HAIGH WON’T RETURN TO BRITISH GTIN 2019

Reigning champion will focus on european campaign

Flick Haigh will not defend her British GT title next year and will instead return to racing in Europe.

In her first season of British GT after switching from the Michelin Le Mans Cup, the 34-year-old became the series’ first outright female champion alongside Jonny Adam, scoring two wins with Optimum Motorsport’s Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 at Oulton Park and Brands Hatch.

Having held a 27.5-point lead into the final round, Haigh admitted that she would likely have returned if she and Adam had missed out on the title, but will now focus her attentions on climbing the ladder towards Le Mans, with the Sro-run Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup and European Le Mans Series under consideration.

“I’ve ticked a really big box in my racing career, I don’t think that I could top this year with that car and the people I had around me,” Haigh told MN.

“I’d like to keep that in a little box and just remember it.

“For anybody that has won that championship and come back, there is a lot of pressure and sometimes it is harder to perform from the beginning of the year with that on your shoulders.”

Haigh confirmed that she plans to stay with Aston Martin machinery next year, with the option to convert the marque’s new Vantage GT3 into GTE spec an attractive selling point.

It follows the decisions of 2016 champion Derek Johnston and ’17 champion Rick Parfitt Jr to call time on their British GT careers, Johnston following the sale of his business and Parfitt to focus on his band.

Meanwhile, GT4 race winner David Pattison has confirmed that he will retire from motorsport after four years in British GT.

The 62-year-old won two races in GT4, his last coming at Snetterton this year with Joe Osborne in Tolman Motorsport’s Mclaren.

Mark Farmer is the first driver to be announced for next year’s British GT championship, remaining with TF Sport for a fourth year in the new Aston Martin Vantage GT3. His teammate has yet to be confirmed, although it is expected to again be an Aston factory driver. Farmer won two races this year alongside Nicki Thiim, finishing third in the standings.