British GT4 2018 Champions, Century Motorsport, will be making a return to the British GT Championship in 2019; not only with the M4 GT4s but the Fenny Compton-based team will also be fielding a BMW M6 GT3 in the faster front-running GT3 category. This is the first BMW M6 to be entered in the British GT Championship and it looks to be very competitive. The M6 GT3 has performed incredibly since its release in 2016, winning the Spa-Francorchamps 24 Hours in its very first season.
This move comes as natural progression for the team, after a triumphant 2018 season, with a total of five championship titles secured. BMW Motorsport will continue to support the team at each round as they endeavour to help their customer racing teams to get the full potential from the Munich-built race cars.
Jack Mitchell, 2018 GT4 Champion with Century Motorsport and 2018 China GT Champion, will be sharing the car with Adrian Willmott, 1985 TT British FF1600 Champion and 2002 Formula Palmer Audi Champion.
Mitchell:
“I am really excited to be racing the BMW M6 GT3 with Century Motorsport for the 2019 British GT season. After racing in the GT3 class in 2017, I felt it improved me as a driver and set me up with the knowledge, experience and tools to win this year’s GT4 Championship. Coming back into the class for 2019 I feel I have made another step in the right direction with my driving, which is needed when you look at the calibre of drivers I will be up against.
I am really looking forward to getting behind the wheel of the BMW M6 GT3. It will be the first M6 GT3 to be used in the British GT Championship and I am sure with the help of Century and BMW Motorsport we will be able to put the car at the front of the grid where it deserves to be.
I am very excited to be working alongside Adrian as my team mate, we will be working very hard together in testing to prepare ourselves for the season ahead and make the most out of every lap we do. I would also like to thank our sponsors for their support and I look forward to helping them with their marketing programs throughout the year.”
Willmott:
“Having recently sold a few of my businesses I found myself with a bit of time on my hands! That coincided with meeting Nathan at Century Motorsport and then after a meeting with Team Jack – a British GT plan was hatched and I thought ‘hell’ why not!
It’s been a while since I last did a championship but Century are a great team with lots of support and the BMW M6 will be quick from the box, especially in the hands of young Jack who showed tremendous form last year, so I think we should be in the mix and having a lot of fun along the way…can’t wait to get started!”
Nathan Freke, Owner of Century Motorsport:
“To be the team that brings the BMW M6 to British GT is something that feels very special. It’s a car that’s had an unbelievably successful 2018 and with the support of BMW, I have no doubt at all it will be a force to be reckoned in the BGT series in 2019. It’s something that I’ve been working very hard on, and with such a successful 2018 with the GT4 programme, it was a natural step to take.
Adrian has a lot of racing pedigree, albeit a few years ago, but it’s as clear as day to see how competitive he is and I’m sure he is going to be very quick. It’s great to continue working with Jack; he did a fantastic job this year and it’s nice to be able to show that there is progression within the team and the BMW ranks as well. We will make sure we are fully prepared with a testing schedule and are already counting the days to the start of the season!”
