A new era in the British GT Championship will begin at Brands Hatch this weekend with the start of Pirelli’s exclusive multi-year deal to supply one of the most prestigious racing series in Britain.
Expanding into British GT extends the commitment that Pirelli has made to GT racing worldwide, supplying major championships in Europe and the United States and prestigious races on famous circuits like Bathurst and Macau.
Pirelli supplies a single compound of slick tire, the P Zero DHC tyre for the GT3 class and the DH tire for GT4. The Cinturato WH tire will be used by both categories for wet weather – always a distinct possibility in mid-April in England. These tires have already proven successful in other GT championships, with ease of use for both professional and amateur drivers a key characteristic together with a quick warm-up, something the British drivers have already benefitted from during winter testing.
The Brands Hatch Grand Prix loop is among the most popular circuits in Europe, providing a great challenge for the drivers with fast, flowing and undulating corners, with relatively little room for error. Pirelli can call upon track knowledge from the Blancpain GT Series, which has visited the Kent venue since 2014. Braking and traction demands are low, and although the ever-increasing downforce of the latest GT3 cars is raising the lateral demands through corners, Pirelli’s worldwide experience can be relied upon. In mid-April, cool temperatures are most likely, so tire performance should be consistent over the race distance.
“It will be very exciting to get our first season with British GT underway, particularly at a classic circuit like Brands Hatch,” explained Matthew Corby, Pirelli Motorsport operations manager. “Supplying such an important national championship complements our existing GT programmes, and with our products already a proven quantity in GT racing, it has been a seamless move so far. That’s only furthered for the first round by our past experience of Brands Hatch with the Blancpain GT Series. With some fantastic manufacturers and models added to the British GT line-up for this year, we’re looking forward to a great season.”
The Professional MotorSport World Expo Race Team is looking to go one better than its 2nd place finish in 2015, as it once again takes to the British GT grid.
