Buurman in Mercedes for British GT
FORMER GP2 RACER AND CURRENT AMG factory driver Yelmer Buurman will compete in British GT this year alongside Lee Mowle in a Mercedesamg GT3 run by new team ERC Sport.
Mowle’s Mercedes will be back for a full season this term, having only run a part campaign around the Michelin Le Mans Cup last season.
Buurman will be making his British GT debut, but was a fixture on the UK single-seater scene as a teenager, winning races in Formula Renault UK in 2005 and in British Formula 3 in ’06. Apart from GP2, he went on to race in Formula Renault 3.5 and Superleague Formula.
The Dutchman was part of the crew that won the Dubai 24 Hours earlier this year, and his main programme last season was in the Blancpain Endurance Cup.
The new ERC squad is headed up by former Trackspeed and Triple
Eight engineer Keith Cheetham.
Mowle said: “I’ve raced with Keith for years, so when I found out he was setting up his own team for this year it made a lot of sense.
“When I was looking at what to race this year I looked at Europe, but then when you see the stellar grid British GT is attracting for this year it makes you think, ‘What’s the point in spending the extra money on Europe?’ The calibre of drivers this season is higher than it’s ever been and if you win, you’re beating the best in the game.
“I only wanted to come back with a properly quick factory driver alongside me, so Yelmer is a great addition. We’ve had a few test days together already and he’s great to work with, so I think it’ll be an exciting season.”
Mowle has raced in British GT since 2012, with a best championship finish of third overall alongside Joe Osborne in a Triple Eight-run BMW Z4 GT3 in 2015.
ERC’S takeover of the running of Mowle’s Mercedes ends the Amdtuning. com team’s spell in British GT. Shaun Hollamby’s squad had been a fixture since 2015, but will now cease its GT programme to instead focus on its expanded British Touring Car Championship commitment running two Audi S3s and a pair of MG6 machines.