Congratulations go out to today to Optimum Motorsport's young GT3 racer Ollie Wilkinson who today becomes the next in a long line of Aston Martin Racing customer and partner team drivers to be elevated into the coveted British Racing Drivers Club 'Rising Star' programme.

Having started racing late into his still younger years, the twenty three old from Leeds swapped to GT3 racing with the Wakefield based last year, competing in their Audi R8 before swapping to a brand new Aston Martin Racing V8 Vantage GT3 for a dual assault on the British GT Championship and International GT Open Series.


Since the start of this season, and with the help of driving mentors like Bradley Ellis, Jonny Adam and Darren Turner, Wilkinson has gone on to claim his first overall race win last time out in the GT Open at the Red Bull Ring with AMR factory driver Adam and at Spa Francorchamps in the British GT alongside Ellis. After the last round of the British GT at Brands Hatch three weeks ago both Wilkinson and Ellis also secured the Championship's Silver Cup title with one round still remaining.

Wilkinson joins the likes of of AMR family drivers Jamie Chadwick, Ross Gunn, Ricky Collard and Andrew Watson on the Rising Stars programme and Charlie Eastwood on the SuperStars programme and affords all concerned additional mentoring and tutoring from the vast knowledge base available within the BRDC.

Photo credits - Optimum / BRDC

MacMillan Racing's Jack Mitchell has today confirmed his position within the BRDC Rising Stars programme thanks to his racing efforts in British GT and Ginetta Supercup this year.

He joins a long line of AMR drivers to this accolade, some of whom have gone into lofty heights of GTE competition.

Well done Jack - hope to see the BRDC roundall on the Vantage at Donington for the final round of the British GT season in a few weeks time.

Photo credit - Jacob Ebrey

Following in the footsteps of many a talented young driver, Jordan Albert today achieved the honourable status of being selected onto the BRDC Rising Star programme

Joining the likes of Jamie Chadwick, Seb Morris and Jody Fannin the BRDC scheme is only open to drivers under 24 years scouted by a member of the BRDC Selection panel where the BRDC acknowledges the potential to succeed in that individual's racing career

Unfortunately for Albert, he misses out on the last two rounds of the British GT season with his Beechdean AMR co driver (Jack Bartholomew) at a critical stage in their GT4 championship due to 'circumstances beyond his control'. That puts him under additional pressure to find a competitive drive during 2017 in order to remain on the BRDC scheme.

We wish him well.

Photo Credit - Jordan Albert social media

It was only back in August 2015 that the then British GT GT4 Champion (Designate) was awarded the lofty position of being one of the BRDC select few Rising Star drivers of tomorrow.

The then eighteen year old then went on to win the GT4 Championship alongside his Beechdean co-driver Jamie Chadwick who was also awarded that accolade at the time. Not only that but at the turn of last year, and having seen off more experienced opposition, the now nineteen year old was awarded the coverted award of being the first Aston Martin Racing Evolution Academy winner 2015.


So it should come as now real surprise to read that Gunn's achievements, even over such a short period in time, have been again recognised by the BRDC who have today awarded him 'Superstar' status.

The BRDC SuperStars Programme is now an established programme that offers help to the worthy dozen with mental training, career guidance, team building skills, sponsorship advice, media and sales training, PR and marketing, motor sport seminars and workshops with other BRDC Members.

Ross Gunn: ‘It is a great honour to be selected as a BRDC SuperStar. It is another great opportunity for me, and I now need to make the most of it. I am looking forward to having the BRDC’s assistance and encouragement during the year to help push my on and off track performance with Beechdean and Aston Martin Racing. It’s something I am very proud of. I would like to thank Tim and the BRDC for this fantastic opportunity.