+ Just 3.5 points separate Ramyead/Robertson from Warren/Brown
+ Hopkinson/George also retain slim hope
+ Provisional entry list: #DoningtonDecider
Ravi Ramyead and Charlie Robertson have gone toe to toe with Marc Warren and Jack Brown all year long, so it’s entirely appropriate that 2025’s standout entries head to Donington separated by just 3.5 points at the top of GT4’s overall standings.
Optimum’s McLaren has been the more consistent and claimed more wins but finds itself behind for the first time this season after scoring just eight points in the last two races. By contrast, Century’s BMW has bagged 52 – a combination of Snetterton Race 2 victory and second place at Brands Hatch.
However, that late-season surge – and specifically the 15 seconds of Compensation Time Ramyead/Robertson must serve on Sunday – also leaves rivals Warren and Brown with a theoretical advantage. Anywhere in the top three would be enough to overturn the deficit assuming the #71 BMW finishes behind.
Both crews are also looking to re-write British GT history. No Pro-Am combination has won GT4’s overall crown since 2016, while Brown would become the class’ first two-time outright champion. He’s also just one victory away from breaking the wins record jointly held by Nigel Moore.
Century is also looking to extend a remarkable record for winning titles in the first year of BMW’s GT4 models, as it did in 2018, 2021 and 2023. The current M4 Evo debuted at the start of this season.
But there is one more crew who can still snatch the title. Granted, Brands Hatch winners Luca Hopkinson and Harry George face an uphill battle thanks to their maximum Compensation Time, extra Silver handicap and 35.5-point starting deficit! However, hope springs eternal down at Optimum whose #17 McLaren has suffered the lion’s share of bad luck this year. Indeed, its early Donington DNF in April after the car started from the front row characterised a season of what-ifs for the young duo who finally ended Ramyead, Robertson, Warren and Brown’s GT4 stranglehold last time out.
The overall contenders’ respective squads are also locked in battle for the Silver and teams’ championships. 33 points separate them in the latter, suggesting Optimum will retain its crown, but George/Hopkinson start 11 points clear of Chris Salkeld and Branden Templeton whose race isn’t hampered by extra Compensation Time.
Aside from the championship battles, Mahiki’s GT3 move leaves two of the team’s Ginettas on Donington’s GT4 entry list. Luke Garlick is again paired with Blake Angliss in a car that could take points away from both Silver title contenders, while James Townsend joins Joe Wheeler in the other G56.
Newly crowned champions Ed McDermott and Seb Morris will battle Jolt’s Rupert Williams and John Ingram for Endurance Cup spoils. The latter’s chances are bolstered by the 15 seconds of Compensation Time that the Mercedes-AMG collected during its last outing at Spa.
And MKH Racing’s Aston Martin also returns, albeit with a new line-up in the shape of Michael Orant and Owen Hizzey.
DONINGTON PARK TIMETABLE
THURSDAY 2 OCTOBER
10:55 – 11:50: Test 1
13:35 – 14:30: Test 2
15:45 – 16:40: Test 3
SATURDAY 4 OCTOBER
09:40 – 10:40: Free Practice
12:00 – 13:00: Pre-Qualifying
15:50 – 16:00: Qualifying 1 (GT3)
16:04 – 16:14: Qualifying 2 (GT3)
16:18 – 16:28: Qualifying 3 (GT4)
16:33 – 16:43: Qualifying 4 (GT4)
SUNDAY 5 OCTOBER
10:10 – 10:25: Warm-up
11:00 – 11:30: Paddock autograph session
13:15 – 15:15: Race
LAP RECORDS
GT3 – 1m24.977s – Euan Hankey – RACE LAB McLaren 720S – 2023
GT4 – 1m32.863s – Charles Clark – Optimum Motorsport McLaren Artura – 2023
PITSTOP SPECIFICS – TWO-HOUR RACE
The number of driver changes are free but there are minimum and maximum total drive times for the starting driver. In GT4 starting drivers must complete a minimum of 58 minutes, while in GT3 this rises to 62 minutes. All classes share the same maximum starting drive time of 70 minutes.
PITSTOP COMPENSATION TIME
20s - #42 2 Seas Motorsport Mercedes-AMG (GT3) + #6 Blackthorn Aston Martin (GT3) + #17 Optimum Motorsport McLaren (GT4)
15s - #77 Optimum Motorsport McLaren (GT3) + 71 Century Motorsport BMW (GT4) + #12 Team Parker Mercedes-AMG (GT4)
10s - #1 Barwell Motorsport Lamborghini Huracan (GT3) + #30 Team Parker Mercedes-AMG (GT4)
Mandatory Pitstop Times (pit-in to pit-out)
GT3: 115s | GT4: 145s
All GT4 Silver Cup entries must serve an additional 24s during their mandatory driver changes and carry 25kg of ballast.
