The Corvette name will make its debut in British GT this season, adding another top GT3 car to an already stellar field for the series.
Unrelated pairing Ron Johnson and Piers Johnson will take the car, entered by Christian Dick‘s Speedworks squad. The set-up brings together the Corvette – which won the FIA GT3 European Championship last year – and Speedworks – who won the G4 class of the British GT Championhsip last year with a Ginetta driven by Dick and Jamie Stanley.
“The Corvette is one of the most durable cars out there and it's cost effective without compromise,” said Dick. “When we first got involved in British GT we loved the environment and it was always the goal to step up. Piers and Ron can focus on bringing the car home and I think the longer races will be good for us. There's no reason we can't achieve a win by the end of the year.”
The two Johnsons ran the final round of last season – a two hour race at Donington Park – in a second Speedworks car in the series' invitation class.
“We did a couple of events with Speedworks last year and I asked Christian what he'd choose if he had the option to buy a GT3 car,” explained Piers of the events that brought the deal together. “He said the Corvette. We wanted to be different, we liked the option and it's within our budget. It's worked well in Europe and hopefully it'll work well here and be competitive with the new cars out there.”
“They [Speedworks] won the British G4 championship last year, they're a relatively young team, and they're good to work with. I think they can get bigger and better and I'd like to be part of that.”
The two drivers come from different backgrounds with the realm of sportscars. Piers has competed in the GT3 European Championship, as well as in the GT categories at the Le Mans 24 Hours, before returning to Caterham racing in recent years.
There he crossed paths with his new driving partner, who having starting in Superlights had moved up to R400 Caterhams. The two will run the Corvette in the colours of Oilfield Production Consultants (OPC)
Artists impression of the new Corvette
“It is really exciting finally to see a Corvette on the British GT grid,” said championship manager Benjamin Franassovici. “It was a competitive car in Europe in 2010 and I am sure that it will be here also. There is a great battle in prospect between the new GT3 cars like the Corvette, Ferrari and Mercedes and those with a proven track record in the series.”
What promises to be a fantastic season begins at Oulton Park on Easter Monday (April 25).
