2025 British GT Championship: Brands Hatch Qualifying Highlights
Brands Hatch, UK — The 2025 British GT Championship has entered a new chapter as 2 Seas Motorsport’s #18 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO, driven by Kevin Tse and Maximilian Götz, secured pole position for Round 8, despite a 20-second pit stop compensation penalty from their previous race victory at Snetterton. Tse’s qualifying time narrowly edged out Blackthorn’s #7 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo by 0.216 seconds.
“We focused heavily on qualifying due to the difficulty of overtaking at Brands Hatch,” Tse emphasized. His strategic choice to start on the inside line at Paddock Hill Bend is critical for gaining an early advantage.
In the adjacent battle for the championship, the pole position elevates Tse and Götz to the forefront, as they remain just one point ahead of the #7 Aston Martin, driven by Giacomo Petrobelli.
Tom Wood Returns Strongly
In other news from the GT3 paddock, Tom Wood marked his return to Brands Hatch—where he made his GT3 debut last season—by setting the fastest time in his session with a lap of 1:22.687. Wood aims to reclaim momentum after a challenging round at Snetterton, mentioning, “We’ve got to put the processes together and win the class.”
Currently, the Silver-Am competition sees him and Howard from the #97 Beechdean Aston Martin leading Jonny Ip by a mere 3.5 points. Their cars will start seventh and 13th overall, respectively.
GT4 Updates: Luke Garlick and Jon Kearney
In GT4, Luke Garlick returns to competition with Mahiki Racing. After debuting with Bridger Motorsport, his transition to the Ginetta G56 GT4 Evo signals a fresh start. Garlick stated that the challenge of returning to Brands is considerable, given the physical demands of the circuit.
Joining the GT field is Jon Kearney, making a late-season comeback with Optimum Motorsport in the #3 McLaren 720S GT3 Evo, partnered with Callum Macleod. Kearney’s spontaneous decision to race adds an element of uncertainty, yet he expressed confidence about controlling the car’s performance.
Championship Dynamics
In the GT4 championship, the #90 Optimum McLaren Artura duo of Marc Warren and Jack Brown leads with 162.5 points, but their competitors from Century Motorsports, Ravi Ramyead and Charlie Robertson in the #71 BMW M4 GT4 Evo, are positioned close behind. If the #90 wins at Brands Hatch, it will be critical for the #71 to secure a second-place finish to keep their championship hopes alive.
Warm-Up Session Insights
In the morning warm-up session, Marcus Clutton posted the fastest time in the #67 Orange Racing by JMH McLaren 720S GT3 Evo at 1:23.348, followed closely by Porsche’s Sven Müller. Both Optimum McLarens appeared strong in setup, leading to expectations of competitive races ahead.
As the action unfolds, the intricacies of Brands Hatch will test driver skill and strategy to the fullest. Live coverage is available for those wanting to follow the races.
For real-time updates, refer to the race livestream here.
