Former Ginetta GT5 Challenge and G50 Cup racer Richard Sykes will join forces with company chairman Lawrence Tomlinson to form the first driver pairing for Ginetta’s two car team in next season’s Avon Tyres British GT Championship.
Sykes was one of the first customers to buy the Ginetta G50, campaigning the car in the 2008 G50 Cup season. More recently Sykes as driven for HHC Motorsport in the GT5 Challenge, becoming part of the team’s driver training and management scheme for the 2012 season. He will now step up the Ginetta G55 GT3 in the premier class of British GT.
“Lawrence is one of my closest friends and he inspires me both on and off the circuit,” said Sykes. “The opportunity to drive alongside him is amazing. We are both very competitive and have no doubt we will be very effective as a pairing. I would like to think my driving has come a long way since the G20 days, and I look forward to more photo opportunities on the top step!”
Tomlinson will partner Skyes through the 2013 season where his busniness commitments elsewhere allow, Ginetta works driver Mike Simpson stepping in to fill in for Tomlinson where necessary.
“I am delighted Ginetta are making a full return to the British GT, and moreover, that I can join established Ginetta racer, Richard Sykes,” saidTomlinson. “After a year of development on the car, the 2012 results speak for themselves and we are confident we have a race-winning machine for 2013 which will be a rival to any marque in the GT3 category.”
Tomlinson – with Simpson – scored the best result for Ginetta in the 2012 British GT season, finishing fourth at Silverstone. The pair also scored two wins in the British Endurance Championship.
The British GT season begins on the Easter weekend at Oulton Park. The trip to Cheshire track will immediately put the new pairing on the site of happy memories, Sykes and Tomlinson taking a podium result together when they raced a GT4 Ginetta G50 at the 2009 event.
