Reigning GT4 Teams’ and Drivers’ champions HHC Motorsport will expand to a two-car effort for their second season of British GT in 2018 after adding a Pro/Am line-up to their existing Silver Cup entry.
With record-breaking GT4 champions Will Tregurtha and Stuart Middleton moving on, HHC have brought in their newly-crowned Ginetta GT4 Supercup champion Callum Pointon to partner 2015’s Ginetta Junior rookie of the year, Patrik Matthiesen, aboard a Silver Cup-entered G55.
The 19-year-old Dane’s CV also includes time in British F4 as well as this year’s Creventic 24H Series TCE class title, which he won at the wheel of a Ginetta GT4.
Meanwhile, Will Burns – who raced in BTCC this season after finishing second in 2016’s Ginetta GT4 Supercup standings – joins Mike Newbold in the team’s Pro/Am entry. The pair made a winning start to their HHC partnership during a one-off GT Cup appearance at Snetterton in October.
And it’s that level of experience across both cars, as well as the continuity of sticking with Ginetta, that team boss Charlie Kemp believes will be crucial to winning further silverware next term.
“We’re really excited about British GT for next season and we’ve definitely got two driver line-ups that can impress,” he told Motorsport News. “In Callum we have a very proven young driver, who’s coming into British GT knowing the G55 inside-out, but from a sprint race format. Patrik we ran to the Ginetta Junior rookie title in 2015 and we know his pace. He’s bringing endurance racing experience, so together they should be right at the front.
“In Will and Mike we have a developing Pro/Am partnership with good experience. They won on their debut in the GT Cup and will be out for the Pro/Am title.
“This year went better than we could have wished in British GT, so it was natural to take our commitment a step further and run two cars. We’ve stuck with the Ginetta because it’s a proven car that we know well and gives us a nice continuity into our second season. Winning all three titles would be a dream.”
Pointon, who won only twice en route to this year’s GT4 Supercup crown, believes British GT’s pitstop success penalties will once again favour his consistent approach throughout 2018.
“It’s a shame we didn’t get a spot on the grid last year but things came about too late,”
said the 23-year-old. “But this year HHC proved what they could do and we’ve got two cars to try and make this year even bigger and even better.
“This year still worked out for me. I felt I proved something with the GT4 Supercup title this year and I’ve improved as a driver again because of that. Consistency is what paid for me this year and that’s the key in British GT – bringing the car home.
“Patrick seems a very switched on driver. Looking at his record he often does the hardest stints in European GT racing – the four-hour ones in the most heat or the dark, so he’s clearly got the pace and the ability.
“I’ve still got things to learn, and the full GT4 cars have a bit more torque but less overall aero and grip because of the smaller wing and splitter changes, so there will be an adaption. But I’m confident Patrik and I can be a great partnership.”
Next season’s British GT campaign begins at Oulton Park on Easter Bank Holiday Weekend (March 31-April 2).