Teen sensation gets signed up for British GT Championship
PORSCHE MAKES GT4 RETURN AS HOPKINS, 15, JOINS TEAM PARKER RACING
TEAM Parker Racing is expanding its British GT Championship programme with teenager Seb Hopkins set to race a new Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport.
Seb, who turns 16 on New Year’s Eve, made his racing debut in the Ginetta Junior Championship in 2020, taking an overall podium finish at Brands Hatch en route to third in the Rookie standings.
He followed that up this year with 11 podiums from 25 races, finishing third in the main rankings.
Having entered a Porsche 911 GT3 R for Nick Jones and Scott Malvern in the British GT Championship in 2020, the Desford-based team will field the first GT4 Porsche in the series since 2019 – the new 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport which was launched in November.
The car is powered by a naturally aspirated six-cylinder boxer engine, delivering close to 500 hp at 9,000 rpm, subject to Balance of Performance.
It boasts optimised aerodynamics and improved driveability, has several safety features, including an escape hatch, and comes homologated to SRO GT4 regulations, meaning it will fit seamlessly into the British GT Championship.
The 2022 season gets under way with the traditional Easter weekend meeting at Oulton Park on April 16-18, before heading to Silverstone, Donington Park, Snetterton, SpaFrancorchamps, Brands Hatch, and back to Donington Park to close the year, in October.
The team says an announcement about a second driver alongside Seb, as well as the livery for the Team Parker Racing Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, will be released in due course.
Seb said: “I’m extremely excited.
It’s a massive opportunity for me and I am very excited to be driving the newlylaunched Porsche Cayman
718 GT4 RS
Clubsport in the British
GT Championship.
“Working with Team Parker Racing we’re going to do as well as we possibly can – it’s going to be a big step and I my career. Team Parker Racing, I think, is the best team to be with. “They’re very well established, especially in the Porsche side of it, so I think realistically we can do well and, whilst it will be a learning year, there’s no reason why we can’t be fighting for wins.
“My driving style definitely suits endurance length races and championships. The aim would be Le Mans like many other people, I’m sure, and I think this is the first step that could bring me to the top of that ladder.
“I also want to thank 1BR, a leading local used car retailer, and Moneybarn Vehicle Finance for their backing over the past few years.”
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