Brands Hatch plays host to round two of the 2017 GT4 European Series Northern Cup this weekend. Some 30 cars have been entered for the only British round on the GT4 European Series Northern Cup calendar
It is the first time in the history of the GT4 European Series that a race will take place at the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit in Kent, England. Since 2007, the first year of the GT4 European Cup, all British rounds were held at the Silverstone circuit.
The British drivers and teams competing in the series aim to do well in front of their home crowd. Six British teams are ready to fight for victory, with 14 British drivers ready to give it all they’ve got this weekend. However, they will face strong competition at home.
Jonathan Cecotto and Lennart Marioneck won the opening race at Misano last month, while Jörg Viebahn and Nicolaj Møller Madsen were victorious in the second race. Cecotto and Marioneck lead the championship, followed by Ekris Motorsport drivers Ricardo van der Ende and Max Koebolt, who finished third in both races.
Neither Cecotto nor Marioneck will compete at Brands Hatch, leaving a wide-open race to capture the championship lead. With so many cars on the grid there should be no lack of excitement during the Brands Hatch weekend.
Allied-Racing will run a second Porsche for Belgian duo Jamie Vandenbalck and Sam Dejonghe, while Academy Motorsport will add a second Aston Martin for British drivers Mike Hart and Dave Robinson. From the Brands Hatch round onwards, Besagroup Racing Team will join the series with a Porsche Cayman CS MR GT4 for Franjo Kovac and Cora Schumacher.
Ginetta Cars has entered a Ginetta G55 GT4 for Charlie Robertson this weekend. Ginetta, which has shared the spoils with Aston Martin in the GT4 category of the British GT Championship at Brands Hatch in recent years, is among the favourites to win this weekend.
Tolman Motorsport will race at Brands Hatch to prepare for the British GT Championship race later this season, entering its McLaren 570S GT4 for David Pattison and 2009 GT4 European Cup winner Joe Osborne.
The Brands Hatch round is also the first race that counts towards the overall GT4 European Series title. The Northern Cup teams will therefore be joined by Porsche Cayman CS MR GT4s run by French squads Energy by ART, CD Sport and TFT Racing, as well as an Aston Martin Vantage GT4 run by British team Generation AMR SuperRacing.
The GT4 European Series Northern Cup action starts with Free Practice 1 on 10.55am on Saturday May 6th, with a second Free Practice (14.25) and the Qualifying Session (17.35) later that day. The first Race (10.15) and second Race (14.25) will be held on Sunday May 7th. Free Practice, Qualifying and both races will be streamed live on gt4series.com/live and the GT4 European Series Northern Cup YouTube channel.
