CENTURY TO RUN UPDATED GINETTA GT3’S IN BRITISH GT

The GT3 Ginetta will share more in common with its LMP3 counterpart – Photo: Jakob Ebrey

Century Motorsport will graduate to the British GT Championship’s GT3 class for the first time in 2017 after being confirmed as Ginetta’s official factory squad in a deal that sees two heavily revised G55s entered on a full-season basis.

The first of the cars will be driven by Century stalwart Nathan Freke and 17-year-old American Harry Gottsacker, who contested last season’s Pirelli World Challenge at the wheel of a GT4-spec Ginetta.

The second of the team’s driver pairings will be announced in the coming weeks.

Century are no strangers to Ginetta having campaigned all manner of the Yorkshire firm’s products over the past decade, including both the G50 and G55 in British GT. It also assisted with the original G55 GT3’s development in 2011 and is now responsible for overseeing the model’s latest iteration in domestic competition.

The 2017-spec G55 differs significantly from its predecessors thanks to an all-new 570bhp Chevrolet LS3 engine – the same as found in Ginetta’s G57 sports-prototype – which has been repositioned to improve weight distribution. A revised front splitter has also been added, while key changes to the brakes and driver interface are also expected to aid performance.

Century and Ginetta will both be hoping that the changes allow them to fight for the G55’s maiden British GT3 victory. Its best result remains the second place finish achieved by Steve Tandy and Mike Simpson at Oulton Park in 2015.

Former McLaren Autosport BRDC Award Nominee and Formula Ford champion Freke is considered one of British GT’s fastest GT4 drivers, but this season will be his first aboard a factory-supported GT3 car.

“This is a really exciting year for both Century and Ginetta as together we’re mounting a serious attack on British GT,” he said.

“We helped run the GT3 car when it first came out in 2011, but this year marks the first time we’ll be involved with a properly competitive GT3 entry.

“The changes to the car are massive. The new Chevrolet engine offers more low-down torque and usable power and the chassis changes will aid slow-speed traction.

“It will be interesting working with Harry as he’s a promising young driver. He’ll have a lot to learn with the UK tracks and style of racing, but we’ll work with him and he’ll only get stronger as the year goes on.”

Ginetta technical director Ewan Baldry hinted that more changes were on the horizon for 2018.

“We know the Chevrolet engine so well from the development in the G57-P2 and it’s perfect for GT usage,” he said. “The Nissan was a very aggressive engine and we had some vibration issues with it. The Chevrolet is a lower-revving unit with a better torque band. The investment in GT3 this year is a big one as we want to get that win, and also use what we find to build towards our new plans for 2018.”

This season’s British GT Championship gets underway at Oulton Park on April 15/17.

Plus, don’t forget there’s free general admission to the British GT Media Day, which will be held at Snetterton on March 28!

Tom Hornsby (Source: British GT)