The British GT Championship returned to Oulton Park for a thrilling weekend of racing, with dry but blustery conditions setting the stage for plenty of drama and on-track action. Across both GT3 and GT4 classes, teams were tested not only by their rivals but also by strategy calls and sudden incidents that shook up the order.
GT3 Action: Cook and Collard Take Maiden Win
Hugo Cook secured his first-ever British GT victory alongside seasoned campaigner Rob Collard in the Barwell Motorsport Lamborghini. The duo started from pole and managed to convert their qualifying advantage into a hard-fought win, resisting intense pressure from the 2 Seas Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo pairing of Maximilian Götz and Kevin Tse. In the closing laps, Cook held his nerve to cross the line just a second ahead, while Collard notched his ninth career Lamborghini victory at Oulton Park—a testament to his enduring skill at the Cheshire circuit.
Giacomo Petrobelli and Jonny Adam of Blackthorn Racing finished third after an early charge had them briefly challenging for the lead. However, their momentum was disrupted by pit stops under the safety car, which was deployed following a heavy crash from Century Motorsport’s Ravi Ramyead, who lost control at Island Bend.
GT4 Spotlight: Warren and Brown Capitalise
In GT4, Optimum Motorsport’s Marc Warren and Jack Brown capitalised on their rivals’ misfortune to take victory. Early retirements—including Mahiki Racing’s pole-sitting Lotus and the Century Motorsport BMW caught up in Ramyead’s incident—shuffled the order, allowing Warren and Brown to establish control and maintain a composed pace throughout the race.
Steven Lake and Jack Mitchell of Mahiki Racing secured second place, while Century Motorsport’s Branden Templeton and Chris Salkeld recovered to finish third, also claiming the Silver class honours. Bridger Motorsport’s Johnny Ip and Luke Garlick enjoyed a strong weekend too, taking their first Silver-Am class win after benefitting from an early puncture suffered by Beechdean.
This result gave Cook and Collard a solid foothold in GT3, while Warren and Brown further strengthened their championship prospects in GT4.
GT3 Race 1 Summary: Barwell Motorsport Holds Off Rivals
Rob Collard made a strong start from pole, keeping Giacomo Petrobelli at bay around Old Hall and maintaining control of the early laps. Kevin Tse held third for 2 Seas Motorsport, while Simon Orange moved up to sixth after overtaking Charles Dawson and Richard Neary.
The top three remained stable until a safety car was triggered by Ravi Ramyead’s heavy crash, with pit stops under caution reshuffling the order. On the restart, Hugo Cook led the Barwell Lamborghini and successfully defended against a late surge from Maximilian Götz, securing victory with the podium order intact after the pit cycle.
GT4 Race 1 Summary: Warren and Brown Navigate Chaos
Marc Warren and Jack Brown’s race was defined by strategic savvy and consistency. Both Optimum McLarens staggered their pit stops to maximise track position. Brown overtook George, who was later handed a drive-through penalty for repeated track limits violations, then fended off a late challenge from Jack Mitchell to claim the win. Century Motorsport’s Chris Salkeld and Branden Templeton completed the podium and won the Silver class, rounding off a strong start to the season for their team.
Race 2 Overview: Mercedes-AMG Dominates Changing Conditions
Race 2 featured unpredictable weather, with light showers leaving the track slippery and forcing teams to start on wet tyres. The track gradually dried, prompting many squads to make early pit stops to switch to slicks—a strategic gamble that would define the race.
The 2 Seas Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, driven by Maximilian Götz and Kevin Tse, executed the perfect tyre strategy and dominated, crossing the line 47 seconds clear of the field. Simon Orange and Marcus Clutton brought their McLaren home in second, narrowly holding off Bridger Motorsport’s Honda NSX, which made a remarkable recovery from 14th to third and claimed the Silver-Am class win.
In GT4, Optimum Motorsport’s pair of McLaren Arturas continued their excellent form, completing a one-two finish in a race less affected by the challenging weather conditions.
GT3 Race 2: Götz and Tse Master Oulton Park’s Conditions
The 2 Seas Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo demonstrated exceptional adaptability. Starting on wet tyres from pole, Götz managed early pressure before gradually extending his lead. The race saw multiple teams attempting to balance slicks and wets as conditions shifted, with several competitors making extra pit stops to stay competitive.
Bridger Motorsport’s Johnny Ip executed a remarkable recovery from 14th on the grid, overtaking multiple rivals to finish third. Simon Orange held off Ip in the final laps, defending second place despite minimal grip, rounding out a dramatic top-three finish.
GT4 Race 2: Brown and Warren Deliver Flawless Performance
Optimum Motorsport completed a perfect weekend in GT4 despite both cars starting at the back due to qualifying issues. Brown maintained composure on wet tyres while others switched early to slicks, building a comfortable gap before handing over to Warren. Their consistent pace and strategic decisions enabled them to maintain the lead through the variable conditions.
Luca Hopkinson and Harry George finished second, with Mahiki Racing’s Ian Duggan and Joe Wheeler rounding out the podium in their Lotus Emira.
