> BTCC frontrunners confirm full-season entry with Mercedes-AMG
Former Intelligent Money British GT4 champion Jake Giddings returns to the class this year alongside Dave Whitmore as part of Ciceley Motorsport’s full-season Mercedes-AMG entry.
Giddings won the title in 2014 alongside Beechdean AMR co-driver Ross Wylie before spending two seasons with JWB Motorsport and making several race-by-race appearances thereafter.
The 26-year-old now teams up with national BMW convert Whitmore who joined the championship part-time with Century’s Tegiwa-backed M4 last year. They will use Ciceley’s Mercedes-AMG, which made its only previous British GT appearance at Donington Park in 2018 but has since raced internationally with the team.
It also marks Mercedes-AMG’s full-time return to the British GT4 class after the model made just one appearance in 2020 with Team Parker Racing.
Giddings is no stranger to Ciceley having previously raced their Mercedes-AMG and Clio Cup cars during one-off outings. Now British GT’s nine-round campaign provides an opportunity to build on that partnership across a season.
“It is great to be back on the British GT grid this year and I’m really looking forward to the challenge again,” he said. “Having won the GT4 Championship back in 2014, I know the level of commitment and determination it takes to secure the title. And having raced with Ciceley Motorsport in the Dubai 24 Hour twice, I also know the team and the car really well.
“The car is not only fast but also meticulously prepared, so I am sure we will be competitive from the off. We have a comprehensive test schedule in place, and I am really looking forward to working with my new team-mate Dave Whitmore.”
Indeed, both drivers tested the car together last week at Oulton Park where Whitmore made the first of his two British GT outings in 2020.
“This will be my first full season competing in British GT – it’s been a dream of mine and my entire professional life has been focused on securing this seat!” he said. “The guys at Ciceley Motorsport are great, we have just finished our first test and I love the Mercedes GT4.
“I am keen to learn as much as I can from Jake who is enthusiastic and helpful both in and out of the car. I have spent a lot of time looking through data with Jake and the team’s engineers to improve wherever I can. It is a fantastic feeling to be competing at such a high level on the British GT package as only a few years ago I was watching from home.”
Ciceley’s Commercial Director, Norman Burgess, added: “We at Ciceley Motorsport cannot wait to start our first full campaign in British GT. It is something we have wanted to do for a few years and we are now finally here. We have a great driver pairing: Jake is a previous champion and Dave is like a sponge soaking up all the information he can and is already turning heads with his speed and consistency.
“The team are well prepared having competed in the Gulf 12 Hour and the 24 Hours of Dubai. The core of the team gives us a great starting point with Nick Hancox as Team Engineer, Dave Hudson No1 mechanic and Adam Morgan assisting both drivers with data and video interpretation. We have a proven track record with our pace at these events and will carry this forward into British GT.”
This year’s Intelligent Money British GT Championship gets underway at Brands Hatch on May 22/23.