Finnish driver Sami Saarelainen will make his debut in the Ginetta GT5 Challenge as he looks to establish a career on the Ginetta motorsport ladder. He’ll join the Century Motorsport team that will run two cars this season.
Alongside him in the team will be Max Bird, who himself is no stranger to the Ginetta G40 car. Bird spent 2016 competing in the Ginetta Junior Championship and will be looking to step up with a years experience behind him.
As for Saarelainen, he’d previously tested Formula 4, Formula Ford and Formula Renault cars before deciding to settle on the series that continues to gain exceptional coverage as a support of British GT and the British Touring Car Championship.
Saarelainen started; “Joining Century Motorsport starts a new chapter in my career. I’m really looking forward to working with professionals who I know can really help me out with the challenges that come in my way in the following season.
“There is much to learn but I think with the team’s experience and my capability to learn quickly we can make progress and soon aim higher and higher.”
Prior to this season, the Finn has been a major presence in the karting scene, finishing runner-up in the KF Finnish Cup Championship in 2014 as well as racing in the X30 Karting series’.
Nathan Freke, the Team Principal of Century Motorsport commented on his new signing. “We’ve made absolutely no secret of the fact 2017 is going to be the year where we really step up our game.
“With the Ginetta GT5 Challenge back on our programme, we now have a comprehensive career ladder for any driver to start in a G40, progress through to GT4 and from their either go for GT3 or Prototypes, or maybe even both! I am delighted to welcome Sami to the team. His results in Karting speak for themselves and I think with Max Bird we have a great combination of young drivers to spur each other on.”
