Packing in the last minute testing before the start of 2016 (updated)

This week has probably been one of the most industrious weeks of the pre season testing calendar for all of those about to commence their 2016 championships, for which many in continental Europe start in the next week or so.

Many of the new teams entered into the British GT Championship have been extremely busy ever since Media Day that was at Snetterton in mid March and of course for some of these teams (including one AMR team) the long, painful wait for the delivery of their own new chassis continues!

The four GT newcomers that make up the driver line ups of Generation AMR SuperRacing and its sister operation, MacMillan Racing with Generation AMR (who will both in the GT4 category of British GT) have been extensively testing at various circuits over the last few weeks including Brands Hatch, Silverstone and most recently at Donington. Driver video's show MacMillan's Matty Graham and Jack Mitchell testing the car actually liveried as the  #44 SuperRacing car but this is not all that it seems!


The #42 car has been actually 'loaned' over to the guys on the other side of their garage to use as their car is still under construction at Prodrive and won't be ready until the early part of next week and that leaves the team just a couple of days to systems check it, re-livery it and add all their own bits and pieces to it. Team principal James Appleby is already expecting one or two late nights before the championship opener!!


Others British GT testers this week included both TF Sport GT3 Vantages of Derek Johnston/Jonny Adam and Mark Farmer/Jon Barnes who tested at both Silverstone and Rockingham. The Johnston/Adam car was missing from Media Day due to the completion of the remaining 2016 upgrades being completed upon it and we believe that that was their first test together since their trip to Valencia earlier in the year.



Joining them at both circuits was also the PFL Motorsport GT3 of Peter Littler and Jody Fannin.


Over in the Beechdean camp it was just the single GT4 out to play with Jack Bartholomew and Jordan Albert out again in their #407 all under the watchful eye of AMR's Ross Gunn. Team Boss and 2015 GT3 Champion Andrew Howard was not at the test and neither was the car due to his prior business commitments.


The lone Aston Martin Vantage GT3 entered into any of the Blancpain series in 2016 - the #44 Oman Racing car of Ahmad Al Harthy, Devon Modell and Jonny Adam also tested at Silverstone. We also know that the Stratton Motorsport team have been testing a couple of times locally at Snetterton but nothing more has been seen of the Motorbase GT3 entry of Ross Wylie and Phil Dryburgh since their winter test in Portimao nor of the JWB GT4 of Kieran Griffin an Jake Giddings since Media Day.




Lastly, and by no means least were the factory guys shaking down their V8 Vantage GTE's at Turweston Airfield all in preparation for the start of their 2016 season in the World Endurance Championship that starts next weekend at Silverstone - a date that also unfortunately clashes with the opening round of the 2016 British GT Championship at Brands Hatch.

Photo credits - Social Media