2016 British GT Championship runners-up Jon Minshaw and Phil Keen will return to the series next season after re-signing with Barwell Motorsport for a third year.
The pair’s title tilt featured more wins than any other pairing thanks to victory in the blue riband Silverstone 500 and a memorable double at Snetterton, the first time the same crew had triumphed twice in a weekend since 2010.
Ultimately missing out on the title at the final round has given both drivers fresh impetus to go one better in 2017 when they’ll be back behind the wheel of their trusty Lamborghini Huracan GT3, which is now being entered under the Demon Tweeks racing with Barwell Motorsport banner.
Minshaw confirmed he fully expects to be a championship challenger in 2017 when another three victories would see him and Keen draw level with arch rival Jonny Adam in second place on the all-time GT3 race winners list.
“I’m very happy to have re-signed with Barwell, and I’m sure that in our second year with the Huracan we will be even stronger,” he said. “It’s great to have Keeny back with me; he did a brilliant job this season and keeps getting better and better. Hopefully we’ll be able to go one step further in 2017 and win the title!”
Team principal Mark Lemmer added: “It’s great to welcome Jon and Phil back. This will be their third season with Barwell, and their fantastic results in 2016 show how valuable continuity within the team is. We have all of the ingredients in place once again to challenge for the title.”
Barwell has also confirmed that a second Lamborghini will join Minshaw and Keen’s next season, just as it did in 2016. Further details are expected in the coming weeks.
Crucially, it means that the top-two in this year’s teams’ championship will renew their rivalry with a brace of cars each in 2017, Barwell hoping to reclaim the crown they lost to TF Sport this season.
Today’s news also brings the total number of GT3 entries already confirmed for 2017 to eight.
Next season’s British GT Championship gets underway at Oulton Park on April 15 & 17.