The #89 McLaren 720S GT3 which will carry Ollie Wilkinson and Lewis Proctor in the 2020 British GT Silver Cup.
Ollie Wilkinson will be joined by Lewis Proctor in defence of his Silver Cup crown with Optimum Motorsport in a change to the plan for 2020 despite COVID-19. Credit: Optimum Motorsport.

Ollie Wilkinson has become only the fourth reigning champion to confirm he will defend his 2019 British GT Championship title in the 2020 Intelligent Money British GT Championship. The Silver Cup winner, who raced with Optimum Motorsport in their Aston Martin V8 Vantage AMR GT3, has opted to stick with the team despite their change to McLaren Customer Racing for the 2020 season.

The series lost three of its defending champions in one move when TF Sport were forced to withdraw their GT3 efforts earlier this month.

Wilkinson claimed the Silver Cup title with Bradley Ellis in 2019 but has enlisted the services of a new co-driver. McLaren Driver Development Programme racer Lewis Proctor will share the McLaren 720S GT3 for the British GT Championship. This effort is in addition to his all Pro campaign in the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup with Joe Osbourne and Rob Bell.

“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,” Wilkinson told BritishGT.com.Taking the title last year was brilliant and it will be good to come back with that experience under my belt, a new car, new sponsor and new team-mate. Lewis has already proved himself to be a pace-setter in GT4 and I have no doubt he will take the step up to GT3 in his stride this year.”

Wilkinson Joined by Optimum Endurance Veteran

Lewis Proctor, fresh from fourth place in both the GT4 overall and GT4 Silver Cup championships with Tolman Motorsport in 2019, added, “I am very excited about stepping up, it will be my first time in the GT3! I have known the team for a long time, we go way back and obviously the British GT paddock is a small place. Shaun has a good team and the boys and girls at Optimum are very professional, so I’m looking forward to going racing in August.”

Proctor raced for Optimum Motorsport during the 2019 Hankook 24 Hours of Dubai, in the Ginetta G55 GT4.

The decision brings the Silver Cup entry into the GT3 class to a record six cars, and also brings the number of McLaren 720s GT3s entered into the championship to a remarkable 6 chassis. This is a series record.

The good news in GT3 though was countered immediately as the team also confirmed that they were withdrawing their two GT4 class entries for the McLaren 570S GT4. The team cited the rescheduled calendar as the reason the effort wouldn’t be mounted.

Nicholas Smith
Author

Nick Smith is a time served motorsport journalist and photographer specialising in the British GT Championship. The originator of the idea behind the British GT Fans Show, which became the British Sportscar Podcast, Nick works as the shows resident expert. Away from the track Nick earns his way as a driving instructor and instructor trainer.

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