BRITISH GT & GINETTA BLAST OFF FOR 2025 AT DONINGTON PARK
Written by Tom Hornsby – New teams, cars and drivers join the list of established stars and champions this weekend when Season 33 of the British GT Championship kicks off at Donington Park.
Both the venue and date are a little unusual given that neither are Oulton Park or Easter, the traditional combination for British GT’s curtain raiser. Donington’s 120-minute affair this Sunday also provides a different proposition to that of Cheshire’s two hour-long sprints held on a Bank Holiday Monday, although that familiar scenario will play out later this spring.
Instead, all eyes are on a circuit that bookends British GT’s season but also hosts the first-ever ‘championship within a championship’ Endurance Cup round.
British GT is always best enjoyed trackside. But those unable to make it can at least watch qualifying and the race live on Sky Sports F1 and SRO’s GT World YouTube channel this Saturday and Sunday. Joe Osborne’s team manager commitments see a new driver join the commentary team: GT3 race winner and World’s Fastest Gamer James Baldwin will be alongside David Addison and Andy McEwan throughout 2025.
GT3
Changes galore over the winter, as well as the reigning champion missing round one, mean there’s plenty to unpack in GT3 where the established team and driver combinations will most likely enjoy an early advantage.
Rob Collard’s 2024 title triumph owed something to winning at Donington, but his enforced absence due to an unforeseen medical procedure leaves the #1 Lamborghini with a very unfamiliar look. Hugo Cook, who was due to partner the reigning champion after spending last season in an Audi, is instead joined by Matt Topham.
The other side of Barwell’s garage remains unchanged from last year when Alex Martin and Sandy Mitchell almost denied Rob and Ricky Collard the title. One of their three wins came in the first of Donington’s two races, so it would be no surprise at all if the same combination began its campaign in similar fashion.
Kevin Tse and Maximilian Götz also return in the familiar surroundings of a 2 Seas Mercedes-AMG after claiming two victories and pole positions last year – results that weren’t reflected in their final championship position. They’re joined at the team by reigning GT4 Pro-Am champion Charles Dawson and debutant Kiern Jewiss.
Blackthorn’s Aston Martin didn’t win a race last season but did score its best result – second overall – at Donington after a largely frustrating start to 2024. Continuity in the shape of Giacomo Petrobelli and Jonny Adam makes this entry, along with 2 Seas, the most likely threat to Martin and Mitchell.
But there’s also no shortage of potential winners amongst McLaren’s ranks despite wholesale changes to several line-ups. Morgan Tillbrook is a multiple Donington winner aboard the 720S and now has factory star Marvin Kirchhöfer for company after moving to Optimum. Its second GT3 entry features the familiar duo of Mike Price and Callum Macleod who have spent the last two years racing a Mercedes-AMG.
Tillbrook’s previous success at Donington was achieved alongside Marcus Clutton who now partners Simon Orange at Orange Racing by JMH. There are no such changes at Paddock where Mark Smith and Martin Plowman join forces for a third campaign, while Greystone GT’s Andrey Borodin and Oli Webb return on a full-season basis.
Sam Neary’s re-grading means Team Abba – which took its only overall British GT win at Donington in 2021 – is no longer eligible to contest Silver-Am. Instead, Bridger’s Honda and Beechdean’s Aston Martin, shared respectively by Johnny Ip/Luke Garlick and Andrew Howard/Tom Wood, will be scrapping for class honours and more.
Two manufacturers, Ferrari and Porsche, were due to make their British GT returns this weekend. But while the 911 GT3 R will be there thanks to Team Parker, Nick Jones (a winner at Donington with Bentley) and factory hotshoe Sven Müller, clashing European Le Mans Series commitments prevent Duncan Cameron, Matt Griffin and AF Corse’s 296 from competing. Instead, Maranello will make its long-awaited return later this month at Silverstone where several Ferraris are scheduled to race…
GT4
Assessing the form guide at the start of a new GT4 season is always tricky. Few would have picked Forsetti to triumph on its British GT debut last year, for instance. But 2025 appears especially unpredictable thanks to eight cars featuring British GT winners.
Optimum is the obvious place to start. No driver has enjoyed more GT4 success in recent years than eight-time race winner and reigning champion Jack Brown who also enjoys the advantage of stability by remaining with the same team and car. His co-driver, Marc Warren, is new to the fold and also Brown’s first-ever Am co-driver but one who excelled during his debut British GT campaign in 2024.
The same Artura also won at Donington last year, albeit with a Silver combination behind the wheel.
No driver has ever won two British GT4 titles, let alone consecutively. It was also back in 2016 when the last Pro-Am duo claimed the overall crown. Can Brown re-write both of those statistics this year?
He’ll face tough opposition from another top drawer and unchanged Pro-Am partnership in the shape of Ravi Ramyead and Charlie Robertson who scored the second of their two wins at Donington towards the end of last year. They remain with Century, which has the new Evo-spec BMW M4 GT4 at its disposal – a car that they have already driven extensively in the GT4 Winter Series.
They’ll also have one eye on Century’s remarkable record of winning championships in the first year of each previous new M4 model.
With second cars at their disposal, Optimum and Century look set to be teams’ championship contenders. But could the likes of Luca Hopkinson and Harry George, and Branden Templeton and Chris Salkeld also join their team-mates in the battle for drivers’ title success? Only one of them – 2023 Pro-Am champion Salkeld – has a British GT win to their name currently, while his co-driver steps up from junior single-seaters.
Mahiki enjoys the numerical advantage with three Lotus Emiras and a former GT4 champion amongst its ranks. But will that be enough to make it a British GT winner for the first time? Its two Pro-Am entries feature 2018 title winner Jack Mitchell and Steven Lake, and Ian Duggan and Joe Wheeler, while the Silver combination pairs race winner Josh Miller with Aiden Neate. Incidentally, only its two best placed Lotuses will score teams’ points at each race.
Perhaps this year’s most intriguing entry features Phil Keen who has joined Jon Currie in Team Parker’s full-season Mercedes-AMG. British GT’s all-time record holder in terms of wins – 19 GT3/overall and two more class – has only contested one partial GT4 season, and that was back in 2012. However, he and Currie have previously linked up in similar machinery elsewhere so should hit the ground running with a team that won the Pro-Am title last year. Their historic DTM livery is also amongst the best on this year’s grid.
This weekend’s other four entries are also eligible for the Endurance Cup, which counts events at Silverstone, Spa and Donington’s opener as well as decider.
Ed McDermott joins GT4’s reigning Pro-Am champion and 2017 GT3 title winner Seb Morris aboard Team Parker’s Mercedes-AMG, while Will Burns – who clinched the GT4 crown in 2021 – partners Jamie Orton at Rob Boston Racing. Their weapon of choice is now a Porsche Cayman.
MKH has one previous British GT outing to its name and returns for an Endurance Cup programme with the latest generation Aston Martin plus two of the team’s three founders: Peter Montague and Stuart Hall. Jolt Racing’s McLaren, shared by reigning GT Cup class champions Rupert Williams and John Ingram, completes a championship within a championship featuring four different manufacturers.
One significant change over the winter concerns GT4’s extra Silver ballast, which must now only be carried during the race. This allows Silver-graded drivers to demonstrate their true speed in qualifying.
GINETTA GT CHAMPIONSHIP (written by Ginetta)
A bold new era for the Protyre Motorsport Ginetta GT Championship begins this weekend at Donington Park, with the introduction of the brand-new Ginetta G56 GTP8 set to produce the fastest-ever one-make Ginetta racing.
The V8-powered GTP8 is the latest evolution of the successful G56 platform, with exciting upgrades to power, handling and grip compared to its predecessor. The car has proven hugely-popular with drivers and teams, with no less than 18 GTP8’s lining up on the grid this weekend.
The bumper grid will tackle a new two-race format this season, with each event featuring a 20-minute sprint and 40-minute endurance run with a mandatory pitstop. There’ll be plenty to fight for throughout the grid, with drivers split across three classes; PRO, PRO-AM and AM.
Two reigning Ginetta champions will be looking to enjoy further title glory this season as they go head-to-head in PRO-AM. One of those is Nick White (Raceway Motorsport), who wrapped up the GT Championship AM class honours last year off the back of winning the GT Academy crown the year prior.
Mike Taylor (Triple M Motorsport) meanwhile moves up the Ginetta ladder as the latest rookie champion in the GT Academy. Joining him in PRO-AM will be two of the drivers he went toe-to-toe with last year, Elite Motorsport pair Harry Gamble and Ali Juffali.
The PRO class features an exciting mix of drivers. Established GT racer Robert Cronin (Elite Motorsport) will go up against reigning Britcar Trophy champion Hadley Simpson (Xentek Motorsport), Ginetta Junior graduate Archie Clark (MDD Racing), former JSCC vice-champion Cameron Pratt-Thompson (SVG Motorsport) and car-racing newcomer Jack Collins (E3 Sport).
It’s set to be a hotly-contested battle in the AM class meanwhile, as some familiar Ginetta faces take on newcomers to the family. Peter Mangion (Elite Motorsport) finished runner-up in the class last season and has previously title-winning experience in Porsche racing.
James Townsend (SVG Motorsport) is one to watch, having won the GT4 AM drivers’ title in the British GT Championship two years ago, while Carl Garnett (Breakell Racing) twice finished as a class vice-champion in the Ginetta GT4 SuperCup and has finished on the overall GT Championship podium.
The AM entry includes three more drivers stepping up from the GT Academy ranks. Luke Shaw (Raceway Motorsport) was an overall race-winner last season, while sisters Amy and Emma Tomlinson will go up against each other with Raceway Motorsport and DTO Motorsport respectively.
Fox Motorsport are entering two drivers embarking on their first full seasons of racing this year; Oliver Fordham and James Rolling. The grid is completed by Dominic Paul (Triple M Motorsport).
GINETTA GT ACADEMY (written by Ginetta)
The Ginetta GT Academy enters its fifth season in 2025, with a talented entry list of series regulars, Ginetta returnees and championship newcomers set to serve up an exciting and competitive year of racing, starting this weekend at Donington Park.
The GT Academy offers drivers of all ages and experience levels the opportunity to try entry level GT racing in identical Ginetta G56 GTA’s. It runs to a two-class format, GTA and rookie, with a bumper 2025 entry set to battle it out over 17 races across the campaign.
Julian Wantling (E3 Sport) will be running with the coveted #1 on the side of his car this year as he returns to defend the GTA class title. The experienced racer, who debuted with Ginetta back in 2018, celebrated six class wins and 17 podium finishes on his way to title success last season.
One of the drivers aiming to dethrone him as champion will be his new E3 Sport team-mate James Nicholas. He steps up to the GTA class having been one of the standout rookies last year, with five overall race victories including a double win here at Donington Park.
Jamie Caudle (E3 Sport) and Peter Thompson (W2R) also graduate from the rookie class having enjoyed overall top three results in 2024, while Paul Livesey (MDD Racing) and Mike West (E3 Sport) were GTA class race-winners last season at Anglesey and Brands Hatch respectively.
Bringing a wealth of Ginetta experience to the grid will be Robin Grimwood (E3 Sport) and Phil McGarty (Xentek Motorsport), the latter embarking on his 11th consecutive season of Ginetta racing, while Lucie Hodgson (W2R) was a popular member of the paddock as she impressed as a rookie last year.
Two drivers are making long-awaited returns to the Ginetta paddock this year. Nick Ponting (W2R) last competed in the Juniors all the way back in 2008, while more recently Charlie Digby (MDD Racing) was a podium finisher in the GT5 Challenge in 2018.
Ben Cooke (W2R) and Gilbert Verdian (SVG Motorsport) both return to the grid after enjoying impressive cameos in 2024. Team boss-turned-driver Joe Edge (W2R) makes his racing debut, while one-time junior single-seater champion Alex Deighton (Paradine by Xentek) returns to racing for his Ginetta bow.
This year’s rookie contingent includes Nicholas’ successor to the coveted PalmerSport Ginetta Race Scholarship, Sam Shrimpton (W2R). Former Caterham racer Louis Darling (MDD Racing), Shiv Sapra (Paradine by Xentek) and W2R pair Damien Duffy and Allan Wright complete the class entry.
GINETTA JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP (written by Ginetta)
The Ginetta Junior Championship is set to launch its landmark 20th anniversary season in spectacular fashion this weekend with the largest opening round grid in series history ready to put on a show across three races at Donington Park.
20 years on from its launch in 2005, the Ginetta Junior Championship is bigger and better than ever heading into the new campaign. No less than 28 talented drivers are ready to start the campaign in refreshed Ginetta G40 Junior Evo cars, with more drivers lined up to join the grid later in the year.
R Racing celebrated title glory last season and return to defend their crown with a capacity six-car entry. Headlining that is two members of the Red Bull Junior Team, Rocco Coronel and Scott Kin Lindblom, who bring the iconic Red Bull livery to Ginetta machinery for the first time.
Alfie Slater is the highest-placed returning driver from 2024 and will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of his brother – 2023 champion Freddie Slater – and challenge for the top prize, while Max Cuthbert is ready to build on a brilliant performance in the season-ending Winter Series.
As R Racing aim for a fifth consecutive drivers’ title, Elite Motorsport are determined to regain the crown they last won in 2020. They’ve recruited two front-runners from last season; Colin Cronin, a race-winner at Donington Park in September, and Ethan Carney as part of their six-car line-up.
Felix Livesey (MDD Racing) is one to watch as the most experienced driver on the grid with almost sixty Junior starts under his belt, while Torrin Byrne (Pace Performance) and brothers Mahlori and Ntiyiso Mabunda (both RAB Sport) also return from the class of 2024.
The Junior Championship’s global appeal has attracted young talents from all around the world for the new season, with the most multinational grid in series history featuring drivers representing ten different nationalities across five continents.
The Mabunda brothers are amongst a group of five South African racers this year, joined by Luviwe Sambudla (RAB Sport), Matthew Chiwara (Tim Gray Motorsport) and Ethan Lennon (Pace Performance). Venezuela and Malaysia will be represented in the series for the first time in 2025 meanwhile, by Emmilio Valentino Del Grosso (Elite Motorsport) and Katrina Ee (Tim Gray Motorsport) respectively.
Del Grosso is one of four rookies at Elite, alongside Joseph Smith, Revie Lake and the latest winner of the coveted Ginetta Junior Scholarship, Fred Green. R Racing’s rookie contingent includes Jarrett Clark and Felipe Reijs, while Fox Motorsport are entering Henry Cameron and Freddie Lloyd.
MKH Racing are one of four new teams on the grid this season, running Raúl Zunzarren and Harry Bartle. Noah Young (Performance One) and George Proudford-Nalder (MDD Racing) are fellow debutants, while completing the grid with Tim Gray Motorsport are Joshua Henry and Josh Watts; two drivers with previous car-racing experience to build upon.
