Following its triumphs in 2016, Garage 59 is set to make its return to the BLANCPAIN GT SERIES with an exciting Am entry for two events in the Blancpain Endurance Cup. The reigning series champions will contest the upcoming Silverstone event, followed by the blue-riband 24 Hours of Spa with the McLaren 650S GT3. The single-car entry will be driven by BBC Top Gear presenter Chris Harris, McLaren Automotive Chief Test Driver Chris Goodwin and Garage 59 regular Alexander West.
2016 saw Garage 59 crowned Blancpain Endurance Cup Champions, with Factory Drivers Rob Bell, Côme Ledogar and Shane van Gisbergen. Since then, the team has expanded its racing commitments to another season of International GT Open alongside a two-car 570S GT4 entry in the British GT Championship. The team’s commitments and scale of operations have established themselves as specialists in the running of McLaren GT race cars.
TV personality Harris joins the line-up following a full season campaign in the Blancpain Endurance Series in 2016, carrying a wealth of experience of both Silverstone and Spa circuits. Alongside being an accomplished motoring journalist, Harris has established his capabilities on track. As a bronze driver, he has contested a range of other GT racing championships across Europe, including the highly competitive VLN series in Germany, and has also been extremely successful in several historic race events.
As McLaren Automotive Chief Test Driver, Goodwin carries an extensive knowledge of the 650S GT3. He also brings a great wealth of racing experience of both Silverstone and, more recently, Spa-Francorchamps. His last competitive outing in the Blancpain Endurance Series was a one-off appearance in a 12C GT3 at the Spa 24 Hours in 2013 alongside Bruno Senna and Rob Barff.
Chris Harris: ”The Blancpain Endurance Series is fast proving itself to be the most competitive GT series in the world, with ever-increasing grids and the world’s best professional drivers. The calibre of GT3 machinery on the grids is also great, with them all so closely matched in terms of performance – it is a real spectacle for the fans, and really rewarding to be involved with as a driver. The McLaren was the car of the field in 2016, and it is great to join the reigning champions Garage 59 for these two races alongside Chris and Alex. I am particularly excited about returning to Spa – it is a special place for any car fan, and to have the opportunity to race in the 24-hour race again, this time in a McLaren, should be a pretty special experience.
Chris Goodwin: “The level of competition is very high in the championship and, at a race like Spa, it is no longer about cruising around and getting the car to the finish line. It is a full-on sprint race from when the lights go out. Garage 59 and the 650S GT3 proved they were combination to beat last year and, with Chris and Alex, I believe we have a strong line-up which will work well together. I am looking forward to getting back on track at Silverstone in a couple of weeks.”
Alexander West: “It has been great working with Garage 59 last season and so far in 2017, and we have had some strong results so far. It is really exciting to be involved in this project, racing in one of the most exciting GT series, and at two of the most iconic circuits anywhere in the world. . Chris Goodwin has been influential in my journey from 650S road car, through to the McLaren P1™, McLaren P1™ GTR and then racing the 650S GT3, so to get the opportunity to race with both him and Chris Harris is a very exciting prospect.”
Tim Mullen, Garage 59 Team Manager: “After the successes of 2016, it is great to be back contesting the Blancpain Endurance Series with the 650S GT3 for these two events. The line-up of drivers we have is very exciting, with a great mix of experience, strong pace and passion for racing. Chris Goodwin is obviously a huge asset to the team, bringing knowledge of both the car but also more than 20 years of top-level GT racing, while Chris Harris has shown himself to be one of the quickest and most consistent Am drivers on the Blancpain grid. It is also great to see Alexander taking the step up to arguably the most fiercely-fought GT championship in the world. We have seen him progress significantly over the past couple of seasons in International GT Open alongside Factory Driver Côme Ledogar, and this will be a really exciting challenge for him.
The next round of Blancpain Endurance Series takes place at Silverstone, UK, 13-14 May in the format of a three-hour endurance race. The 24 Hours of Spa takes place over the weekend, 27-30 July
