Priaulx couldn’t turn down professional switch from single-seaters to Multimatic Mustang British GT4 seat
Seb Priaulx says the prospect of becoming a professional driver was too good to turn down after signing a deal to race a Multimatic Motorsports Ford Mustang GT4 in British GT next year.
The 17-year-old showed flashes of promise in his first season of singleseaters in British F4 this year for TRS Arden, finishing seventh in the standings with two wins, but has followed his father, multiple touring car world champion Andy, into sportscar racing after impressing Multimatic boss Larry Holt in a test at Snetterton.
Priaulx, who had also tested for Mclaren, told MN that the prohibitive cost of climbing the single-seater ladder combined with the opportunities for growth within the Multimatic organisation – which built the Mustang GT4 and runs Ford’s FIA World Endurance Championship team – made his decision a formality.
“I see a very bright future in Multimatic, Ford and in GT racing, it’s a great step for me to be a professional driver,” he said. “I’m only 17, so it’s a dream come true for me. There’s always some routes to go higher in single-seaters, but it costs a lot of money to get to Formula 3 so to be a professional driver with a manufacturer is the best option for my career.”
Priaulx already has a good working knowledge of Multimatic having seen his father racing in the WEC at close quarters, so is confident that the team can make up for its lack of experience on the British tracks with the Mustang, which will be making its UK debut.
“I’m always expecting to win, that’s my main goal, and the car is definitely capable of it,” he added.
“I don’t think [the lack of data] will affect me too much because I have good team-mates in Scott Maxwell and Billy Johnson who know what they’re doing and I can feed off them. They’ve got a lot of experience of GT racing which I haven’t at the moment but I’m very confident that we’ve got a great car and the guys are amazing, they work very hard.”