> Abbott and Kodric join forces
2 Seas Motorsport will make their competitive debut as a Mercedes-AMG customer at the Silverstone 500 this weekend after confirming a Pro-Am entry for Hunter Abbott and Martin Kodric.
The Anglo-Bahraini squad ran McLarens throughout the 2020 Intelligent Money British GT Championship campaign, which featured a first GT3 win with Jordan Witt and Jack Mitchell at Snetterton. The team also claimed outright victory at the Gulf 12 Hours in January before taking delivery of two Mercedes-AMGs.
One of them is now heading to British GT’s blue riband race before the team reveals further plans in the coming weeks.
Its Silverstone 500 line-up boasts two Fanatec GT World Challenge Asia Powered by AWS champions, albeit from different seasons, and – in Kodric – a driver who finished fourth at the same three-hour race last November during a one-off outing with 2 Seas.
Former BTCC racer Abbott last joined British GT at Spa in 2016 before switching to and winning SRO’s then-new Asian championship one year later. Subsequent outings have mostly come in the VLN Series (now known as NLS) at the Nordschleife aboard BMW M6 machinery, but he did also make a solitary GTE start in the European Le Mans Series last season.
“Apart from a one-off in 2020, it’s been almost two years since I last raced so I can’t wait to be back in British GT and competing at Silverstone; it is such an iconic circuit and championship, both of which hold very fond memories,” said Abbott.
“It is great to be racing with 2 Seas Motorsport and back sharing a car with Martin, and of course, getting to debut their new Mercedes-AMG is the cherry on top of the
icing on the cake! It is going to be a tough challenge with the calibre of the grid this year, and our relative lack of seat time, but I cannot wait to get the weekend started.”
Despite the team’s recent switch to Mercedes-AMG, as well as their lack of racing so far in 2021, team co-owner Nick Cristofaro is hopeful of making an instant impression.
“It is really great to confirm our return to the British GT Championship as the debut outing with the Mercedes-AMG,” he said. “This is one of the most competitive GT3 series in the world, and the Silverstone 500 is a true highlight of the season. Martin and Hunter are proven as winners at the highest levels, and I am excited to see what we can achieve with them in the car. We had a good result at the event last year with a double top-5 finish, and we are looking to hit the ground running and to challenge the front-running teams again this year.”
Fellow co-owner Isa Al Khalifa added: “It has been a long break for the team since crossing the line in Bahrain back in January, and we have been carefully reviewing the different options and opportunities open to us before committing to any decisions this year.
“I am really pleased that we have been able to make this weekend happen with Hunter and Martin in the car for the Silverstone 500, and to return to the Intelligent Money British GT Championship where we debuted as a team last year. I am also extremely proud to see our new cars in the new livery and to racing with our sponsors as part of the Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing family.”
Reserve Silverstone 500 tickets at Silverstone.co.uk