Blackthorn Motorsport will make its Intelligent Money British GT Championship debut next weekend when Claude Bovet and David McDonald team up in a brand-new Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3.
The team was only established at the start of 2022 but made an instant impact in the British Endurance Championship where Bovet and McDonald clinched the GTC class title at their first attempt. They also won this year’s BEC curtain raiser at Silverstone – a three-hour race similar to the one they’ll now contest at the same venue on May 6-7.
However, their GT3 weapon of choice is changing from a Mercedes-AMG to Aston Martin. The new chassis will be shaken down next week ahead of its first British GT outing.
Further appearances are scheduled throughout 2023.
“I only began racing last season but things went very well in BEC so when the time came to look at other options British GT was top of the list,” said Bovet. “We considered lodging a full-season entry but decided that a toe-in-the-water exercise would be a better route to ultimately being competitive against the country’s best Am drivers. This is just the start for us.
“I’m also excited to be racing the Aston Martin. It’s not so different to the Mercedes-AMG – front engine, V8. We felt this was a great opportunity to begin a close relationship with a British manufacturer, as well as one that’s based just 30 minutes from our workshop.”
McDonald makes his first British GT appearance since 2012 – the year after he finished second in the GT4 standings behind one his rivals next weekend, Marcus Clutton.
“Claude has come a long way in a short space of time but won’t continue to improve unless he races at a higher level. And British GT ticks that box for him, myself and the team,” he said “Silverstone is very much about learning the ropes, testing ourselves against a very competitive Pro-Am field and learning for the future.”
Blackthorn might be a relative newcomer but its engineering and mechanical team has already accrued significant experience in the FIA World Endurance Championship and European Le Mans Series. Its track day fleet includes a Duqueine LMP3, Lamborghini Super Trofeo Evo 2 – which is also racing in BEC this year – and Ferrari 458 Challenge.
Bovet and McDonald’s Aston Martin brings the total number of GT3 cars confirmed for Silverstone to 21. More will be revealed next week.