2016 Renault R.S.01 PRO champion Pieter Schothorst will drive the #59 McLaren 650S GT3 alongside Jazeman Jaafar and Andrew Watson at this year’s Total 24 Hours of Spa. The one-off outing will be the Dutch driver’s first race in a McLaren GT and will dovetail with his ongoing WRT drive in the Blancpain GT Sprint Series.
“I’m really looking forward to working with Strakka,” says Schothorst. “I raced against the team in R.S.01 in 2016 and I was highly impressed by its approach, commitment and just the way it goes racing. This will be my third Spa 24 Hours and I want to bring some of my experience of the event to the team. A huge thanks to McLaren GT and Strakka for this opportunity.”
Having raced against Schothorst in 2016, Strakka’s team principal Jay Davenport is pleased with the confirmation. “We know how good Pieter is, both from the R.S.01 but also his performances in the WRT R8 this year. He’s a great addition to our line up, bringing speed and experience.”
Having driven a number of GT3 cars, Schothorst was left impressed with a recent brief outing in the 650SGT3. “The car is a joy to drive, which is important in an endurance race like Spa,” adds Schothorst. “It’s smooth and I found it agile in the twisty sections. I know my team mates are quick so I think we can all do good job.”
Schothorst will replace McLaren GT factory driver Dean Stoneman in the #59 car. “We enjoyed working with Dean this season,” says Davenport. “We’d like to thank him and wish him the best for the future.”
