+ Cook joins two-time champ
+ 2024 runner-up Martin also back in second Huracan
Rob Collard and Barwell will attempt to defend their British GT titles together this season.
The two-time champion has linked up with Hugo Cook in the first of the reigning teams’ champions Lamborghinis, while 2024 runner-up Alex Martin also returns alongside Sandy Mitchell and Patrick Kujala.
Collard remains unbeaten across a British GT campaign after winning the 2020 title with Mitchell and then sharing last year’s spoils with his son Ricky. A third overall crown would take him one clear of Andrew Howard and leave him just behind all-time record holder Jonny Adam.
“This year will be a special one as it’ll be the first time I’ve ever had the chance to defend the British GT title, and having the opportunity to maybe make a bit of history as the first Am driver to win three championships is definitely exciting,” he said. “Obviously, I’d have loved to come back alongside Ricky, but that wasn’t possible for this year and I’m really looking forward to working with Hugo. He’s a young up-and-coming driver with huge promise, and I hope I can use my experience to teach him a few things while learning from him at the same time.
“I never believe you can know everything, so having a new team-mate can be a real positive as you can always pick up new approaches, techniques and skills. I think we’ll make a great team together. I’m also delighted about having the consistency of being back with Barwell. The team is like a second family for me, and the Lamborghini is always sensational to drive. Hopefully we can be right up there again fighting for the championship.”
The predominantly red and black Huracan, which will feature #1 on its door, now also sports a splash of yellow thanks to Cook’s J&S sponsorship. Collard’s new co-driver doesn’t turn 21 until July but has already spent a year in British GT’s senior class after sharing an Audi with Sacha Kakad last season. That programme – which netted a best result of fifth overall at Snetterton as well as third in the final Silver-Am standings – was in parallel to a GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup campaign partially spent behind the wheel of a Huracan.
He now moves to the Pro-Am ranks with Collard.
“I’m massively excited for this year, and I’m fully aware of what an opportunity this is; joining the best team on the grid, in the number one car alongside the reigning champion,” he said. “It definitely brings some pressure, but that’s also how you prove yourself, by going into situations like this and doing the job. I think Rob and I will form a great partnership this year – he’s a brilliant driver and goes about his racing in a quite laid-back way, which is similar to how I operate, so I have no doubt we’ll gel quickly.
“It will also be great to work with drivers like Sandy and Patrick in the same team. They have so much experience and offer a great chance for me to gauge my own performance, develop and improve as the season goes on. I learned a lot from my first season in British GT and this year is about putting all of those lessons into practice and going for the title, which undoubtedly has to be the aim for us.”
The other side of Barwell’s garage again features Martin who fell short of the title by just five points despite winning three times with Mitchell and collecting another maximum haul at the Brands Hatch finale.
“Having come so close to winning the championship in my first season last year, I have real confidence coming into this season that we have all the ingredients to get the job done this time around,” he said. “I got on so well with the entire Barwell team last year, and I loved driving the car, so I was really keen to get back in the seat for this season. A huge thank you Dextra Group Plc, commercial lighting specialists. Without them I most likely wouldn’t be on the grid.
“Despite the bad luck we had last year, we still would have won the title if things had worked out differently in the finale at Brands Hatch. We won more races than anybody else last season and could have had a further two had it not been for a puncture and a penalty.
“Coming back with an extra year of experience will only help. Last year I was learning a lot – I hadn't raced the British tracks for five years and the Huracan GT3 was all new to me, so the extra experience I have now should put us in a strong position.
“It shouldn’t be an issue sharing the car with both Sandy and Patrick. Patrick’s a very capable driver who has great experience, and Sandy has been superb since we started working together. My one regret is Sandy won’t be able to win the title, but that won’t stop us from pushing as one to make it happen. I hope that if we can win it this year, both drivers can join me in collecting the trophy.”
Another programme previously prevented Mitchell from contesting the full British GT campaign alongside Martin. But despite his factory commitments evolving over the winter, Barwell has chosen to honour its existing agreement with British GT for Kujala to race at Silverstone, Spa and Brands Hatch.
“We enjoyed such an amazing season last year, and the aim is definitely to try and go one better this season and take the title,” said Mitchell, whose 2024 performances earned him British GT’s Allan Simonsen Award for a second time. “Alex enjoyed a real breakout season last year, and I think he surprised a fair few people. Considering he’d not raced in the UK for a while and was new to the Lamborghini he marked himself out as one of the strongest Am drivers on the grid, capable of going toe-to-toe with anyone.
“I have no doubt we can start this year as we finished the last and really push on for the championship. It’s a shame not to be able to do the full schedule, but Patrick is a driver I know very well from our GT World Challenge programmes and he’s more than capable of stepping in and getting the job done.”
The pro he’ll alternate with knows Barwell and Lamborghini from his previous British GT and GT World Challenge Europe programmes, which have included a class victory at the 2018 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa. This season will be his first on UK shores since he finished second in the 2020 championship at the wheel of a RAM Racing Mercedes-AMG.
“I’m very happy to drive with Barwell again this year,” said Kujala. “I enjoyed racing in British GT back in 2020 and I am sure we can deliver a good performance this year. It will be my first time sharing a car with Alex, but I have seen from last year that he is a very strong driver. I will try the best I can to help both Alex and Barwell get the championships.”
British GT’s media day takes place at Silverstone on March 21. Fans can attend for free but must reserve their ticket in advance at silverstone.co.uk/events/british-gt-championship.
The seven-event, nine-race season itself begins three weeks later at Donington Park (April 5/6).
