Jetstream Motorsport launched its 2018 British GT programme during the championship’s official Media Day at Donington Park on Thursday (8 March).
The Bruntingthorpe-based outfit first announced its intention to join the British GT grid with a sole Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 for Aston Martin Racing factory driver Maxime Martin and reigning GT Cup Champion Graham Davidson in February.
However, the newly-formed Pro-Am driver pairing and Jetstream Motorsport’s striking white and orange colour scheme broke cover in the Donington Park pit lane on Thursday (8 March) morning, shining a light on the team’s many partnerships with esteemed brands from the UK’s automotive, financial, telecoms and food and drink sectors.
Mattioli Woods – a leading UK provider of wealth management and employee benefits services – features prominently on Jetstream Motorsport’s livery, alongside premium Scottish drinks brand, UWA Tequila, and top telecoms franchising firm, The Ignite Group.
In addition, Jetstream Motorsport boasts support from Aston Martin Edinburgh – the home of Aston Martin in Scotland – as well as automotive damping specialists, Bilstein, car care and detailing experts, Clark Aitken, and GT Storage Solutions – a bespoke vehicle storage facility near Aberdeen.
Each will benefit from the British GT Championship’s global reach, achieved through extensive television coverage and exposure in leading print and online media outlets, as well as the myriad opportunities to raise brand awareness, network at a national level and entertain VIP guests at each of the seven race meetings on the 2018 calendar.
Once all media commitments had been fulfilled, Jetstream Motorsport teammates, Davidson and Martin, utilised the Media Day’s test sessions to get acquainted with each other and their Aston Martin V12 Vantage.
Changeable and inconsistent conditions meant the track surface was neither wet nor dry for the duration of the morning, but the skies brightened, enabling teams and drivers to hone setups in preparation for the start of the new season at Oulton Park on the Easter Bank Holiday (31 March-2 April).
Belgium’s Martin went as high as second during his first ever stint in the Jetstream Motorsport-run Aston Martin, but times tumbled and a 1m28.977s saw him end the first of two afternoon sessions in a very respectable sixth overall.
Reflecting on a successful day, Aberdeen’s Davidson said: “After many months of preparation I think we can all be very satisfied with what we’ve achieved. The team came together for the first time and it was also the first time Maxime (Martin) and I drove the car on a track. I believe our lap times were very competitive and there are a lot of positives to take from the Media Day. Sharing the track with our British GT rivals has definitely whet the appetite. I don’t feel out of my depth – I feel comfortable – and I’m excited about getting into a proper qualifying session at Oulton Park to see what we can do. The plan wasn’t to set any records today, it was purely about being steady and giving everybody time with the car, and we did everything we hoped to do. The biggest hurdle has been passed, as we got the car out, we ran well without any dramas and we know where we must improve. It’s exciting!”
Martin added: “The British GT Championship is one of the strongest domestic sportscar categories in the world because of the high level of the teams and drivers, and it’s really great to be here. The unpredictable weather made it challenging, but this is the UK and you have to expect this sort of thing. Nevertheless, we had a very good day. It was my first time in the Jetstream Motorsport Aston Martin V12 Vantage and my first drive around Donington Park and there were no problems at all. We still have improvements to make and, because the championship is running at such a high level, we need to be sure that we’re fully prepared for the races. I’m looking forward to a strong and successful season.”
