2025 British GT Championship: Dawson and Jewiss Lead After Strong Start
Donington Park and Silverstone Outcomes
Charles Dawson and Kiern Jewiss sit atop the 2025 British GT Championship standings following two rounds, driving the #42 2 Seas Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo. The duo amassed a maximum of 37.5 points at the season opener in Donington Park and finished second at the prestigious Silverstone 500, coming just 0.580 seconds behind a non-points-paying entry.
Dawson, who transitioned from the GT4 Pro-Am series, expressed his surprise at the team’s strong performance, noting, “We couldn’t have asked for a better start, honestly, we weren’t expecting it. The car felt great.”
Challenges with Weight Ballast
Both races underscored the challenges posed by a 30 kg weight ballast penalty, imposed following their initial performance. Dawson critiqued the decision, stating, “I don’t particularly think it’s fair… it’s been hard to process why they’re trying to punish me for being successful.” He emphasized that this penalty would not have been applied in the GT World Challenge Europe series post the first event.
Race Strategies and Performance
In the Silverstone 500, the team started seventh but employed a strategic approach that allowed them to climb through the ranks. A mid-race drive-through penalty, issued for a marginal infringement by Jewiss, proved costly, costing approximately 24 seconds.
Despite this setback, Dawson noted the high level of competition, stating, “You’ve got some of the top professionals in the world coming here. The level of the pros is higher, the level of the amateurs is generally pretty high.”
Technical Insights
Dawson elaborated on the comparative performance of the GT3 and GT4 vehicles, highlighting the notable differences in braking and corner entry speeds. “Braking performance is better, and the car is easier to get up to speed than the GT4. You just have to have the confidence to push,” he explained.
Upcoming Challenges at Oulton Park
Looking ahead to the next rounds at Oulton Park on May 23-26, the duo aims to maintain their momentum. With qualifying being crucial on the twisty, narrow circuit, Dawson recognized the importance of positioning, referring to Oulton Park as “a bit of a Monaco” where overtaking opportunities are limited.
With the Optimum Motorsports #77 McLaren GT3 Evo chasing them in the standings, Dawson and Jewiss will need to leverage their experience and strategy to solidify their lead in the championship.
