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CHAMPION GIDDINGS LEADS BTCC TEAM CICELEY’S NEW BRITISH GT ATTACK

BTCC race-winning squad confirms British GT expansion with Pro-Am pair Giddings and Whitmore

- By Graham Keilloh

Ciceley Motorsport has confirmed its entry into this year’s British GT championsh­ip, with 2014 champion Jake Giddings joining Dave Whitmore in a Mercedes GT4.

Race-winning British Touring Car Championsh­ip team Ciceley previously competed with a Mercedes GT4 in 2018’s Donington Park British GT season-closer. Its 2021 entry means Mercedes returns to British GT4 racing after a year’s absence.

Giddings took his British GT4 crown in a Beechdean Aston Martin, and has driven for Ciceley on numerous occasions including in the Dubai 24 Hours.

Amateur driver Whitmore took part in three British GT races in 2020 in a Century Motorsport BMW M4 and has raced in Club Enduro, the M3 Cup and the

Gulf 12 Hours. The Pro-Am partnershi­p also recently got shakedown mileage in the car with Ciceley at Oulton Park in sub-zero temperatur­es.

Ciceley’s commercial director Norman Burgess said: “It [British GT] is something we have wanted to do for a few years. We have a great driver pairing, Jake is a previous champion and Dave is like a sponge, soaking up all the informatio­n he can and is already turning heads with his speed and consistenc­y.

“The core of the team gives us a great starting point with Nick Hancox as team engineer, Dave Hudson number one mechanic and [Ciceley BTCC driver] Adam Morgan will be assisting both drivers with data and video interpreta­tion.”

Ciceley in the BTCC this year ends its long-time use of the Mercedes A-Class and will instead run BMW 330i M Sport machines.

 ??  ?? Giddings (l) and Whitmore unite
Giddings (l) and Whitmore unite
 ?? Photo: Ciceley Motorsport, Jakob Ebrey ?? The Mercedes returns to British GT4 with the Ciceley move
Photo: Ciceley Motorsport, Jakob Ebrey The Mercedes returns to British GT4 with the Ciceley move

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