The Jaguar name will return to the British GT Championship this year, with Invictus Games Racing running a two car operation. The aim will be to run a Pro-Am line up with wounded, injured and sick (WIS) veterans of the British Armed Forces filling the role of the Am drivers.
Funded by former British GT racer and Superdry co-founder James Holder, the team hope to be competitive in the overall GT4 championship, with Holder’s former co-driver Matthew George leading one of the cars with Jason Wolfe, former two-time Pirelli World Challenge TCA champion in the other.
The cars, commissioned to Jaguar’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) have been specifically adapted so that the Am drivers can race, with Invictus buying two F-Type SVR GT4‘s.
“Invictus Games Racing will enable ex-servicemen and women who have experienced physical or psychological trauma during service to compete against each other and the rest of the top-level racing field, in cars that are tailor-made for them,” said Holder, who has self-financed the project.
“We wanted to give these men and women the chance to compete in a professional racing competition with the established teams.”
In what had been a two-year project, four Am’s were selected, with Steve McCulley and Paul Vice sharing the first car, while Ben Norfolk and Basil Rawlinson will join Wolfe in the second car.
The car, although adapted, will still run the same 5-litre supercharged V8 engine though will opt for rear-wheel drive.
“We are not under any illusions.” said Holder.
“I know personally how difficult this level of racing is and we’re a brand-new team starting out. In the first season we will primarily be competing between each of our own cars but we will take every opportunity to finish as high up the pack as humanly possible in every race. Our shared desire and goal is to ultimately win races.”
1993 was the only time a Jaguar car has won a race in the series, with the TWR-run XJ220 driven by Win Percy at Silverstone taking the flag in British GT’s second ever event.
