Thornhill Race Ace back with Aston Martin
Written by author on February 24, 2016
ROSS Wylie will race an Aston Martin in this year’s British GT Championship for the Motorbase Performance team with his sights firmly set on securing the Pro-Am title.
The year 2016 marks the third consecutive year the 24-year-old from Thornhill near Dumfries has contested the prestigious nine-race series having won the GT4 “crown” in 2014 and then finishing runner-up in the GT3 Silver Cup category last year.
Wylie will partner fellow Scot Phil Dryburgh, from Fife, in a GT3-specification Aston Martin Vantage – Ross having taken GT4 class honours in a similar car with Beechdean two years ago in his maiden BGT season. Ross, a former British Racing Drivers’ Club “SuperStar”, stepped up to the more powerful GT3 class last year having been selected by McLaren GT as a member of its “Young Driver” programme. He will test the Aston for the first time at Portimão in Portugal this weekend (26-27 Feb).
Having raced karts between 2004-11 Ross, who is hoping to secure further personal sponsorship for the year, contested the Celtic Speed Mini Cooper Cup (2012), the Volkswagen UK Racing Cup & Scirocco R-Cup (2013) and was selected a BRDC “Rising Star” that year. The former Scottish Motor Racing Club Ecurie Ecosse Hub Cap Trophy winner and Knockhill “Young Saloon Car Driver of the Year” achieved six GT4 podiums from six races in his maiden BGT season in 2014. Last year, Ross netted six overall top-10 placings in the Von Ryan Racing McLaren 650S GT3.
Motorbase Performance, based near Brands Hatch – the venue in Kent that hosts the opening BGT race in April – was founded in 2004 by former Production Saloon racer David Bartrum. Motorbase won the 2014 BGT Teams’ title.
