Defending champion absent as Barwell Motorsport announces 2025 British GT line-up

The reigning British GT champion Ricky Collard is more likely to miss the 2025 marketing campaign as Barwell Motorsport has introduced a modified driver line-up for the forthcoming season.

The 28-year-old clinched the title in his rookie season with father Rob, but Collard Sr will now accomplice Hugo Cook dinner within the #1 Lamborghini Huracan GT3.

Cook dinner additionally contested his rookie marketing campaign in 2024, with the 20-year-old ending thirteenth within the standings alongside Sacha Kakad within the J&S Racing Audi R8 GT3. Alongside British GT duties, Cook dinner competed within the Circuit Paul Ricard and Spa-Francorchamps rounds of GT World Problem Europe, driving a Huracan for the Grasser Racing Workforce.

“I’m massively excited for this yr, and I’m absolutely conscious of what a possibility that is; becoming a member of the most effective crew on the grid, within the primary automotive alongside the reigning champion,” mentioned Cook dinner, who claimed the GT3 class title of the 2023 GT Cup Championship.

“It positively brings some strain, however that’s additionally the way you show your self, by going into conditions like this and doing the job.

“I realized so much from my first season in British GT and this yr is about placing all of these classes into observe and going for the title, which undoubtedly needs to be the intention for us.”

It’s believed that funding issues are behind Collard Jr’s departure, having been first reported by Autosport the day after his title victory.

“I’d have liked to come back again alongside Ricky, however that wasn’t potential,” mentioned the now two-time sequence champion Collard Sr, who equally didn’t return in 2021 to defend his maiden crown.

“I’m actually wanting ahead to working with Hugo. He’s a younger up-and-coming driver with big promise, and I hope I can use my expertise to show him just a few issues whereas studying from him on the identical time.”

There’s additionally change within the #78 Huracan, which completed runner-up to the sister Barwell regardless of claiming extra wins final yr.

Alex Martin returns for the complete nine-round season, but his 2024 co-driver Sandy Mitchell is skipping the races at Silverstone (26-27 April), Spa (21-22 June) and Manufacturers Hatch (23-24 August) as a result of he’s unavailable.

Changing the Lamborghini manufacturing facility ace might be Patrick Kujala, who drove at Barwell throughout 2017 and 2018 earlier than ending runner-up to Mitchell and Collard Sr for RAM Racing in 2020 – his most up-to-date British GT marketing campaign.

“It’s a disgrace not to have the ability to do the complete schedule, however Patrick is a driver I do know very effectively from our GT World Problem programmes and he’s greater than able to stepping in and getting the job performed,” mentioned Mitchell.

Martin added: “Having come so near successful the championship in my first season final yr, I’ve actual confidence coming into this season that we’ve all of the substances to get the job performed this time round.

“I bought on so effectively with your complete Barwell crew final yr, and I liked driving the automotive, so I used to be actually eager to get again within the seat for this season.

“My one remorse is Sandy received’t be capable to win the title, however that received’t cease us from pushing as one to make it occur. I hope that if we will win it this yr, each drivers can be part of me in accumulating the trophy.”

This comes after Barwell dominated the 2024 marketing campaign successful 5 of 9 races to clinch the groups’ crown on the Donington Park penultimate spherical.

“The 2024 season was merely unimaginable for us,” mentioned crew boss Mark Lemmer, whose squad is ready for its ultimate season with the Huracan earlier than switching to the brand new Temerario mannequin.

“However equally that places the strain on us to come back again and carry out once more this season. Profitable in a championship as tight as British GT is rarely simple, and nothing may be taken as a right, however I’m sure that we’ve the crew and drivers in place to compete on the entrance as soon as once more.”

Donington will open the 2025 marketing campaign on the 5-6 April, in addition to concluding it on the 4-5 October.

There are actually 12 vehicles to date confirmed for the forthcoming season, one which options Ferrari ending its five-year hiatus from the championship.