Steller Motorsport has announced a youthful line-up for its 2018 British GT campaign.
The team hopes to follow in the footsteps of HHC Motorsport, who fielded the youngest ever driver pairing last season with reigning GT4 champions Will Tregurtha and Stuart Middleton.
Dean Macdonald and Alex Quinn are set to break HHC’s record when they pilot Steller’s #86 Toyota GT86 GT4 this weekend. The pair of 17-year-olds have a combined age 19 days younger than Tregurtha and Middleton’s when they made their debut last year.
Macdonald, who already has a year in the championship under his belt, has previously raced against Quinn in karts.
“It’s great to be back in the British GT Championship for a second full season and to be sharing the Toyota with an old karting sparring partner,” he said. “I saw last season just how tough a challenge the championship, and GT4, really is and, by the look of things, this year is only going to be better – and tougher.
“A year of GT4 experience though will be invaluable to myself, to the team, and I hope to Alex too. We’re both raring to go.”
Quinn will make his GT racing debut after two seasons in the Formula 4 championship. The Brit finished fourth overall last season, with four race wins and a total of 11 podiums.
“I’ve been in talks with Steller Motorsport for quite some time and very much enjoyed the test we had with the Toyota,” said Quinn. “After my experience so far in single seaters, it’s very different but GT racing offers a real opportunity for a totally new career track and this programme is an exciting first step on the path.”
Quinn isn’t the only young drive taking a new career path with Steller this season.
The team will run F4 runner up Sennan Fielding in the #68 Toyota, alongside former Ginetta Junior driver Tom Canning.
“I’m super excited to get the season going in the Toyota GT86 with Steller Motorsport,” Fielding said.
“I feel like I’ve got a great team around me and hope we can get the results we deserve. It’s great to be racing back on British soil too.
“After getting involved with coaching drivers in sportscar racing in recent months I’m sure I can add something to the whole effort here too, it’s always good to work with emerging talents.”
At 22-years-old, Fielding is Steller’s oldest driver this season. The Brit has competed in a range of championships since making his car racing debut in the Ginetta Junior Winter Series in 2010. Most recently, Fielding spent last season competing in the V de V Endurance Series, where he took one victory and three podiums.
Fielding will partner not only the youngest driver in Steller’s line-up but the youngest in British GT history.
Canning, who only made his car racing debut last season, will compete in his first British GT race aged 16 years and 35 days, six days younger than the current record holder, Sandy Mitchell.
“The entry for the championship looks fantastic and I’m sure that we can get up to pace very quickly,” he said. “Whilst the Toyota is a big step up from last season’s Ginetta there are plenty of common factors that should make it a relatively easy transition.
“I’m delighted to be a part of this programme and to be sharing the car with Sennan. Everyone involved here is hungry to progress and working with such an experienced team and an experienced team-mate will only help to carry me forward.”
The 2018 season begins this weekend at Oulton Park.
