Ollie Wilkinson will return to the Intelligent Money British GT Championship to defend his Silver Cup title this season, this time with new team-mate Lewis Proctor, and new sponsor Y.CO – The Yacht Company – supporting his Optimum Motorsport McLaren 720S GT3.
Wilkinson sealed the Silver Cup spoils in his maiden British GT campaign (and third season of racing) alongside professional racer Bradley Ellis, the pair scoring five class wins last term. Alongside the class success, the duo were also in the running for the overall championship title, helped by a dominant outright race victory at Spa-Francorchamps and an overall podium appearance at Oulton Park.
A McLaren Professional Driver for 2020, Wilkinson will make his series return thanks to fresh backing from superyacht company, Y.CO. The challenger brand of the Superyacht Industry, Y.CO supports over 100 large yacht operations worldwide, specialising in luxury yacht charter, sales, purchase, management, new construction and refit.
Charlie Birkett, Y.CO Co-Founder and CEO comments; “We are pleased to be able to support one of the UK’s promising young drivers in Britain’s top GT series. Ollie established himself as the Championship’s top Silver driver last season and we are looking forward to seeing what he is capable of this year.”
Joining 24-year-old Wilkinson in the #69 Y.CO-sponsored 720S GT3 will be McLaren Academy driver, Lewis Proctor. The 23-year-old from Aberdeen makes the move up to GT3 following two seasons as a member of the McLaren Driver Development Programme, impressing with a class victory and podiums at the wheel of the 570S GT4.
A new challenge now awaits the pair, who share just five full seasons of racing between them. Wilkinson started his career in 2017 and Proctor the following year. Yet, both drivers have already proved themselves to be firmly among the British GT pace setters.
“I count myself lucky to be racing this season, so to come back to British GT and defend the Silver Cup title in our McLaren 720S GT3 is more than I could have hoped for,” says Ollie. “Taking the title last year was brilliant and it will be good to come back with that experience under my belt with a new car, new sponsor and new team-mate.
“Lewis and I already seem to be a good partnership and he is quickly adapting to the GT3 car. Lewis has already proved himself to be a pace-setter in GT4 and I’ve no doubt he will take the step up to GT3 in his stride this year.
“To have the backing of new sponsor Y.CO is amazing. I whole-heartedly thank them for their support and look forward to the honour of sporting their brand throughout my British GT and GT World Challenge Europe campaigns.
“The aim in British GT has to be to defend the title and McLaren has given us a car that’s more than capable of helping us to do that. It’s also good to be back with Optimum, who I’ve raced with since the start of my short career. I have every faith that we will only get stronger and stronger as a team with the new car.”
Wilkinson will dovetail his second year in British GT with a debut campaign partnering McLaren Factory Drivers Joe Osborne and Rob Bell in the GT World Challenge Europe series, which begins the weekend prior to the British GT season-opener at Oulton Park, 1-2 August.
2020 Intelligent Money British GT Championship Calendar
Round 1 – 1-2 August – Oulton Park
Round 2 – 15-16 August – Donington Park GP
Round 3 – 29-30 August – Brands Hatch GP
Round 4 – 19-20 September – Donington Park GP
Round 5 – 3-4 October – Snetterton
Round 6 – 7-8 November – Silverstone GP
