This year’s British GT4 grid is to welcome another new team and manufacturer, following Ebor GT’s decision to enter a single Maserati GranTurismo MC for an assault on the GT4 crown.
The Italian marque’s new-for-2016 GT4 machine is only the second Maserati ever to compete in British GT, following as it does in the footsteps of the Ghibli GT2 that entered a handful of rounds in 1998.
The factory-built, GT4-specification GranTurismo features a 4.7-litre V8 and joins a rapidly expanding GT4 grid, which already boasts Aston Martin, Porsche, Lotus and Ginetta. It will be driven by championship debutants Abbie Eaton and Marcus Hoggarth.
Race car preparation specialists Ebor GT are also new to the British GT grid this season, although their most recent experience includes entering the UK’s GT Cup with a Ferrari 458 GTC, in which Hoggarth finished second last year.
“It will be my debut year in the championship and after working hard the past few years I am thrilled to have been given this opportunity,” said Eaton. “The car looks a fantastic piece of kit and I can’t wait to get my hands on it. The car’s Balance of Performance will be completed over the coming month in preparation for its maiden outing at the British GT media day at Snetterton on March 15th.
“Having shared a podium with Marcus last year in GT Cup I am confident of our driver pairing and hope we will push each all year.”
Team owner Adrian Snook added that the Maserati provided an ideal platform for Ebor GT’s maiden British GT campaign.
“We’ve always worked with Italian cars and the GranTurismo MC GT4 is a beautiful machine so we saw it as the next step. GT4 racing is good value compared to GT3 and British GT is the best place to do it by the looks of it as the grid larger than ever. We chose the Maserati as it’s been racing for a while now as a single-make Trophy car so it’s a proven product with plenty of miles of development on it.”
Earlier this year, PMW reported that Italian-squad Villorba Corse announced its intentions to enter four GT4-specification GranTurismo’s in SRO’s GT4 European competition. These are expected to contest British GT’s Silverstone and Spa rounds when the two championships combine.
Having finished as 2015 series Vice-Champions, the Professional MotorSport World Expo race team is also confirmed as a full entry to the 2016 season; returning with Optimum Motorsport, and Ginetta’s G55 GT4.
