Greystone GT are extremely pleased to announce that Mark Hopton and Euan Hankey will contest the all-new McLaren Trophy in 2023 aboard an Artura race car.
The all-British line-up are the third pairing to be named by Silverstone-based Greystone GT, joining Ron Trenka/Jon Lancaster and Iain Campbell/Oli Webb in the five-event series that will support the GT World Challenge Europe at some of the continent’s best-known circuits.
Mark, from Derby, enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2022; a sensational drive on slick tyres on a damp, but drying, track at Brands Hatch helping the pair to a first GT Cup race win in May aboard a McLaren 570S GT4.
Mark and Euan then added two more victories and five other podiums during the season to end the year third in the GTH class standings; Mark also earning a maiden fastest lap and resultant Pitstop-Race pole position at Snetterton in October.
Euan, from Somerset, has had a hugely successful professional career in sportscars. A GT4 Pro-Am title-winner in the 2020 British GT Championship, Euan was also the 2017 European Le Mans Series GTE runner-up.
The former McLaren works racer has taken class victories in the globally-renowned Spa and Dubai 24-Hour races, the International GT Open and the Le Mans Cup as well as starting the Le Mans 24 Hours three times.
The new-for-2023 McLaren Trophy features classes for the fastest versions of both the Artura and the 570S race cars. Each round will support the GT World Challenge Europe at one of the continent’s best endurance racing circuits.
Every event features a pair of 50-minute races with pro-am line-ups allowed in each car and the emphasis placed on bronze-graded drivers like Mark to make the crucial difference.
Mark Hopton said: “I’m super-excited for the new season. To race the new Artura in the first year of McLaren Trophy is an amazing opportunity that I couldn’t turn down. To score eight podiums and two ‘Driver of the Day’ awards in the GT Cup in 2022 was a massive step forwards and it’s clear that the hard work Greystone GT – and particularly Euan – put into my development paid off. I’m now looking forward to something new. The level of competition will be very high and learning a new car on iconic European tracks will be a big challenge, but one that I’m up for and that will push me to the next level. On a personal note, I’m also very happy to be racing alongside Euan for another season and with my team-mates Iain Campbell, Oli Webb, Ron Trenka and Jon Lancaster once again. I’d also like to thank all the team at ONE|DZ who have worked me hard over the winter to get me fighting fit for the year ahead. Bring it on!”
Euan Hankey said: “The McLaren Trophy is a hugely exciting new series and it’s great to be a part of it right from the start with Mark and Greystone GT. We’ve worked together for the past year and his rate of progress has been exceptional in the GT Cup with a couple of wins and several thoroughly deserved ‘Driver of the Day’ awards. Now we have the chance to take what we’ve learned together and compete on the European stage at some mega tracks like Spa-Francorchamps and Barcelona. Mark’s never raced at those circuits before, but he learns quickly and took to Barcelona like a duck to water when we tested there this week, so I have no doubt we’ll be able to give things a really good go.”
Mark McLoughlin, Team Principal, said: “Our McLaren Trophy line-up continues to go from strength to strength with Mark and Euan the third crew to be revealed. Mark’s progress has been extremely impressive to come from total novice to fighting for podiums and wins regularly in the GT Cup and in Euan he has a professional co-driver who’s probably driven more laps in McLaren racing cars than anybody else over the past few years. Together they make an extremely formidable combination that is more than capable of challenging for top results across the season.”
