual Portuguese-Angolan nationality and became the first Angolan to drive a contemporary F1 car when he tested for Team Lotus in 2011. The 32-year-old also raced in British F3, GP2 and F2, collecting a number of impressive top-10 finishes in the latter championship. He currently provides expert race tuition in GT cars worldwide.
Teixeira said: “I am delighted to join the EGT Drivers’ Club and look forward to being a part of this fantastic championship. The EGT Tesla Model S looks awesome, and I’m ready to get behind the wheel. I feel proud to be here in the early stages of this and thrilled to enter the ‘Age of Light’.”
Electric GT Championship CEO Mark Gemmell added: “I am very pleased to welcome Tom and Ricardo into the Age of Light, as they are both great drivers with vast amounts of experience. Both possess impressive racing CVs and share our vision of looking towards a more sustainable future in motorsports. I look forward to working with them in developing this ever-expanding championship.
The EGT Championship will consist of 20 international drivers, both male and female, racing for 10 professional teams in identical Tesla Model S machines equipped with the latest OMP safety equipment and running on bespoke Pirelli tyres. EGT will visit seven classic European circuits in its inaugural season, including Paul Ricard, Barcelona, Zandvoort, Estoril and the Nürburgring, before staging three non-championship races in the Americas.
About Electric GT Championship – New zero-emissions motorsport category promoting sustainable mobility
The championship was announced on 9 March 2016, with the Tesla Model S chosen for the first season, which will get underway in 2017. There will be 10 teams and 20 drivers, who will compete across seven races during season one. Weekends will consist of a 20-minute practice session, 30-minute qualifying, a day race (60km) and a dusk race (60km). Each round will be a weekend-long festival of technology and innovation for sustainability, in and around the circuits. Fans will be able to stream races via Periscope, Twitch and YouTube, as well as interact directly with the teams using social media platforms.
