Danish teenager Jan Jønck will line up alongside Will Phillips in the Macmillan AMR GT4 Aston Martin Vantage V8, completing the team’s squad in the 2017 British GT Championship. The 18 year-old moves up from the BRDC Formula 3 Championship to make his sportscar-racing debut.
“I’m delighted to welcome Jan to the family,” said Team Principal David Macmillan. “He has proved his speed in karts and single-seaters and slotted into the team perfectly, during our recent test at Portimao.”
“Britain has always been a mecca for motorsport and I’m very excited to be developing my career in the UK,” smiled Jan Jønck. “It’s a great place to race.
“The British GT Championship is one of the most competitive series in Europe, with lots of international-standard drivers and teams. The circuits are great, too. Well-run, exciting and challenging – some of the best anywhere – and the mix of classes, with GT3 and GT4 together, makes for very competitive and very exciting racing.
“I felt very comfortable with the team and the car, right away. The atmosphere in the team is great and there’s a really good work ethic, and I hope that we’ll be able to target podium finishes, right from the start of the season.
‘The car is clearly fast, it feels very good to drive and I’ve really started to fall in love with GT racing over the test days we’ve had together. I’m looking forward to the endurance aspect of the Championship, which is completely new to me, coming from much shorter sprints, in karts and single-seaters. I can’t wait to get into the two- and three-hour races. That’s going to be a new and unique experience for me and that’s probably what I’m looking forward to the most!
Jønck began his career in karts, winning both Danish and Nordic Rotax Max Junior titles, before moving up to single-seaters. He cut his teeth in the Italian Formula 4 Winter series, then entered Danish Formula Ford in 2014, taking 7 wins and finishing as runner-up in the Championship.
After a season in ADAC Formel 4 in Germany, Jan turned his attentions to the UK and the BRDC’s revived British Formula 3 Championship. While learning the British tracks, he posted a number of top-10 finishes in the competitive series and claimed a pole position on his first visit to Silverstone in June.
“The combination of Jan and Will is hugely exciting,” reckons David Macmillan. “We’re heading into our second season in GT4, with two young chargers, a good grounding in British GT and a year of learning under our belts.
“We’ve been looking for someone that’s a good fit with the entire team and I’m convinced that, in Jan, we’ve found the final piece of our jigsaw puzzle. Macmillan Racing is a close-knit family and the way that Jan blended in seamlessly, on both occasions that he’s been with us in testing, has given us all the confidence that’s vital for the tough battle in GT4.
“Last season was all about learning the ropes. This year, we will be targeting podium finishes and, hopefully, race wins. We believe we have put all the pieces in place and – with the support of Aston Martin Racing – we can’t wait to get to Oulton Park and get the season underway.”
Macmillan Racing’s completed 2017 line-up comprises James Littlejohn and Jack Mitchell in the GT3 Aston Martin, with Will Phillips and Jan Jønck driving the team’s GT4 Vantage V8.
