RAM Racing will make their Avon Tyres British GT Championship debut in 2015 after confirming a season-long entry for drivers Lewis Plato and Alistair MacKinnon aboard a Mercedes SLS AMG GT3.
The British squad has competed in a variety of sportscar series since its formation in 2012, including the FIA World Endurance Championship and at Le Mans, but will focus its efforts closer to home this season. Their decision to run the Mercedes also guarantees that at least eight different manufacturers will be represented across both classes.
Plato continues his graduation through the national ranks after winning the 2013 Radical SR3 Challenge before going on to take victory in the Sunoco IMSA 200 Challenge in 2014. And the 22-year-old is confident of maintaining that momentum in his first British GT season.
“British GT is going to be a brilliant experience and I can’t wait to get started on what will be an exciting new development in my career,” he said.
“I’ve got a fantastic team-mate in Alistair, he has a strong understanding of GT racing that will help me massively in my learning year. I want to develop as much as I can, and I am really excited about getting out in the new car.”
MacKinnon, who last contested the championship as a GT4 entrant in 2012, is delighted to now be stepping up and challenging for overall honours.
“I am absolutely thrilled,” he said. “To be given the opportunity to return to GT racing was one that I grabbed with both hands. Ever since I first drove the Mercedes SLS AMG GT3 I knew it had potential to be a great car. I am looking to build on my experience from the British GT Championship and, together with Lewis and RAM Racing, I am confident we can have a great season.”
Team Principal Dan Shufflebottom added: “It’s great for us to be entering a new series. The British GT Championship is very strong right now so we were keen to be a part of it. We had great success running the SLS in Dubai 24 Hours, our debut race with the car, putting it on the overall podium against some teams very experienced in running it. To me, this is testament to our team and it gives me confidence that they will embrace this new challenge in a similar way.
“The key to this championship seems to be consistency,” he continued. “Drivers have taken the overall championship win having only won one race all season. This doesn’t mean that we aren’t going to race to win, it means we are going to be smart and play a clever game to ensure we take points from each race – there is no room for error in such a competitive field and we need to hit the ground running.”
The team will be at the official British GT Championship media day at Brands Hatch on Wednesday 25 March.