Leicester Mercury

Teen sensation gets signed up for British GT Championsh­ip

PORSCHE MAKES GT4 RETURN AS HOPKINS, 15, JOINS TEAM PARKER RACING

- Leicesterm­ercury.co.uk/sport

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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 ?? JAKOB EBREY PHOTOGRAPH­Y ?? BOY RACER: Seb Hopkins made his racing debut in the Ginetta Junior Championsh­ip last year think I’m probably going to be one of the youngest on the grid, but it’s something that can hopefully benefit
JAKOB EBREY PHOTOGRAPH­Y BOY RACER: Seb Hopkins made his racing debut in the Ginetta Junior Championsh­ip last year think I’m probably going to be one of the youngest on the grid, but it’s something that can hopefully benefit
 ?? PORSCHE AG ?? IMPRESSIVE MACHINE: The new Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport
PORSCHE AG IMPRESSIVE MACHINE: The new Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport

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