British GT kicks off this weekend with the Silverstone 500

 

 

 

It seems like just last month we were at Silverstone and the 2026 British GT Championship teams and drivers for Media Day and this weekend all will be back at the home of British motorsport again as the opening round of their new season calendar kicks off.

A nice open grade 1 circuit to look forward to for the twenty-nine scheduled full season and guest entrants this time around as opposed to the more classical two fast and furious dashes around the tight and twisting Oulton Park circuit as the Blue Ribband Silverstone 500 event gives us three hours of racing to look forward to on Sunday.

 

Like Media Day at the end of March, there will still be ‘just’ the five Aston Martin Racing powered crews to support with one very familiar team returning within GT3 but at least some new names to support within GT4.

One of the longest running supporters of the Championship, Andrew Howard returns to the fray with his AMR Vantage GT3 Evo as he brings back Ross Gunn to the remarketed #7 Beechdean AMR for another stab at the GT3 Pro-Am title.

 

The Championship has pointed out how Howard’s first win within the Silverstone 500 came way back in 2011 with his DBRS9 whilst Gunn, albeit a former GT4 champion within the domestic series was rudely reminded at the press conference that he is yet to win a GT3 powered race despite his now high pedigree upon the world stage!

This weekend’s entry list sees a total of seventeen other GT3 powered crews, but no Blackthorn AMR’s unfortunately as they have favoured some European sunshine in favour of a more bread and butter UK commitment this year.

 

Down the order, we come across four Vantage GT4 powered crews with some very familiar names partnering between them as MK Racing and GBR Stratton remain loyal to AMR brand with both Grange Racing with FSR and Townsend Racing powered by Fox stepping up to the marque for the first time.

The #21 MK Racing team (dropping the H from their tile from previously after the departure of Stuart Hall from the team ownership equation) sees the only AMR powered silver class entry as Will Orton teams up with Jess Hawkins for the first time.

 

Orton nearly won both the Pro-Am and GT4 overall titles last time out in the Championship with Forsetti Motorsport in 2024 before moving onto what became a frustrating European adventure last season. Then, the Aston Martin F1 Ambassador Hawkins ran alongside Howard in his Beechdean GT3 in the same year within the silver-am class as and when her F1 commitments allowed. A step back to GT4 will be a more comfortable proposition for her too.

The #27 Grange Racing AMR of Dan Lavery and AMR factory legend Darren Turner combine for their first season togther as does the #40 Townsend Racing entry of James Townsend and Joe Wheeler. The #97 GBR Stratton Motorsport entry of John Hartshorne and Ronan Pearson complete the trio of GT4 Pro-Am entries for the brand where some of Hartshorne extensive global racing experience can hopefully rub off onto his GT4 novice co-driver. If not, we’re sure that AMR Factory driver Jonny Adam won’t be too far away as that guiding hand for both of the teams drivers.

 

As usual, there will be two sessions of private test available on Friday before officially timed sessions begin on Saturday with Free Practice, Pre-Qualifying and Qualifying itself. Morning warm up on Sunday will proceed the 13:00 start to this three-hour opener.

Not a simple straight forward three-hour race of course as driver minimum and maximum drive times must be adhered to as well as differing minimum pit stop times between the two classes and an extra six seconds in pit lane for all GT4 silver classed crews.

The race meeting will however, be completed with a heavy heart as friends and colleagues get together to remember longstanding Pit Lane Manager Julian Batten-Dale who sadly passed away a few weeks ago and where a minute's silence has been arranged in pit lane on Sunday morning.

Aside from that - let 2026 commence.