Motorbase Performance is hoping for home track advantage as the 2016 British GT Championship gets underway on the Brands Hatch GP circuit this coming weekend (April 16/17).
A packed grid of 14 GT3 and 16 GT4 competitors is expected to descend on the Kent circuit for the season’s opening two hour race and competition will be fierce for the Wrotham-based squad’s new line-up with Ross Wylie making his Motorbase debut alongside Phil Dryburgh in the #8 Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3.
“It’s been a long winter and feels like an age since we were last out in the British GT so it’s great to be starting the new season on our home circuit;” said Motorbase Performance Team Principal David Bartrum. “We haven’t managed to get out as much as we would have liked to but Ross and Phil had a great test at Rockingham last week and the car’s performing well. The British GT has another strong grid this year and the competition will be tough but I’m confident that Ross and Phil will be in the mix.”
Following a dream start to the season at Oulton Park last year, Bartrum’s Motorbase squad is hopeful of a repeat performance this time out. "We’ve snatched pole and celebrated a win during the opening weekend for the last two seasons so it’ll be a hard act to follow this year with a new driver pairing but we'll certainly give it our best shot."
Last year’s GT3 Silver Cup runner-up Wylie joins the Motorbase line-up for his third consecutive year competing in the British GT and the 24-year-old is enthusiastic about his latest move. “It’s been a long old winter so I’m really looking forward to getting back in the car and with Brands being the home race for Motorbase it makes it that little bit extra special.
“We had a good test at Rockingham last week and we’re going into the weekend quite open-minded. We’ll have a better idea of where we are after qualifying but none of us are there to just make up the numbers and Motorbase have put together a strong package for us.”
Dryburgh is equally upbeat about the weekend, confirming the team’s focus remains on consistent results with a long term view of the championship challenge ahead of them. "Our aim this the weekend is to get a decent points haul in the bag and to get the season off to a strong start.
"I’m really looking forward to getting back in the Aston again, the Motorbase crew have done a great job with the car and hopefully that hard work will be rewarded with a good result at their home track this weekend.”
Following the morning free practice sessions on Saturday April 16, qualifying gets underway at 16.45 with the opening two hour race of the 2016 British GT season scheduled for 13.30 on Sunday April 17.
The action will be covered in an edited highlights programme on Channel 4 and Motors TV the following week with live event timing available online at http://www.tsl-timing.com/event/161505
