Richard Morris joins Forsetti Motorsport for GT4 programme in 2024

Richard Morris has begun a programme of testing the Aston Martin Vantage GT4 car with Aston Martin Racing Partner Team Forsetti Motorsport. The 2023 European Sports Prototype Cup champion had his first taste of GT4 machinery on 10th May at Snetterton Circuit and, based on the success of that test, will now continue to build a programme across the year which will see him drive with Forsetti Motorsport at several UK circuits.

Forsetti Motorsport is a front-running team in the GT4 class of this year’s British GT Championship, with the number 7 car of Mikey Porter and Jamie Day leading the GT4 Silver Cup and overall standings having taken a pair of wins at the Oulton Park season opener followed by a further podium finish at the Silverstone 500.

Morris began his career in karting before making his car racing debut in Formula Ford 1600 single-seaters in 2017. Taking pole position for his first ever race and claiming 4 wins in the 2017 Castle Combe series, he then stepped up to national-level Formula Ford in 2018, again claiming 4 wins and finishing as Vice Champion in class despite having to miss multiple rounds due to funding. A switch to prototype racing followed in 2019, and this is where Morris has forged his reputation over the last 5 seasons.

Two highly successful seasons in Sports 1000 with Spire Sports Cars saw him rack up 15 podium finishes from 22 races. In 2021 he raced the Praga R1T in the Britcar British Endurance Championship, in which Morris and his teammate Christopher Wesemael won more races and had more podium finishes than any other driver pairing. In 2022 Morris signed as a works driver for Revolution Race Cars to race their 500+ bhp carbon-fibre prototype. In his first year with the team, he took victories in both the UK and in Europe and claimed 7 podium finishes from 8 races overall. In 2023 Morris was crowned European Sports Prototype Cup Champion, the BRM Chronographes UK-European Trophy Winner, and the Dutch Supercar Challenge Zandvoort Trophy of the Dunes Overall Winner, in a stellar season which saw him take 7 wins and 9 podium finishes from 11 races.

Explaining the decision to focus on developing experience with GT cars in 2024, Morris said: “GT racing presents so many huge opportunities. There are fantastic series with thriving grids and broad followings, featuring iconic motorsport brands, not just in the UK but internationally, all over the world, and, by building familiarity with these cars, I can position myself to be ready to race in them. I have shown that I can race at the very front in prototype cars, but by focusing on expanding my skillset and becoming acclimatised to GT cars, too, I will open up a world of new possibilities for my career. Of course, it will require the right backing and sponsorship to build a race programme, but this is all about putting myself in the best place to gain experience and be ready to capitalise on opportunities.”

The Aston Martin Vantage GT4 is a highly appropriate choice, given the relationship between the British marque and Racing Pride, of which Morris is the CEO and Co-Founder: “Racing Pride has been working with Aston Martin since 2021 – initially with the Formula One team, and then with Aston Martin Lagonda. I’m massively proud of the relationship we’ve built and the work we’ve done together. I’ve visited all of Aston Martin’s UK production sites, met with so many of its employees, helped to deliver workshops and training sessions, and been part of nurturing the IAM Inclusion network. So this is a really wonderful opportunity for me to drive one of Aston Martin’s race cars at last and to bring together this amazing work off-track with my racing on-track.”

The first test at Snetterton saw Morris complete an impressive number of laps representing over 4 shared-driver British GT race distances in sweltering conditions across a series of high-fuel race simulations and low-fuel shorter stints to gain familiarity with the car, interspersed with data analysis sessions and coaching from 2023 British Endurance Champion Matt George.

Reflecting on the beginning of this programme, Morris said: “This was a really promising and productive start. I was able to get to grips with the Aston Martin Vantage GT4 quite quickly, despite it being very different from the prototypes I have been racing, and show strong initial pace. By the end of the day, I had so much more familiarity with the car and was beginning to feel at home which was reflected in the consistency of my lap times across my final long run, especially – for me that’s a very encouraging sign and is also testament to the work I put in constantly on my fitness. It was great to work with the team, I can’t praise their professionalism enough, and I’m excited to continue this journey.”

Joe Holloway, Forsetti Motorsport Team Principal, added: “Everyone at Forsetti is delighted that Richard has chosen Forsetti Motorsport and the AMR V8 Vantage platform to take steps into GT racing, enjoying a strong first day testing at the team’s local circuit, Snetterton. We are very much focused on the continued support for Richard and his testing programme, and our goal is to ensure that he has the best possible framework and opportunities to succeed in the future.”

Source material - Richard Morris Racing